# Are my bits cheap?



## guillorec (Sep 18, 2008)

Whenever i watch a woodworking video ppl use a router so easy. When i make a cut on mine it takes a few seconds to get through the wood (pine) and it almost smells like smoke. You can tell its struggling. I am tryin to make a box joint jig but its just not working out. 

SOOOOOO are my bits cheap?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi guillorec

It's hard to say do you know the brand name or it can be the way you are using the bit....most strait bits will not plunge in the norm, pine is one of the nasty woods to route because of the pine pitch it will gull up on the bit real quick and made you thing it's dull...

You can try and clean up the bit and make smaller cuts that may help..
Try 3/8" deep on each pass...

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guillorec said:


> Whenever i watch a woodworking video ppl use a router so easy. When i make a cut on mine it takes a few seconds to get through the wood (pine) and it almost smells like smoke. You can tell its struggling. I am tryin to make a box joint jig but its just not working out.
> 
> SOOOOOO are my bits cheap?


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Need a little bit more info. Are you using new bits, or used? Straight or spiral? How much are you trying to route on each pass? Router speed, bit speed?

For Pine, my preferred bit choice is a spiral bit. As my friend Bj has pointed out. Pine is "sappy", this alone will make it tougher to route.


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Could be you are feeding to slow or maybe you are feeding the wood against the rotation of the bit. Or you got a real cheap set from one of the wholesale places.


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## joeboxer (Sep 16, 2008)

Depends on what cut you are trying to make, the choice of bit you are using, the wood you are cutting, even the humidity of the wood. These are all variables that can affect the ease and cleaniness of your cut. Don't forget, the power and weight of the router also impacts your cutting experience.

For example, with my recent pergola project, I had to route 4 piece of 2"x10"-12' ends.
The first piece I had to route had chips and shreaded ends that I had to sand down. The second cut on the same type of beam was alot easier, and buttery smooth. The only difference was the second piece of wood had been wet.

Note that straight bit, although cuts nicely, won't cut as well as easily as a spiral upcut bit.

Directly with regards to your question, I find that cheap bits work quite decently. I have a set of Freud, Bosch, and no name brand made in china bits ... All works well for their designed intent. Its more a matter of choosing the right bit for the job at hand.


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## guillorec (Sep 18, 2008)

I was trying to make a box joint jig and box joints in a piece of 1by3 that i got from my local home center. The bits were purchaced off of ebay a yr or two ago and the router is 1 3/4 HP. The roundover and ogee bits seem to work fine but im having a hell of a time on these joints


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi guillorec

I have MANY router bits from Ebay some are good and some are not, it's best to read the feed back b/4 you buy any bit off eBay, it will tell you if you should buy items from that seller.. 

I use two from ebay and have had god luck with both.

http://stores.ebay.com/Super-Carbide-Tools
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZreliable-products

As far as the box joint jig it's best to make one that works with your router table,,,all you need is a 3/4" brass insert guide in the table so the sled has a place to ride..and guide, then just clamp the stock to the jig and with a guide pin in the jig and you can make box joints all day long and they will be right on every time.. 

I had one but I did rework it in to a deluxe push block for the Oak-Park box joint jigs.

You can see it in My Gallery( by clicking on the left side of this post) or by doing a search on the forum (deluxe push block) it's a very easy jig to make, you will still see the slot in the base for the brass guide...in the snapshots..

If you want a small drawing of the box joint jig just ask and I will make one and post it.. 

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guillorec said:


> I was trying to make a box joint jig and box joints in a piece of 1by3 that i got from my local home center. The bits were purchaced off of ebay a yr or two ago and the router is 1 3/4 HP. The roundover and ogee bits seem to work fine but im having a hell of a time on these joints


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

There are many explanations for what you experience. The smoke may well be due to feeding too slowly. As Bj and Ken have pointed out pine does have a high resin content. All my experience is with pine or other big box store white wood. Two of my most used bits were losing efficiency in cutting, so I cleaned them with a commercial router bit cleaning solution. I obtained a solution that did not require special handling in transport and the process was easier than I expected. May I suggest your first step is to clean the router bits with such a solution, then try again. If the cleaning does not help, maybe the bits should be sharpened or replaced.

guillorec, where are you? maybe someone can direct you to a source of bit cleaning solution.


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