OF1010REQ compared to the new "F" version.

[DynaGlide]

I really wish 8mm was more of a standard here. I would use my 1010 a lot more if it was.

Why does what the peanut gallery prefers have a bearing on how much you use a tool you like ?

I assume the implication is that you can't find bits with 8mm shanks ?  [unsure]

I know the 8mm thing has been discussed round here before and Lee Valley mentioned as a good source for 8mm bits.  Amazon's selection of 8mm shanked bits is pretty good too.  A / your CMT dealer has access to their full lineup of 8mm shank bits from Europe as long as you're willing to do the legwork to glean the part numbers.  Between these three sources I'd be flabbergasted if you couldn't find exactly the bit you needed.

I prefer Whiteside bits and often when I need a bit I don't have I want to be able to go to Woodcraft and grab it. The legwork of custom ordering in CMT bits and waiting for them is a turn off to me. Maybe that'll change down the road.

 

[Cheese]

Hey Matt, ToolsToday has a nice selection of Amana solid carbide router bits with 8 mm shanks. Nothing exotic, just plain spiral shank bits.
https://www.toolstoday.com/router-b...8mm"]]&sort_by=popularity&disable_semantics=1

As Xedos mentioned, CMT Europe has a ton of 8 mm bits. That could be a potential business opportunity for someone. Here's a CMT au. selection.
https://cmtorangetools.com.au

I've had very good success with ordering Festool 8 mm bits from Europe. Some have arrived within 4 days while some others take a couple of weeks. It's because I now have a nice supply of 8 mm bits that the 1010 is my go-to router while the 1/2" bits sit in the drawer.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Yeah, the 8mm thing is do-able, but is just not convenient, as in buying from a local brick and mortar store. Woodcraft, Rockler, etc (US)
Even if you live in a big city with a well-equipped woodworking store, it is not likely that they have 8mm shank bits on the shelves. Neither of the big ones local to me does, and they both have Festool bits, along with other brands. CMT, Whiteside, Amana, Rockler, etc.
If you let the other brands slide, you would still think that they would have Festool bits in 8mm? nope. All they have are a very few 1/4" shank bits, mostly flush trim. You can't even get the one that is specified for the horizontal base of the MFK700. You can order it, but why bother? You can do that from other places too, if I need it now, that doesn't help.
I can't even imagine what it would be like in a small town, where there is nothing like that at all? Amazon to the rescue, I guess.

5/16" and 3/8" shank bits do exist, but really only as solid carbide spiral flute straight bits. There are adaptors to use them in 1/2" collets, but the main intent of them is for CNC machines with ER20 or ER32 collets. They have many more shank sizes there.

I get it that 1/4" shank bits from the US are easy, but it just seems odd that metric based countries would put up with that? Which is probably the same case with 8mm here?
If it weren't for the popularity European-made tools that use them, 8mm wouldn't be here at all. I would bet that the average home hobbyist has never heard of it. I really only learned of it myself when I got my first MFK700. When I later found out that the OF1010 had that collet too, I was fine with it. Then I had two machines that could use them.

 

[Steve1]

I got one on order with Lee Valley.
Delivery date keeps getting pushed out.  Now saying May 21.

Now they say August 10.