# Router bit testing



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

We have been talking about performing actual in shop testing by home users to determine how well bits stand up and provide value for your money. I am happy to announce that the router bit testing will start on 11/11/2012. This is a last call for suggestions of router bit brands you would like to see included in the testing. The following companies are participating: Whiteside, Freud, Infinity, Bosch, Guhdo GMAXX, Eagle America, Katana, MLCS, Magnate and Sommerfeld Tools. CMT indicated they would like to participate but I do not have a commitment from them yet. Woodcraft is thinking it over. Amana is the only company contacted to opt out of the testing.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Update, CMT and Woodcraft are both participating.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Selecting the bits for the test was a difficult decision. It is important that they work in all routers from low powered trim routers up to the big 3-1/4 hp models. Many of the routers in use around the world will only accept 1/4" shank bits so that had to be included. 1/2" shank bits are stronger with less vibration so that is something important too. The cutters could not be large diameter because they would create a great deal of strain on the bearings of inexpensive routers. Trying to select a single bit that would be most useful led to the decision to use a straight bit with a 3/8" cutting diameter. Since carbide tipped bits last longer than HSS bits that was a requirement. Many straight bits are designed for plunge cutting but not all. Marc Sommerfeld does not recommend using his straight bits for plunge cutting; Marc explains that evacuating the chips is the major consideration for plunge cutting so he only recommends using spiral bits for plunge cuts. With all of this in mind companies were asked to provide carbide tipped 3/8" straight plunge cutting bits in both 1/4" and 1/2" shank sizes.

So far so good. Straight bits do not tell the entire story. One of the most useful profiles is the Roman Ogee or Classical bit. This is because you can make a cove cut, a bead cut and a partial or full Ogee/classical profile. It's important to know how cleanly bits will cut these different shapes and how long they can be expected to last. Companies were asked to provide either a Roman Ogee or a classical bit with a 1/2" shank.

All of this is similar to the tests run by magazines. Many people do not trust magazine testing because after all they are paid to promote certain brands. Another consideration is the fact that magazine testing is very different from real world home shop use. Most home users will not be using a CNC machine to control the feed rate and running hundreds of board feet non stop. In typical home shops bits are used both free hand and in a router table. Many routers are fixed speed and can not be adjusted for optimum cutting in different materials. This pretty much rules out calling this test scientific. Is that important? I don't think so because this test is about using bits in typical home shops the way most people actually use them. This is something that has never been done before and the companies are very interested in the results. This test will give you an accurate idea of how long you should expect a bit to last. It will also show you the real world difference between premium bits and standard bits.

The straight bits will be sent home with people attending the 11/11/2012 meeting of the Michigan Woodworkers Guild and local members of routerforums. The profile bits will be a control group that will cut the same amount on different materials each month. This will be done on a "Sawdust Saturday" when members get together. Once a month we will ask the home users to let us know what types of materials they cut and roughly how many feet. This information will be posted on the forums. Once a bit loses it's edge it will be dropped from the reporting. Premium bits can be resharpened more times than standard bits so they are usually a better value but the purpose of this test is to find out how long a bit lasts before it needs to be sharpened. Most people do not sharpen bits they just replace them. This will show if it is more cost effective to buy standard bits and replace them or to spend the extra money on premium bits and that is information every home user will profit from.

Please post comments or suggestions about the test... this is your test!


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## dick in ia (Jul 23, 2007)

Please keep us informed. I know that everyone on the forum would be intrested. If you should be in need of help, or other testers, I know many of the Iowa woodworking clubs would be in your corner.
Dick


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

It feels like Christmas morning looking at all these bits!


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Dick, that idea you mentioned has merit. I am guessing you belong to one or more clubs so why don't you mention this to a club president? The thing I am most concerned about is having people who test the bits report in on a monthly basis. I would be delighted to include different clubs in the testing. I have contact information for a club in Texas as well. I think this would lend more credibility to the testing if different clubs would agree to test the bits and discuss them at their meetings. I could distribute the bits to 4 clubs and each would have 6 bits for members to home test. I think it is important for these bits to go to people who build a few projects a month as opposed to professionals who might use them non stop every day. We need data on typical home users for this test. Comments anyone?


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## Neil Tsubota (Mar 20, 2010)

This sounds like a GREAT idea.

How are the results going to be posted ?

May I suggest that a "spreadsheet" type summary sheet be posted. Along the "y-axis" be labled 'variables' and along the "x-axis" be labeled Manufacturer Make/Model #.

This way even though you have different "testers" that each bit be tested and evaluated for their strengths/weaknesses, price/precision, or other factors.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I am working on that now Neil.


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## dick in ia (Jul 23, 2007)

Mike said:


> Dick, that idea you mentioned has merit. I am guessing you belong to one or more clubs so why don't you mention this to a club president? The thing I am most concerned about is having people who test the bits report in on a monthly basis. I would be delighted to include different clubs in the testing. I have contact information for a club in Texas as well. I think this would lend more credibility to the testing if different clubs would agree to test the bits and discuss them at their meetings. I could distribute the bits to 4 clubs and each would have 6 bits for members to home test. I think it is important for these bits to go to people who build a few projects a month as opposed to professionals who might use them non stop every day. We need data on typical home users for this test. Comments anyone?


Mike,
I have talked to our club President (cedarvalleywoodworkers.com) and he immediately showed intrest. Our club has worked with Kreg and Black and Decker in the past and the President thought that this would be a good public service also. I will send you a private e-mail with our President's contact info.

Dick


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Mike said:


> It feels like Christmas morning looking at all these bits!





