# Slot cutter recomendation



## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

I have a Harbor Freight and a Rockler close by my job and both have 1/4" slot cutters with 1/2" shanks. Rockler has a Freud Slotting Cutter for $24 and also a different brand for $35, but you can buy additional cutters for that one.

Harbor Freight has a slot cutter set for $27. It has 6 sizes:
1/16'', 3/32'', 1/8'', 5/32'', 3/16'', and 1/4''.

Rockler Freud LINK

Rockler with upgradeability LINK

Harbor Freight LINK

The HF set is very tempting because of the additional sizes but not sure how clean of a cut they would be compared to the ones mentioned above. If I buy the 2nd bit above from Rockler, I could buy a single cutter later if I needed to (such as for slotting for a biscuit).

Which of these would be the better buy?

What I want to do is make a joint similar to the one in in this image. The drawer front joint is different than the drawer back joint in that pic and I want to make the one on the back. Come to think of it, I could do both with a 1/4" slot cutter, but that's what I want this bit for.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Paulo

Slot cutters are great bits but why not use the right bit for the job you want to do..

I not a big fan of the strait slot for box joints they like to snap off very easy ,you can use the table saw for the strait slot it's not as clean but it works....

That little angle on the joint will help save the ends from snapping off..easy.. it's not a big angle but it's like day and night at the glue up..and holding joint tight.. 

Drawer Lock Router Bit
1 pc 1/2" SH New Bits Drawer Lock Joint Router Bit - eBay (item 140324061270 end time Jun-29-09 12:54:47 PDT)

Drawer Lock Router Bits with free shipping that will help the bottom end.
MLCS Euro door, door lip, finger pull, drawer lock bits, glue joint router bits


Just a note about slot cutters, you want the cutter in the set that will let you put in a slot for 1/4" plywood and the biscuits and two arbors so you can use it like a T & G set also...

11pc 1/2" Shank Slot, Tongue & Groove Router Bit Set - eBay (item 130309617843 end time Jun-05-09 14:49:10 PDT)

But that's just my 2 cents 



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Noob said:


> I have a Harbor Freight and a Rockler close by my job and both have 1/4" slot cutters with 1/2" shanks. Rockler has a Freud Slotting Cutter for $24 and also a different brand for $35, but you can buy additional cutters for that one.
> 
> Harbor Freight has a slot cutter set for $27. It has 6 sizes:
> 1/16'', 3/32'', 1/8'', 5/32'', 3/16'', and 1/4''.
> ...


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

Thanks for your reply, it's much appreciated. 

I left the models at home, but I did a quick sketchup of what I want to build. It is a fence for the Original Incra Jig:










There is no room for a shop vac hookup but they make one called the Wonder Fence, but it ain't cheap:









So that means I got to make something to attach the shop vac to. Below is an image of what I plan to do. Basically cap one end and put a vac port on the other end. Maybe use some UHMW or HDPE on the front and a T-slot for a featherboard hold-down. 

Then again, maybe I'm making it more complicated than it needs to be, but I just wanted to make sure it's square.


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## tryingtokeepmyfingers (Jun 3, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> HI Paulo
> 
> 
> Just a note about slot cutters, you want the cutter in the set that will let you put in a slot for 1/4" plywood and the biscuits and two arbors so you can use it like a T & G set also...
> ...



I bought this same set on Bobs recommendation and they came in today. I have not used them yet but have seen them in person. The box they came in was not impressive but not buying the box. The bits look as described but disappointed the cutters were not marked with size but that can be fixed with a sharpie. I also bought the 30 bit 1/2 set the same seller has on ebay. So for the price of both sets it still seems like a good deal and seems better then the other slot cutting set they cost a lot more.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Paulo

That should work fine , it's no big deal but this is what I did to have a place to hang the vac hose on to it, for both types of jobs 

====


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi tryingtokeepmyfingers

I like you was not impressed by the box they came in but I did rework it just a little bit to keep them in order.. 

see below
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tryingtokeepmyfingers said:


> I bought this same set on Bobs recommendation and they came in today. I have not used them yet but have seen them in person. The box they came in was not impressive but not buying the box. The bits look as described but disappointed the cutters were not marked with size but that can be fixed with a sharpie. I also bought the 30 bit 1/2 set the same seller has on ebay. So for the price of both sets it still seems like a good deal and seems better then the other slot cutting set they cost a lot more.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

tryingtokeepmyfingers said:


> I bought this same set on Bobs recommendation and they came in today. I have not used them yet but have seen them in person. The box they came in was not impressive but not buying the box. The bits look as described but disappointed the cutters were not marked with size but that can be fixed with a sharpie. I also bought the 30 bit 1/2 set the same seller has on ebay. So for the price of both sets it still seems like a good deal and seems better then the other slot cutting set they cost a lot more.


That set has so many Tongue and Groove variations that it obviously is the better deal than what I was originally looking at.

I've added "Super Carbide Tools" to my "Favorite Sellers and Stores".


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## tryingtokeepmyfingers (Jun 3, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> Hi tryingtokeepmyfingers
> 
> I like you was not impressed by the box they came in but I did rework it just a little bit to keep them in order..
> 
> ...


Thanks Bob Very impressed I will have to do something like that also to keep track of them 

thanks


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> HI Paulo
> 
> That should work fine , it's no big deal but this is what I did to have a place to hang the vac hose on to it, for both types of jobs
> 
> ====


I should have known that you already had a vac solution figured out and could have saved me the time. I was also worried about a single piece of 3/4" MDF flexing since I bought the Incra without the fence (which looks thicker than 3/4" in one of those pics). I figured that shape I did would be a bit stiffer and I could clamp the bottom down if I wanted the fence parallel with the 32" side.


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## tryingtokeepmyfingers (Jun 3, 2008)

Noob said:


> Rockler has a Freud Slotting Cutter for $24 and also a different brand for $35, but you can buy additional cutters for that one.
> 
> If I buy the 2nd bit above from Rockler, I could buy a single cutter later if I needed to (such as for slotting for a biscuit).



Well on the 11 bit set from ebay the seller told me 

"I do not think anybody have same set as I make here. OD and ID of cutter is 1-7/8" and 5/16" that is same with MCLS. " 

so I am assuming you could buy parts from MCLS that would work with the bits he sold in this set then again it would be cheaper just to by another 11 piece set then to buy 2 or 3 individual slot cutters and he has smaller assortments of slot cutter bits on ebay also 

I just wish he had a regular web page to order off of instead of ebay with a stated price for each bit and better terms on shipping. I spent 20.00 on shipping and it was mailed in a flat rate USPS box which is a free box and and around 11.00 to ship any place in the usa. I guess his is trying to recover listing fees in his shipping charges


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Paulo

You have sharp eyes ,(MDF) it's just right at 1 1/16" thick but 3/4" thick would work just fine I think..it's hard to bend short stock of 3/4" MDF 

The 1/2" thick MDF on the front side of the fence will make just a bit harder to bend it.or to let it get out of shape.

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Noob said:


> I should have known that you already had a vac solution figured out and could have saved me the time. I was also worried about a single piece of 3/4" MDF flexing since I bought the Incra without the fence (which looks thicker than 3/4" in one of those pics). I figured that shape I did would be a bit stiffer and I could clamp the bottom down if I wanted the fence parallel with the 32" side.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Paulo

The fence will Not need to parallel with the sides or to say true the the top,it can at 45 deg.angle and it will still do the job..

That's a hard one to get around with the router table...also the fence can be very short ( about 12" long or shorter ) and it will still work...


