# Help! Skil 91704 Stile & Rail Bits?



## Palm Tree Dreamin (Dec 7, 2010)

Hi there router gods and goddesses,
This post is for my husband, who knows very little about computers. I know a fair amount about computers, but very little about routers. Please forgive any obvious goofs. This is a little like playing telephone/telegraph. 

I hope I am posting in the right forum and that somebody has experience with this set: 
The Skil 91704 ogee stile and rail bit set. You can see the set below or 
at Lowe's.
My husband bought this last week, because his boss said he wanted him to build some kitchen cabinets. My husband wanted to try routing some cabinet fronts, instead of making them the usual way, using his table saw and other tools. He thought the router would give them more detail.

Up until now, he had been using his router free hand, mainly to make edges on trim, and doing lettering. He is an excellent trim carpenter, just relatively new to cabinetry.

These bits have 1/2" shanks and the instructions say that the bit will work on any wood up to 3/4 inch, which is what he is using to make the frames for the cabinet doors. 

The pattern came out just the opposite from the photo and with a little piece left over at what would be the back/bottom of the frame, making it look like a bad bevel at the back, rather than a 90 degree angle, as was shown in the photo. 

The first picture, below, shows "something like" they SHOULD appear. The second, although not to scale, shows what is happening at the back. Forgive my poor paint skills. I hope this will still help to clarify.

The instructions say that he should "use THE shims", if it wasn't coming out exactly as wanted. Well, there are not any "shims" in the box nor any mention of where they can be found and we want to know exactly what he needs to do. This may be a silly noob question, but he does not want to goof things up.

In addition, I went over to Lowe's and found some reviews for the router set. The reviewers say that this is a very poor set and it is incorrect to say that the bit will work on a 3/4" board. One person said he had the same experience as my husband, tried shimming it, but the shank is too short. Another, actually says that it is only good for small picture frames. Apparently the raised panel bit is just fine for cabinets.

So, now that you have my long sad story, I have two questions: 

If you have experience with this set, will it work for 3/4" boards and if so, what does he need to do to get it to cut off the extra little rabbit/nibbley at the back that should not be there?

If these will not work for his purpose (kitchen cabinets), What bits would you recommend that he get instead?

For the moment, he is "making do" with these, as is, but he is extremely quality oriented and it hurts to put his name on something inferior. 

We look forward to any suggestions/advice!

~Erin


Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive.
~ Bugs Bunny

What if the hokey pokey is REALLY what it's all about?
~ Curtis Spencer

Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
~ Jonathan Swift


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI ~Erin

You should not need to shim any bit, they should be matched set like below,I would suggest you take the Skill set back if you can and get a refund.
Anytime you play with the cutters it's always hard to get it to set right.

Plus pickup the video below, Marc will show you how to use the bits the easy way, it's worth the money, if you can swing it get the full set you will be glad you did..
kitchen cabinets are not cheap but if you have the right tools you can do it and save tons of money...if it's worth doing it's worth doing it right the 1st.time.. 

on sale ▼
3pc. CMT Raised Panel Set-Sommerfeld's Tools For Wood
********
3-Pc Cove Raised Panel Set-Sommerfeld's Tools For Wood

Glass Panel Doors Made Easy-Sommerfeld's Tools For Wood
Cabinetmaking Made Easy-Sommerfeld's Tools For Wood


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Palm Tree Dreamin said:


> Hi there router gods and goddesses,
> This post is for my husband, who knows very little about computers. I know a fair amount about computers, but very little about routers. Please forgive any obvious goofs. This is a little like playing telephone/telegraph.
> 
> I hope I am posting in the right forum and that somebody has experience with this set:
> ...


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## