# Round Over Bits



## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

I am looking to purchase a set of Round Over Bits. I have found that I can buy an fairly inexpensive set of 4 for about $30 to $40. 

Or I can buy extremely expensive bits that cost about $30 to $40 each.

I am leaning towards a set of 4 as this would be a good entry point for me. I don't see them being used a lot but then again I have never had any so I don't know if they are something that one finds many uses for.

Suggestions? 

Also they seem to offer them in both 1/4" shaft and 1/2" shaft. Is there any advantage with either size shaft?

Thanks


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

½'' shank are more stable...
American or Italian made will last long time and are better balanced...


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

Usually, a mid price item is a good deal.
Super cheap is always a bad idea, especially when its a lump of sharp steel spinning at 30,000 rpm, and youre face is the nearest object.

If youre not going to use it much, buy one good one, and see how you get on.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

morgantheship said:


> I don't see them being used a lot but then again I have never had any so I don't know if they are something that one finds many uses for.


You will definitely find a use for them. The problem I have with sets of router bits is there is always one bit you'll never find a use for....

I use 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" the most. I usually buy them from Magnate.net a la carte Corner Rounding ( Round Over )/Beading Router Bit

If you buy from Magnate, buy a handful of bits at a time due to their shipping cost.

every so often Woodcraft has a good deal on their store brand, so I grab some there as well.


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## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

You'll never be sorry for buying the best you find and can afford, and certainly stay with 1/2" shanks. Just my opinion of course.

There is some pride in having good tools, I don't know how to put a dollar value on it, but to me it is real, maybe it's just me. I have better tools than I have skills, but as I'm learning, the value of the better tools become more and more evident.

When cost is a factor and often it is, mid range tools will work just fine I'm sure, guess it just depends on the individual. I do agree that going real cheap usually end up being the most expensive as you end up buying higher priced tools when the chaap ones fail you.

I went that route years ago with a couple of cheap routers.

Jerry


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Russell...can we assume your router is capable of handling 1/2" shanks...? Your profile doesn't show model...


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

I'm very happy with Freud bits. Not the most expensive but more than the cut rate brands. I buy from routerbitworld.com. $1 shipping via USPS first class so they get to me quick.

Also, I have this set of Grizzly router over bits. They have held up surprisingly well and seem to always be on sale at that price.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

MLCS has free shipping. link is to their top line bits and they are moderately priced 64 dollars for 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 in one set. They also have a 30.00 economy set. 

Katana® Round Over Router Bits and Round Over/Beading Router Bit Sets


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## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

My current router is a Craftsman (don't know the model number) but it will take either 1/4" or 1/2" shanks.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Buy the best you can afford. I suggest a moderately priced set to get the basic bits and then when you figure out what bits you use the most replace them with single bits of higher quality. My personal preference is the Whiteside bits but as Stick said the American & Italian bits seem to be a better choice. Most of us have a mixture. I stay away from anything made in China.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

A poll here years ago showed that 1/4" round over was the over whelming #1 most used.


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

For budget priced bits, I've had good luck with bits from Woodline USA - Router Bits, Woodworking, Woodworking Tools . I don't know where they are made, but they seem to hold up very well. I have never had a problem with their bits, but one set did suffer a broken box from shipping. A phone call, and a replacement box arrived two days later. They aren't the cheapest available, but they are good general use bits that last well. I have many sets. Woodline is in Tennessee, they have a good sized catalog, both printed and online, and you can find their booth at The Woodworking Shows The Woodworking Shows Homepage around the US.
I'm just a customer. I have no connection with them, but I like their products and service. I use Freud, Whiteside, and Sommerfeld when I need higher quality bits.

Charley


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## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

*Cheap Bits*



paduke said:


> MLCS has free shipping. link is to their top line bits and they are moderately priced 64 dollars for 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 in one set. They also have a 30.00 economy set.
> 
> Katana® Round Over Router Bits and Round Over/Beading Router Bit Sets


MLCS router bits are NO GOOD in Hardwood. They dull in one or two cuts in Maple. I have had enough experience with them, so I will NEVER buy MLCS bits again. No amount of warrantee service can fix the quality that does not exist.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

PhilBa said:


> Also, I have this set of Grizzly router over bits. They have held up surprisingly well and seem to always be on sale at that price.


The purple grizzly bits are good, the green ones are the same as the yellow Chinese ones available on eBay.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

kp91 said:


> The purple grizzly bits are good, the green ones are the same as the yellow Chinese ones available on eBay.