You have my address, MIke........


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

The bit test is under way. The members of the Michigan Woodworkers Guild were glad to participate along with local members of routerforums. I had hoped to have everyone involved in the test post comments on the bits in this thread but many do not use computers. The best solution I could come up with is to have them phone me with updates. We should start working with the profile bits control group next weekend.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Mike said:


> The bit test is under way. The members of the Michigan Woodworkers Guild were glad to participate along with local members of routerforums. I had hoped to have everyone involved in the test post comments on the bits in this thread but many do not use computers. The best solution I could come up with is to have them phone me with updates. We should start working with the profile bits control group next weekend.


Mike-

We talked about this early September. You post the start Mid-September... I had been wondering about this and how it was going.

Is this a long-term results test? Just "what" results are you testing for? What are the guidelines that it is being testing within?

I'm sure it's more than just- use these bits and see what you think, right? Is this a quality of cut, staying sharp over time kind of tests?

"Router Bit Test" leaves a lot to my imagination... and I would hope you could share more on that. Please?


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Mike, if you go back through this thread you will find more information on what we are looking for. This is real world in home shop testing to see how well different brands of bits stand up. When a bit loses it's edge it is out of the test. This will be a long term test to be sure. There is no requirement on how the testers use the bits; I simply asked them to use the test bits when working on projects. Each month I will call the testers for an update on each bit. Each month I will post any findings.


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## almost there (Apr 12, 2011)

I'd be really interested to see numbers on the differences between the HSS, carbide tipped and solid carbide to see how cheap the most expensive bits are in the long run.
Lee


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## gwizz (Mar 3, 2012)

*Tested INFINITY Bit -----*

Hi mike I posted this report in the wrong spot so I'm posting it again here where it belongs under your original thread and where I assume you will get more feedback reports.

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I recently attended a meeting of the Michigan Woodworkers Guild as a guest which, to say the least, was pleasant and informative. The meeting was themed on router jigs and routing with some jig displays and a router display by Mike McGrath who was representing the router forum and had arranged for a raffle prize of a set of router bits, as well, he had arranged for bits to be given out to individual interested in trying them out and rating them. As I had added a Bosch router to my workshop this spring that uses ½” shank bits ( previously was limited to ¼” ) I jumped to sign up for a free ½” router bit. I selected a 3/8” straight bit as I had already sprung for a ¼”, ½” & ¾”. I noted when I selected it that the carbide cutting edges protruded a little past the end of the metal shank / body and that intrigued as the bits I have always used where either flat or taper up and out a little, but I seem to get burning no matter when I plunge them in to my work.

I should explain I have not proper wood working training. I Design stuff that I imagine after seeing something I like an when it comes to cupboards / draws etc I stick to panel and slot construction so as long as I keep the slots straight, square and true the project locks itself together square. Over the years I have made kids furniture, book shelves, you name it and only recently got into using a router table for different applications.

I am in the middle ( I should have been done by now ) of a 6 month building project that is going to take me 8 ( and hopefully not 10 ) months to complete, using Oak & Maple lumber as well as cabinet grade ½” & ¾” plywood. I have been stung twice before when buying router bits, once purchasing a fantastic complete set of router bits for a low price and found out quickly how soft and bad carbide can be, the second time purchasing two bits ( no name ) that while they were the normal price of good bits, where obviously made of the same crap as the cheap ones I had wasted money on.

When I got home I decided to be fair ( thanks INFINITY for the FREE bit ) so I would use it exclusively for the desk portion of the project I am working on which needed 15 slots / rabbits etc. so as to lock / true itself together for glue & clamping. All the slots and Shallow rabbits ( 1/6” along oak edge ) where ½” & ¾” but hey that just meant I get extra practice adjusting the guide bar.

The Long and Short of it – ( lots of LONG and NO Short of it )
INFINITY Router bits – they are now on my shopping list. The bit is up to and equal to the best and most expensive bits I have ever used, those 15 slots turned into 45 or so cuts in Maple, Oak and plywood, the way the carbide sticks out a bit on the end makes as clean a bottom in the slot and any bit I have ever had ( and no burning ), in fact it was so clean I carved a pencil holder indentation in a piece of ½” thick Maple ( sitting beside the router in the picture ) and the bottom only required a moment of 180 grit sand paper to be ready to 220 finish sand.

This bit made making the slots the hard way, easy – thumbs up INFINITY your top drawer in my book and thanks Mike I’m sure others that try out these bits are going to be just as happy.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Mike said:


> Mike, This is real world in home shop testing to see how well different brands of bits stand up.


Mike...

Can anyone jump in on this???


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Stick, members always welcome comments on how well different brands of bits perform... feel free to post your thoughts on this.

I have tried most brands of bits and as a rule they all make decent cuts out of the package. People who do not understand that anti kickback bits make a much smaller controlled cut might get the impression that they do not cut as well as other styles of bits when they are actually performing as they should. (Safety is always a good thing)

Feedback on the straight bits being tested is starting to trickle in and once I have contacted all of the participants I will post a summary of their findings so far. I am trying to organize our first test of the profile bits asap; being sick and out of commision for two weeks really messed up the scheduling.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

straight bits only??? as in???


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Read through the entire thread Stick. Post #3 details how we are running the test.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

you have a PM Mike..


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## dick in ia (Jul 23, 2007)

Mike,
What is the latest on the router bit testing. Have the testers been sending info back, or--or--? I haven't seen any posts for while.

Dick


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## Joesf (Nov 27, 2010)

Here are some results from a fine woodworking test. 

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


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