Essential Router Bits

[Rocky]

What are the 10 must have router bits?

 

[Rob-GB]

For me it changes a lot depending on what I am making but a good start up set ought in my view have the following:-

A long 1/2" straight cutter, preferably a replaceable blade one.
A bearing guided rebate cutter with a few sizes of bearings
A flush trimming bit, preferably two though, a top guided and a bottom guided
Chamfer bit
A 1/4" round over bit
A 1/2" round over bit
A 1/2" cove cutting bit
A bearing guided slot grooving set, adjustable to suit various groove sizes or to form tongues for tongue and groove boards
A smaller straight cutter 1/4" or 3/8"

Depending on what you plan to make the list will change and you will of course add to them over the years as projects demand.

Rob.

 

[ScotF]

Rob has a good list.  I like spiral bits over straight bits for grooves and dados as I find I get cleaner cuts, especially holes for mortises.  I would add an ogee bit to the list and maybe a core box bit instead of a cove bit so that you can make different types of molding -- most moldings are coves, ogees and round-overs.  You might want to add a dovetail bit for sliding dovetails too and other dovetail joinery.  I have added bits as projects dictate and I have well over a hundred bits in different sizes, profiles, etc...  Limiting it to just 10 would be a hard choice. 

Scot

 

[JoggleStick]

Definitely have to have at least one spiral- up... All the better to bore with....
I also use a hybrid spiral up/ down for crisp melamine edges...
I do a bit with plywood so I always have a 1/8 round over in the trimmer...

 

[Kev]

Sadly I've never seen a set that I've looked at and gone "WOW" to the combination or the quality  [sad]

Definitely rough plan a few different types of projects and consider the bit requirements to make should you isolate the right ones.

I'd personally treat specialist/jig-specific bits as outside your "magic 10" ... I think your 10 will quickly grow to 15~20 without considering jig specific bits.

(You tend to buy the special ones along with something else)

Find a few only catalogues of router bits and get familiar with the terminology.

Use google like this: http://www.google.com.au/#safe=off&biw=1280&bih=629&sclient=psy-ab&q=router+bit+catalogue+filetypedf&oq=router+bit+catalogue+filetypedf&gs_l=hp.3...1144.12221.0.12348.35.34.1.0.0.1.597.8814.0j11j12j4j3j2.32.0...0.0...1c.1.16.psy-ab.q_mVFijV9Dc&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47534661,d.dGI&fp=7ce96cd59fb7446b

... and you'll get these sorts of results:

http://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/wm_catalog_2007.pdf

http://www.toolsunlimited.com.au/catoologue/carbitool%20catalogue.pdf

http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/rout_cat.pdf

http://www.hartlauer-bits.com/HartlauerBitsList.pdf

http://www.richelieu.com/documentsB/documentsCommandeSpeciale/101/103/2/1011032/pdf_1000028_An.pdf

http://www.baersupply.com/baer/pdf/BP1494-BBC.pdf

 

[cgraham]

If you are just starting it might be worthwhile to buy a set that has ten to twelve of the "basic" bits.  You will find out that you will add to your collection as each project dictates. I tend to buy top quality bits if it is for a certain project because you will usually find another project later on that you can use it for.

 

[Runhard]

I bought this 13 piece 1/2" CMT set from Tom at Too-Home:
http://www.tool-home.com/products/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/131/products_id/17948

I also have, and like, bits from Festool, Whiteside, and Freud (not Diablo.)  Freud has the new Quadra-Cut bits that look interesting:  http://www.freudtools.com/t-quadra-cut.aspx

I would recommend getting a good router bit set and then adding more as you need/want them. Everyone that has replied has given you very good advice as well.

Daniel

 

[John H]

According to Fine WoodWorking - these are the 10 essential router bits.  Whiteside - also very highly regarded, has come out with a 10 bit set.

http://www.amazon.com/Whiteside-Ten-Essential-Router-Bits/dp/B0012JI4UQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1370700980&sr=8-2&keywords=whiteside+10+bit

With that said - I also have never seen a router bit "set" that I actually liked and usually end up buying them individually...

 

[polarsea1]

I agree with John, I've never seen a set that had all the bits I use and they all seem to have some bits I'll never use. I really don't see the appeal unless you are getting a significant discount to buying them individually.

 

[sancho57]

I dont buy sets. I buy bits as I need them. The only set I have is rail  stile / panel sets for door making.

I like spiral bits, 6mm, mortising bit, flush trim bits, rabbiting bits, ogee, round over bits with reg bearings and brass bearing.