Which bits for OF 1400 router

Flat4Boxer

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Joined
Dec 30, 2012
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My wife got me the OF 1400 for my birthday and I'm wondering what bits i need for it.  I'm just a weekend DIY'er and don't know too much.  Will a good set from a big box store do or should I head back to the Festool store?

Thanks in advance.
 
I wouldn't advise going for a "value" set.  Those sets will be of poor quality carbide and it will show when you use a bit on a nice piece of wood.

Of course Festool bits are some of the best.  We also recommend Whiteside bits, and in a close second Freud bits.  A single one of these bits will cost probably as much or more than one of the big box store sets, but it is well worth it. 

Ken
 
I second that for the festool bits. I recently got several of the 8mm bits for my 1010 and the quality is fantastic. The spiral bits are especially good.
 
I've also had good luck w/ CMT and Amana as well as Freud and Whiteside. A suggestion for generally useful starts. I get 1/2" shafts where possible. 1/4" spiral bit (either upcut or downcut). Flush cut bit (bottom bearing), straight bit (plywood sizes: 23/32, 31/64), 1/4" radius roundover, 1/2" radius roundover, 45 degree chamfer. 3/8 rabbet bit.

Note that I don't do raised panel doors, etc.
 
MLCS Katana 1/2" shank where possible - I just purchased a handful myself based upon a search on the FOG of best bang for your buck router bit... a highly respected pro recommended so I went with them and am so far happy though I only just tried playing around with them today with OF1400 in my new CMS GE just setup this morning.
 
This question often comes up. The most useful bits I have are a rabbet set from Freud, a down-spiral straight bit, a template bit and a flush trim bit. I would buy these from the start.

All other bits are specific to the job, such as cove, bullnose, ogee, panel-raising etc. I would buy these as the need arises.

 
For my first set of router bits as a hobbyist I bought a set of Ryobi bits.  MISTAKE ! 

In my journey to improve my skills and craftsmanship I have found that the value of a good quality bit goes a long way.

Invest in a better bit.  You will be happy you did.  Even with being a weekend woodworker,  you will get better cuts.  Which will make you happy

and will make you want to do more projects.  The OF1400 is a sweet router.  Don't feed it junky bits.  You wouldn't be using the router to it's

fullest if you did.  Just my two cents. 

I have had great results with Sommerfield, Freud, CMT, Whiteside and even some Bosch bits.  I have yet to try a Festool bit, but I'm sure they are

great quality, what you would expect from them.

Eric
 
If you think you may add the OF1010 router, I recommend looking at Lee Valley as they now sell router bits with 8mm shanks. I have purchased several and am impressed.
 
I read in one of my favorite router books that you should plan on investing in router bits equal to roughly half the cost of the router.  I think this is pretty good advice and as others have said,  buy quality bits.  I like my Festool bits and my Whiteside bits the best.  There are others out there but sick to the higher quality brands out there...they will last longer and give you better cuts than some of the cheaper bits out there.  There are tons of his out there and so your projects will need to help guide your purchases.  I think a rabbeting bit, flush trim, template bit, 1/4 inch round offer, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 straight bits and a Roman Over bit would be a good start.  The essential router bit set is also a good starting point that will cover lots of routing tasks.

Scot
 
Everyone eventually learns that you cannot cut corners (pun) with cheap router cutters. I would suggest that the OP follows the advice of the other US chaps and goes for the higher quality ones recommended.

As an aside, this really does illustrate the fundamental point that most woodworkers will have more money invested in the cutters than in any one router. That is why I always advise people to get a really good router (from Festool of course) to do justice to that investment.

Peter
 
If this is your first router, then I'm going to disagree with almost everyone, and say you should get a cheap router bit set.

Reasons? If you've never used a router before, you will make some mistakes. You may even destroy a bit or two. Better to wreck a $5 bit than a $50 bit.

You can use the cheap bits to learn how the router works, and how you work with it.

