# Router bits with no bearing



## WoodCrusher (Mar 27, 2015)

Can a profile router bit with no bearing be used with a hand held router? I have seen some profiling bits such as bullnose bits and was wondering how you would use them with a hand held router if they have no bearing.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Hey, N/A; welcome!
If you have a moment perhaps fill out the personal profile with at least your first name(?). It makes it a bit more friendly.
Re the edge treatment and bits; I hardly ever use a bit with a bearing; I much prefer using a micro adjustable edge guide for hand held routering.
What brand of router are you using?
RA1054 Deluxe Router Guide | Bosch Power Tools
Other brands of course are similar.
The Bosch model also can be used for routing circles: (I personally haven't tried it but other members pointed this out to me.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-2uBRG6LI0


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## WoodCrusher (Mar 27, 2015)

Done. I am using a Bosch 1617 EVS. The edge guide looks like it would be the way to go for using edge forming bits with no bearing. Should I go for the Bosch edge guide or is there something else that would work better?


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Hello Rob welcome to the forum.
Yes but to use these bits you must have some sort of guide system in place , like Dan says edge guide,a board clamped to guide the router


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Rob; 

I love my Bosch edge guide. If there was a third party one available I wouldn't even bother considering it. I don't know what Bosch could do to make there's better!
Price shop though; quite a spread in the online posted prices.
I have an old Craftsman router with a similar guide but it's no match in quality.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Your routers are sold *without* guide fences! Amazing!


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Phil P said:


> Your routers are sold *without* guide fences! Amazing!


Yeah...what a country...if there was another one like it I'd go there for the weekend...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

My Bosch 1619EVS came with one (the one I referred to). Bunch of other stuff as well.
What really makes me crazy is that no one includes a rip guide with builders' saws over here (anymore). That's like not including the power cord...
It's basically a stamped bar welded to another bar, and a screw. Worth what, $1.50 to make?


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Welcome to the forum Rob.


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

Maybe.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Rob.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Quillman said:


> Maybe.


My heart rate goes up dramatically, Pat, when I see your stuff! :wub:
Man, you build beautiful equipment. 
( May I just say though that personally I'd prefer finger knobs rather than screws?)


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

G'day Rob, welcome to the forum.


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## katabrontes (Nov 12, 2014)

An alternative might be to clamp a straight board on top of the work and use a guide bush. The fence on my De Walt 625 does have a micro adjuster but its quite sloppy and the fence shifts quite significantly when you clamp if after adjusting. Clamping a board or a template over the work might actually be easier and gives a good wide surface for the router base to ride on. If you made a small spacer to use with the chosen guide bush it would easy to set it up the same each time (attach the guide to the board with a piece of string and mark the guide bush size on the guide to avoid using the wrong bush by mistake. I do this on all my templates.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Another method of using face cutter is the use of templates and template guides which is very versatile.


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## WoodCrusher (Mar 27, 2015)

Thanks for the welcomes. I'll look into the suggestions mentioned.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

DaninVan said:


> What really makes me crazy is that no one includes a rip guide with builders' saws over here (anymore).


Gee, Dan, what a bunch of cheap skates. Over here if they did that the dealer would get a real ear bashing. Of course Festools are the exception :yes4:

Regards

Phil


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

"Gee, Dan, what a bunch of cheap skates."
Yes. We're our own worst enemies, Phil. We're always chasing the lowest price, ergo the distributors find ways to cut _their_ cost...


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