3 or 4 years ago, I bought them on a whim at the griz store figuring it was worth a shot. They really have held up. They are the purple ones. I've used the 1/4" bit a lot and still nice clean cuts with no chatter. Just the 1/4" freud bit costs more than that set. Definitely ahead on that purchase.


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

My thoughts...I find that round overs are one of the most used bits in the arsenal. I use the smaller ones in a trim router (1/4" shank) to break edges and for lighter, smaller, work. If you need to do larger round overs then go with the 1/2" in a larger router. The 1/2" will work in handheld and table mounted units. I'll echo the thoughts above...stick with mid to higher quality bits...American (Whiteside) and Italian (Freud's, et. al.). Stay away from the cheapies...they'll get you hurt and frustrated.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

FWW router bit review demonstrates the quality price spectrum. Budget and use influence the decision. Inexpensive simple edge dressing bits will do the job for the occasional woodworker. 

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


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Most bits will cut fine out of the package but that is where the similarity ends. 1/4 and 3/8" round over bits see a lot of use; to my way of thinking you should invest in one of the premium brands so they will last. 1/2" shank bits are stronger and will usually have less vibration than 1/4" shank bits but many members have both a trim router and a regular router so 1/4" shank bits might be the best choice. To get better cuts and extended life from your bits keep them clean and sharp. There are many choices in bit cleaning solutions and having tried most of them I prefer Trend's Tool and Bit cleaner. It sells for about $11 and is available from multiple sources on line and in Woodcraft retail stores.

A word about diamond sharpeners: These are the best choice for touching up router bits and they all are built with a steel base that the diamond media is attached to. Some recommend using water as a lubricant but water + steel = rust. You are best off to use a light sharpening oil instead to avoid problems down the road. A white artists eraser works well for cleaning the debris from the sharpener.


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## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

I have found all of the comments helpful and I am intending to purchase some American made bits. I have been looking at the Whiteside Machine bits but I am a bit confused as to the terminology. 

For instance: Whiteside Bit: 1/4" Shank, 3/16" Radius x 7/8" Diameter x 1/2" Cutting Length - Roundover Bit, Whiteside# 2000

In looking at other bits I did not find all these specifications. I found the shank size and the radius of the bit. But the last two specifications that Whiteside is giving throws me for a loop.

I understand the 1/4" shank
I understand the 3/16" radius
But I don't understand the 7/8" diameter or the 1/2" cutting length

Can one of you educate me? Thanks much.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Russell, it is important to know the OD of the bit: this is what tells you how tightly it will cut a corner. If it is used with a guide bushing this helps you figure out the proper offset. You can have a 3/16" radius on a bit that has an OD of 7/8" or it could be 1-1/2" OD. 

Why is cutting length important? Lets say you buy two 1/4" straight bits and one may have a cutting length of 1/2" while the other could have a full 1" of cutting depth. A shorter cutting length will cost less because less carbide is used; without going into a lengthy discussion let me sum up by saying you want to use the shortest cutting length that will do the job. For some projects you may require a full 3" cutting length for the best results but you wouldn't want to use a bit like that for most jobs.

Whiteside provides great information to help you figure out exactly what bit you need.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

See if this helps...

Router Cutters: Using Router Bits & Choosing Router Bits


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

nice find Nick...


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## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

That pdf explains everything perfectly. Thanks.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I'm a little late to the party, but I have half inch shank roundovers in 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4, and mostly use the quarter inch. I also have the 1/4 in a quarter inch shank for use in my Colt. Whenever I can, I prefer to use the Colt, it is so light and easily controlled. Most of my small bits are Freud, although I have a couple of specialty bits from MLCS. I have one or two nice ones from Rockler that came with their jigs.

My door sets, slot cutter, T & G bits are all Sommerfeld, which have matched shank lengths so you set the first bit in the set and just drop in the rest (using a grommet in the collet). For cuts that require careful setup, I really like the Easy Set by Sommerfeld, which allows you to set the bit for different stock thicknesses. That company has both Sommerfeld and Freud models of the Easy Set. 

BTW, I don't have any affiliation with Mark Sommerfeld other than being a happy customer, although I think he ought to at least send me a toaster. BTW, his Katie Jig comes with the house brand dovetail bit. 