Also, you can use the cheap set to see what bits you'll actually use, and then replace them with quality bits. Sure, you could try & work out what bits you're likely to need, but you won't get that 100% right for you. Even if you only buy one quality bit that you don't use, you're going to be more out of pocket than the cost of a full cheap set.

I bought my first router (admittedly not a Festool one!) around 12 years ago. I also got a cheap 20 piece bit set. I destroyed a couple of bits almost straight away by trying to remove way too much material in one pass, and quickly learnt what the limitations of that router were. I've bought quality bits ever since to replace some of those, and others that I needed for specific applications as I went along.  As for the rest, I still have probably 50% of that set, that I use very rarely, or have only ever used once. Indeed, there were 2 dovetail bits that have never been used. But I've never bought a high-priced bit that I haven't used.

For those reasons, I'd recommend a basic, cheap set.
 
I would just spend the money and get good bits. Why on earth would you buy a $500 router only to put cheap bits in it, just does not make sense to me. If your going to buy a premium tool you have to go all the way and buy premium bits in order to get the most out of the OF1400.
 
I agree with Jonny's logic on this one.  Although I've not destroyed bits as he has.  I'd suggest you get a inexpensive set, one of the big sets, and see what bits you are really going to use often and replace these bits with quality bits over time, as needed. 
 
For inexpensive bits I really like woodline for expensive bits I like Inifinity.

Cant go wrong with either.

The Woodline buts have held up well over the years and are resharpenable.

Inifinity are very good bits lots of carbide on them.
 
Woodline was very good about instantly replacing any bit that have or develop defects, like chipped carbide, bad bearings, etc.  I've got a few of their sets from years ago and every bit I've used has given satisfactory results for the limited use they've had.  Nice to have a bunch of different profiles for when you have to match an existing molding by using a couple different router setups. 

Wouldn't make any sense at all to go out and but a bunch of $40+ bits just to have a collection with no knowledge of what you'll actually be using a router for.  At the very most, the 10 essential bits from Whiteside would be the very most I'd buy upfront if your new to WW and that set will prove to be a good investment.

Same folks that will buy a 25 pc socket set for $300 will tell you to go spend $500 on a set of bits, but I agree with the advice above, buy a decent cheap set of an assortment and see what you end up using, then replace with better bits as needed.

As a total newbie to routers, I'd suggest you get a few router specific books to open your eyes up to what a router can do for you in your woodworking.

Collecting all these toys and doodads sometimes gets in the way of actually using them....

JT
 
jonny round boy said:
If this is your first router, then I'm going to disagree with almost everyone, and say you should get a cheap router bit set.

Reasons? If you've never used a router before, you will make some mistakes. You may even destroy a bit or two. Better to wreck a $5 bit than a $50 bit.

You can use the cheap bits to learn how the router works, and how you work with it.

Also, you can use the cheap set to see what bits you'll actually use, and then replace them with quality bits. Sure, you could try & work out what bits you're likely to need, but you won't get that 100% right for you. Even if you only buy one quality bit that you don't use, you're going to be more out of pocket than the cost of a full cheap set.

I bought my first router (admittedly not a Festool one!) around 12 years ago. I also got a cheap 20 piece bit set. I destroyed a couple of bits almost straight away by trying to remove way too much material in one pass, and quickly learnt what the limitations of that router were. I've bought quality bits ever since to replace some of those, and others that I needed for specific applications as I went along.  As for the rest, I still have probably 50% of that set, that I use very rarely, or have only ever used once. Indeed, there were 2 dovetail bits that have never been used. But I've never bought a high-priced bit that I haven't used.

For those reasons, I'd recommend a basic, cheap set.

I like this advice..And when I get around to getting my Festool router I will probably not buy top notch bits at first. I am new to routers, and not going to be producing any work that would need super nice bits anyway. Even once I get better with the router, I think it will probably always be useful to have crappy bit laying around anyway for crappy work.

Case in point, my imperial bit set. They're so pretty I am afraid to use them for some of the work I do.
 
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