# Best Router bit for surfacing slabs?



## WhiskeyCreek (Mar 30, 2015)

What is the best type of router bit to use for surface planing slabs, without paying for specialty planing bits? Straight bit, mortising bit, rabbet bits?


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

None. This job calls for a planer or sander or if all else fails, a hand plane.

If you are talking about an inlay mortise, the yes, a router is the tool. For surface planing, no.

M


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## WhiskeyCreek (Mar 30, 2015)

I surface plane very successfully with a router and sled all the time. I wish I had a planer and wide belt sander big enough for 11' slabs, but that's far fetched. I just don't want to pay for a $200 Amana bit or comparable bits and am looking for the next best bit.

Anybody have experience with the magnate bits?


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

My experience is that over time, you have to realize that you have spent maybe $200-300 on bits that wear out, when for the same money you could have a good used planer off CL, or add another hundred and get a new planer.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Ive used a bowl bit with decent results but it still required a good amount of sanding. Wide slabs can be a real bear to flatten.


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

This is what I bought to do some, still haven't had the time to use it but has good reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006B0QX4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

If I planned on doing a lot of flattening a lot of slabs, I'd probably go with one of those expensive bit with multiple square carbide bits. Of course with the square bottom type ones I've heard it leaving the lines with every pass, so some people use a big bowl bottom bit.


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

I used the 1 1/2 inch bit from here to flatten a butcher block table:

A bowl bit would work equally well, I think.


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

> My experience is that over time, you have to realize that you have spent maybe $200-300 on bits that wear out, when for the same money you could have a good used planer off CL, or add another hundred and get a new planer.
> 
> - Tennessee


Yea but he's talking about slabs, most of which are too wide for mostly planers and def jointers, unless you have a huge bank account that is and space.


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## shampeon (Jun 3, 2012)

I'm going to use a bowl bit, like Stef sez. It'd be great to buy a 7HP 30" industrial planer to handle a 24" wide 200+ lb. slab, but for some people, that's just not practical.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I bought this one for flattening a slab. Never got around to building a sled but I have used the bit to form half lap joints and tenons and it works great. Leaves a sharp corner and smooth finish. I've definitely got my $s worth out of it. If you're doing large slabs, you might want one a little bigger though.


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

Any large diameter carbide tipped straight bit will work.


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

Here is a link to a jig you can use, but you may already have one. I have been satisfied with the one Magnate router bit I bought. Get the biggest diameter bit you can find because an eleven foot slab will require a lot of passes. The bottom cleaning bit Scott suggested would be a good one.


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## stan3443 (Mar 3, 2012)

The Magnate bits are very good they are a true flat bottom bit most bowl bits have a 1deg angle . They go up to 2.75 dia. make shure you have the power to spin it


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