I have a Yonoko (spelling?), set for creating picture frame profiles, which I have not used yet. Made 3 business trips in April, then came down sick, so not much shop time last month. I'll get around to using them and will report. Meanwhile, any opinions about the yellow Yonokos?

Mike is right on about a diamond sharpener. I have a medium and a fine sharpener about the width and length of a tongue depressor. A bottle of fine sharpening fluid will last about 100 years.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

morgantheship said:


> That pdf explains everything perfectly. Thanks.


You're welcome...good luck...by all means keep the questions coming...lots of folks ready to help...


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Not sure if this has been seen but Woodpeckers just advertised a Whiteside round over set for $84.00 US.

Whiteside 4-pc Roundover Router Bit Set


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## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

vchiarelli said:


> Not sure if this has been seen but Woodpeckers just advertised a Whiteside round over set for $84.00 US.
> 
> Whiteside 4-pc Roundover Router Bit Set


That is the set I was looking at purchasing from Amazon for $96. I will check out Woodpeckers. Thanks. Always interested in saving some $$.


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## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

Update on round over bits search. After looking at the Whiteside Bit Set that Woodpecker was offering and then adding their shipping charge ($11.50 for shipping), the overall cost was a bit higher then the Amazon cost which included free shipping. I plan to go with Amazon.


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## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

Continuing saga of purchasing some router bits
.
After getting the advice and input from many of you I decided on the round over bits that I was going to purchase. I found where I was going to purchase them from and all I had to do was decide to either purchase ¼” or ½” shafts.

Since my Craftsman router came with both ¼” and ½” collets I thought that I would just change out the ¼” collet to the ½” collet and order the ½” shafts. Well it didn’t work out as easy as I thought.

I could not get the ¼” collet screw out. I tried everything except heat (Possibly I should try my heat gun). 

So for the last two days I have been trying to get the ¼” collet out of the router. I cannot turn the screw no matter what. I have soaked the screw overnight with some penetrating oil in hopes of it helping. As of yet, no movement and now, being frustrated, I have come up with two options.

Option 1 would be to purchase ¼” shafts and use my existing router. Although I like the idea of being able to have ½” but then again my other current router bits are ¼”. And keep this router for however long I can and keep my overall cost down. I would imagine that at some point I will end up buying a new router but that might be years down the road.

Option 2 would be to purchase a new router and purchase the ½” shafts. Of course this is more expensive initially but would most likely serve me better in the future.

Any thoughts or suggestions? I would imagine that one of you have gone down this road and might be able to share some wisdom.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

If you have an impact driver it might help get the screw out...

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/13029251198191537452

...as an example...if not, buy a 1/2 router...long term advantage.

Sometimes light taps on the back end of the screwdriver will help...


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

How are you trying to get the collet out? In every one of my routers, the collet nut unscrews and the collet comes out with it. Then I install the other collet and nut by screwing it onto the end of the router shaft...same process, but in reverse. The actual collet stays attached to the nut. I have no screw to take out. What am I missing here?

Charley


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## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

CharleyL said:


> How are you trying to get the collet out? In every one of my routers, the collet nut unscrews and the collet comes out with it. Then I install the other collet and nut by screwing it onto the end of the router shaft...same process, but in reverse. The actual collet stays attached to the nut. I have no screw to take out. What am I missing here?
> 
> Charley


The collets for my router have a screw that threads into the shaft. I have attached a picture of the 1/2" collet showing the screw in the bottom. I am not sure if all routers are like this (apparently not as you stated that your router just uses the nut to hold the collet in place) as I would think that the nut would hold the collet in firmly without issue but for some reason this router has these screws.


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## cocobolo1 (Dec 31, 2015)

Try a hand driven impact screwdriver to remove the screw.


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Russell

Here's a link to a discussion on the Fine Woodworking Forums from back in 2003 - seems someone had the exact issue you have. In particular, see response #2 in that discussion. Hope that helps.

Router Collet removal | Fine Woodworking Knots


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

As to a replacement router, it's pretty hard to beat the Bosch 1617 EVSPK kit, which has both fixed and plunge base and 1/4 and 1/2 inch collets. They are on sale frequently but reasonably priced in general. You can also find them from time to time refurbished, which factory done are in perfect shape. Plenty of power, works well in the table or freehand. Superb quality and variety of accessories, including an edge guide that is a beautiful piece of engineering. You can even use the 1617 in a table using the fixed base and can get a key that lets you do fine height adjusting from above the table. 

