# Guide bearings for rabbeting router bits with 1/4 shaft



## loninappleton (Jun 12, 2008)

The only guide bearings I've seen to change the depth of rabbeting cuts are from a place called Amana. Even those I believe are only available for the larger industrial routers.

Who supplies these for 1/4 in shafts? Someplace local would be better than ordering.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi John

" Someplace local would be better than ordering"

Where are you ?

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loninappleton said:


> The only guide bearings I've seen to change the depth of rabbeting cuts are from a place called Amana. Even those I believe are only available for the larger industrial routers.
> 
> Who supplies these for 1/4 in shafts? Someplace local would be better than ordering.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi John

I see you are in Wisconsin, USA you are not to far from the Grizzly outlet but save a buck and buy it on line,,,it's true Grizzly will charge for shipping but you can get it from MLCS and it's free shipping...gas is now going for about 2.50 per.gal. so it's about the same for the gas as it would be for shipping...it all comes out in the bottom line..

But I do like the ones from Grizzly but I don't recommend the 1/4" shaft size for the rabbet bits, they can and do pull out tons of stock and should only be used in one pass so I do recommend the 1/2" shank ones for the hvy. cuts. 


http://www.grizzly.com/products/h5546
http://www.grizzly.com/products/h5549
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bit_rabbet.html

http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2008/Main/514

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loninappleton said:


> The only guide bearings I've seen to change the depth of rabbeting cuts are from a place called Amana. Even those I believe are only available for the larger industrial routers.
> 
> Who supplies these for 1/4 in shafts? Someplace local would be better than ordering.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Aug 2, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> But I do like the ones from Grizzly but I don't recommend the 1/4" shaft size for the rabbet bits, they can and do pull out tons of stock and should only be used in one pass so I do recommend the 1/2" shank ones for the hvy. cuts.


Why not make two passes by moving the table fence or swapping bearings?


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## Charles M (Apr 10, 2006)

loninappleton said:


> The only guide bearings I've seen to change the depth of rabbeting cuts are from a place called Amana. Even those I believe are only available for the larger industrial routers.
> 
> Who supplies these for 1/4 in shafts? Someplace local would be better than ordering.


We have a lot of bearings available. Just pick the size you need from the list at the bottom of the page:
http://www.freudtools.com/p-242-ball-bearings.aspx


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## loninappleton (Jun 12, 2008)

Thanks to all who replied. This provides me with some more options.


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## loninappleton (Jun 12, 2008)

I just noticed something of possible interest on this.

While looking at some cheap bit sets from a brand here called Tool Shop I noticed that the guide bearings on various of the bit set were different sizes. 

Would this be a way of getting the guide bearings even if the set did not have a rabbeting bit per the original question? Man, there is only one large bitset that has the rabbeting bit. Plus they are all over the place in price.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Aug 2, 2008)

> While looking at some cheap bit sets from a brand here called Tool Shop I noticed that the guide bearings on various of the bit set were different sizes.
> 
> Would this be a way of getting the guide bearings even if the set did not have a rabbeting bit per the original question?


The bearings which go with rabbeting bits and slot cutters tend to have larger outside diameter than the small bearings used on bearing-guided edge forming bits (a small bearing means the cutter can have a smaller diameter which costs less to make).

For instance, you might use a 1 1/4" diameter bearing on a 1 3/8" rabbeting bit to make a 1/8" cut. Inside diameter would be the same 3/16" common to other bits; but the size is way bigger.

Your best bet is probably to buy the sizes you need (for example 5/8 OD for a 3/8" rabbet halfway through 3/4" stock; 3/8 for the widest possible rabbet for a shiplap joint) or get an inexpensive rabbeting set.

Freud, Amana, Whiteside, etc. all have individual bearings available as replacement parts.


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## loninappleton (Jun 12, 2008)

Ok.

As a new user, I am still feeling my way around in this. Unfortunately there is not a community workshop where advice can be shared locally.

That's a goal I have: to make such a community workshop like there were 
in the early 60's do it yourself craze. Nowadays there's an increasing number of vacated locations where this could be done.


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