# Cheap bits??



## joek30296 (Dec 10, 2009)

Happy New Year guys!

I kept following the links from a recent thread on Routerforums and ended up at Heartland America's website. They have a 35 pc, 1/4" shank router bit set mfg. by Eastern Steel for $39. I've never heard of Eastern Steel. Is this a good buy and will these bits hold up to occasional use? I know the price is good, $1.14 per bit but just concerned about the quality.

Thanks for your input.

joe


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

How far "Eastern"? I'm not sure I'd put one in my router and spin it. I have visions of carbide pieces flying all over the shop the first time a piece of white oak hit the blade.


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## joek30296 (Dec 10, 2009)

That's sorta what I was thinking. I guess the old saying, "if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is" probably applies here too.
Thanks for taking the time to reply.

joe


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## Sooner (Nov 3, 2009)

There is a link to an ebay store on here someplace, the name escapes me right now (Super Carbide Tools maybe?) but serveral folks recommended them and I ended up purchasing a set. Roughly 40 pieces for abot $60 and they are carbide bits. While they may not be perfect, they have held up so far and I have had no problems with them. I do have some higher end bits for precision work but round over, cove, chamfer, and the oggee bits that I use the most seem to work great. The only thing it does NOT come with is a rabbeting bit, and spiral up or down cut straight bits, which I find I use a great deal in the table and furniture building I do. 

You can get by with using a 3/4" straight flute bit but for putting a rabbet in the the edge of a board for right angle joinery, I find that the 3/4" bit is harder to get just right than the rabbetting bit is.

Found a link to the eBay store.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

joek30296 said:


> Happy New Year guys!
> 
> I kept following the links from a recent thread on Routerforums and ended up at Heartland America's website. They have a 35 pc, 1/4" shank router bit set mfg. by Eastern Steel for $39. I've never heard of Eastern Steel. Is this a good buy and will these bits hold up to occasional use? I know the price is good, $1.14 per bit but just concerned about the quality.
> 
> ...


Hi Joe, "Eastern Steel", would those be HSS bits? If so, I wouldn't go for it at all, carbide, maybe.....


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## joek30296 (Dec 10, 2009)

Here's the link to that website and according to the ad they're solid carbide or carbide tipped.
Heartland America: 35 Piece Router Bit Set

Not sure I going to take the chance though.
Thanks for your thoughts.
joe


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

joek30296 said:


> Here's the link to that website and according to the ad they're solid carbide or carbide tipped.
> Heartland America: 35 Piece Router Bit Set
> 
> Not sure I going to take the chance though.
> ...


Hi Joe... Those look a lot like the bits I have been getting from Super Carbide Tools. I just got that catalog in the other day and hadn't looked at it yet. The catalog also has a $10 off any order coupon and free shipping. For 30 bucks I may just give those a shot after all.

OH yeah, code number to get the catalog discounts online is: *J1R4-7582*


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

jschaben said:


> Hi Joe... Those look a lot like the bits I have been getting from Super Carbide Tools. I just got that catalog in the other day and hadn't looked at it yet. The catalog also has a $10 off any order coupon and free shipping. For 30 bucks I may just give those a shot after all.
> 
> OH yeah, code number to get the catalog discounts online is: *J1R4-7582*


Well, got this set in today... Seem sharp enough but the body of the things seem a bit on the small side relative to my other quarter inch stuff. 
The big surprise is that there isn't an Imperial straight bit in the bunch! :wacko:
The flush cutters are marked as inch base but I will be putting a caliper on those. Wouldn't make much difference as a flush cutter goes but just in case I want to swap a bearing and use it as an undercutter or something, it might. Does have a nice selection of metric straight bits though, 3-20mm. :lol:


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