I used my Bosch in the table for years and got a second motor for freehand use. Last year I got a Triton 3 1/4 hp for the table. The Triton TRA001 as height adjustment above the table and noticeably more power for hard woods and large diameter bits. The Triton is too heavy for me to use freehand, so the 1617s are my go to machines for that use.


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## morgantheship (Oct 19, 2014)

vchiarelli said:


> Russell
> 
> Here's a link to a discussion on the Fine Woodworking Forums from back in 2003 - seems someone had the exact issue you have. In particular, see response #2 in that discussion. Hope that helps.
> 
> Router Collet removal | Fine Woodworking Knots


That article did the trick. I followed the steps and was able to get the screw to back out. I then inserted the 1/2" collet and screwed it in tightly.

Now I can order the 1/2" shank bits from Whiteside.

Thanks for finding that. It saved me the cost of a new router.


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## rooted (Dec 31, 2016)

kp91 said:


> The purple grizzly bits are good, the green ones are the same as the yellow Chinese ones available on eBay.


thanks for the tip on Grizzly. They have quite a few sets with one half shanks at very affordable prices.

Yesterday I bought my first router from Menards, a Masterforce combo kit and need to find some decent but not high priced router bits in one half collet size.

Any one else use Grizzly?

Also looking for oppinions on Menards Masterforce, is this a good combo kit to get started with? 

thanks


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Welcome to the forum Rooted. Sounds like you hail from the UK. We have a few active members from the UK who may be able to respond. It matters what you want your router for as to whether a starter set is good or whether the kit you bought is the right purchase for you. What type of projects do you have in mind?


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## rooted (Dec 31, 2016)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Welcome to the forum Rooted. Sounds like you hail from the UK. We have a few active members from the UK who may be able to respond. It matters what you want your router for as to whether a starter set is good or whether the kit you bought is the right purchase for you. What type of projects do you have in mind?


thanks.

no I am from the midwest usa. not sure what all to do with this mid sized router, but round overs are the first item of business. 

basically we are remodeling our house and i like to make things for it. menards is a big box store in our area and they run quite a few sales on things like routers but getting good advice is tough. the large half inch router sets from Grizzly look good as we are just home owners and don't need industrial quality, but would like to be safe operating this thing.

origonally i was going to go with a compact router but the recommendation was to start out with a midsize router for the stability of the thing and the ability to run various sizes of shanks.

happy new year. :smile:


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

My mistake, no Menards up here and my memory failed me as I know other US members have talked about it. For general jobs around the house you need at least a 1/4" roundover, maybe 2 or 3 different size straight bits, a 45 chamfer, a straight and tapered laminate trim bit if you plan on doing counter tops, an ogee or wave edged bit for decorative edged profiles, and maybe a 1/4" radius cove bit. Most of that would be in a small starter set. Most other jobs require more specialized bits that aren't found in sets. The router you mentioned is probably a low end, light duty machine that will have a likely short life span and be difficult to find parts for in a few years, in other words a throwaway when something goes wrong. But it might be the right thing to start with if you're not sure you will want to stick with this hobby. The advice to go with at least a mid sized router is good as a trim router will not handle some of the larger bits you will want to use if you get more involved.


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## rooted (Dec 31, 2016)

The manager claims that Masterforce is their 'contractor quality' tool and has a 3 year warrentee. Bring it back with receipt and no problems.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Many of those type tools are built based on how much the company actually thinks you will use it. I heard years ago, about the time that Sears tool quality starting dropping, that they estimated the average DIYer would only use a router for 7 hours in one year. So they had their routers built so they would last at least 7 hours and gave them a one year warranty. If you have a lot of work for one and they offer a 3 yr warranty and the price is good then buy it. Just read the warranty carefully to make sure that it's not pro rated and it's full repair or replacement.


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## rooted (Dec 31, 2016)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Many of those type tools are built based on how much the company actually thinks you will use it. I heard years ago, about the time that Sears tool quality starting dropping, that they estimated the average DIYer would only use a router for 7 hours in one year. So they had their routers built so they would last at least 7 hours and gave them a one year warranty. If you have a lot of work for one and they offer a 3 yr warranty and the price is good then buy it. Just read the warranty carefully to make sure that it's not pro rated and it's full repair or replacement.


good advise.

and probably a good reason to get pro tools if possible. actually I have used the warrentee and it went very well.


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