# Budget Bits



## ExpressEN1 (Jul 13, 2013)

Everything in my shop was purchased on a very tight budget. I believe I am going to go over budget on bits from now on. I purchased a Skil stacked rail and stiles bit trying to stay within my budget. The first time I used it, a piece of carbide went flying. One of the cutters just broke off.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Warren, was the bit in contact with the material when you started your router? All bits will have the carbide peeled off of them if this happens.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

ExpressEN1 said:


> Everything in my shop was purchased on a very tight budget. I believe I am going to go over budget on bits from now on. I purchased a Skil stacked rail and stiles bit trying to stay within my budget. *The first time I used it, a piece of carbide went flying. One of the cutters just broke off*.


had that happen with an MCLS bit and did it ever make a mess of my earlobe...


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## ExpressEN1 (Jul 13, 2013)

No, the material was not even on the table when I started the router. Looking at the piece I was working on, it appears to have happened about half way thru the cut. Just a poor bit I guess. I was lucky that the broken piece stayed inside the router guard. I pulled the router from the table this evening and the broken cutting tip was stuck in the saw dust.


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Warren I was working on a spindle moulder years ago and a chunk of tungsten came off a Freud cutter block and impaled itself in a sheet of board 40 feet away, this does happen and it is not all that common, the cutter block I was using was the best type and it let go for an unknown reason, your cutter may have been faulty or it may have been a poor brand, I try to stay away from cheap cutters for this and other reasons. mostly I think that they have cheaper tungsten in them, and thinner, so use good cutters and don't let this worry you that much. NGM


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## ChadPMIK (Jun 28, 2013)

This confirms my decision to get high quality bits from the start.


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

ChadPMIK said:


> This confirms my decision to get high quality bits from the start.


Chad I have said it many times, you cannot trust cheap cutters, buy good cutters that you will use, stay away from big sets that are cheap but are full of cutters that you will never use, when you buy good single cutters then treat them kindly and get them sharpened when they need it, over time you will have a good set of cutters that you do use, still even good cutters can break so don't cut deeper or harder than the cutter can cut. NGM


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## ExpressEN1 (Jul 13, 2013)

I figured as long as Skil has been making wood working tools, I would be OK with the router bits. I will be choosing a new brand after this. What are the opinions on Bosch router bits? Not a big selection in my area.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

For a bit to fail in it's first cut chances are it was dropped by a store clerk stocking the shelves, perhaps by a customer looking at it. This can happen very easily and is one reason why bits are kept locked up in tool stores. (Theft being the other) I hope you took it back for a replacement bit.

Since the easiest way to avoid problems is to go with a higher quality bit I would suggest you consider Sommerfeld's rail and style bits. They have a new design feature which reduces tear out and is patent pending. They also sell a tool for quick set up. I know this costs more but they will last longer and can be sharpened more times. In the end this will save you money while providing the best cut.


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## ExpressEN1 (Jul 13, 2013)

Mike, thanks for the advice. As it happens, I was just browsing the Summerfield online catalog last night.


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## Psychbiker (Jan 8, 2013)

I've have success with the MLCS kit but I'm not making a lot of stuff, just flutting some 2x6 so far.


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