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Noob said:


> I should have known that you already had a vac solution figured out and could have saved me the time. I was also worried about a single piece of 3/4" MDF flexing since I bought the Incra without the fence (which looks thicker than 3/4" in one of those pics). I figured that shape I did would be a bit stiffer and I could clamp the bottom down if I wanted the fence parallel with the 32" side.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi tryingtokeepmyfingers

Very true, almost all slot cutter arbors use the same ID bearings,(5/16" / 22 mm) that's one of the neat things you can switch the bearing out and change the depth of the cut,,if you got a T & G set form CMT (sommmerfeld tools it would cost you 120.oo for the same thing) in the picture I posted you will see the over size bearings on it...plus you have a 3/8" wide cutter that's hard to find on most sets...when I started to use the slot cutters and the T & G cutters I got cheap and tried to beat the price...

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tryingtokeepmyfingers said:


> Well on the 11 bit set from ebay the seller told me
> 
> "I do not think anybody have same set as I make here. OD and ID of cutter is 1-7/8" and 5/16" that is same with MCLS. "
> 
> ...


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Paulo
> 
> The fence will Not need to parallel with the sides or to say true the the top,it can at 45 deg.angle and it will still do the job..
> 
> ...


Oops, didn't write that clearly, I understand it doesn't have to be parallel with the sides. I can't say front to back on this table top because as in this picture here: Pic LINK even though that is the side of the router table cabinet, it can also be called the front of the table since the fence faces you.

Confused yet? 

Lets say the 32" side is east to west, and the 24" side is north to south. Typically the Incra jig fence runs north to south, such as in AxlMyk's pic here:Other Incra LINK 

But if you have big pieces, you might want to turn the fence 90 degrees and make the fence go east to west. That's what I meant parallel with the sides.

If the fence runs east to west, I may not be able to use the Incra jig, so I'll have to clamp the fence down somehow.


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## tryingtokeepmyfingers (Jun 3, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> Hi tryingtokeepmyfingers
> 
> Very true, almost all slot cutter arbors use the same ID bearings,(5/16" / 22 mm) that's one of the neat things you can switch the bearing out and change the depth of the cut,,if you got a T & G set form CMT (sommmerfeld tools it would cost you 120.oo for the same thing) in the picture I posted you will see the over size bearings on it...plus you have a 3/8" wide cutter that's hard to find on most sets...when I started to use the slot cutters and the T & G cutters I got cheap and tried to beat the price...
> 
> ==


Where did you get the oversized bearing I must have missed you were you linked to before. 

also off hand to you know the best order to set up both arbors to match the sommerfield set. 

thanks


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Noob

Got you 
It's ideally to have the fence held in place with one bolt ( clamped ) dead center of the fence.almost all need two clamps ( hold downs) but one only would be best...I have played with this for about a year now and works great,it just takes a wider fence...all done with one bolt...and knob...or to say a tee fence setup..


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Noob said:


> Oops, didn't write that clearly, I understand it doesn't have to be parallel with the sides. I can't say front to back on this table top because as in this picture here: Pic LINK even though that is the side of the router table cabinet, it can also be called the front of the table since the fence faces you.
> 
> Confused yet?
> 
> ...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI tryingtokeepmyfingers

The picture I posted is the setup for the sommerfield set..

*D - BEARINGS (for different depth cuts) need 2 ea. *
Katana Slot Cutters, Tongue and Groove Set

plus this one,it's only 5mm thick need 2 ea.
Bearing 1 1/4OD, 8mm-ID,5mm-T-Sommerfeld's Tools for Wood

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tryingtokeepmyfingers said:


> Where did you get the oversized bearing I must have missed you were you linked to before.
> 
> also off hand to you know the best order to set up both arbors to match the sommerfield set.
> 
> thanks


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## tryingtokeepmyfingers (Jun 3, 2008)

thanks. that comes in handy


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

You're Welcome tryingtokeepmyfingers


You may say but why do I need the thin ones ( 5mm) the 1st time you want to use some 1/4" plywood, the plywood will just fit in the slot...or for some cabinet frames/boxes,etc.  to off set the high price of some of the CMT bit sets..they can be used in many set ups  plus they are only 4.oo bucks each..very hard to find ...


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tryingtokeepmyfingers said:


> thanks. that comes in handy


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