Best spiral pattern/flush bit or try Festool flush bit?

[MrToolJunkie]

I am making a set of dining chairs and my flush bit is dull. It is straight cutting and so even if sharpened I worry about tearout so I will likely retire it and replace with another option.

What do you recommend? Will be pattern routing hand-held and in the table so bearing position  is not a huge deal. Mostly hardwood and some figured. I want best cut (hence spiral) or ability to replace the edges (hence Fedtool).  Whiteside has a couple of nice compression bits and some with two bearings.

 

[Claimdude]

Whiteside hands down.

Jack

 

[kevinculle]

Yes the Whiteside solid carbide spiral bit is a great one.

 

[waho6o9]

For a glass finish Whiteside is tough to beat.http://whitesiderouterbits.com/catalog.html

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[Huxleywood]

  Whiteside has a couple of nice compression bits and some with two bearings.

The Whiteside compression bits are absolutely the best pattern bits for a router.  Maybe of interest Southeast Tool (which also makes top quality by that I mean Whiteside level bits) just released 3 compression bits seemingly identical to the Whiteside versions and where the Whitesides run about $165 (depending on the version) the Southeast Tool versions are about $35 cheaper.  I plan to try one when my Whiteside gets dull but mainly do pattern cutting on the shaper with a 4" diameter Byrd head so it may be a long time before I get one. 

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Thanks, guys. The Whiteside looks like the most recommended option. Now, should I go top bearing, bottom bearing or both or get a combination?

 

[tiralie]

Thanks, guys. The Whiteside looks like the most recommended option. Now, should I go top bearing, bottom bearing or both or get a combination?

Depends, I find a (one) top bearing and (one) bottom bearing covers off most requirements. Not sure I would ever use one with both bottom and top.
Tim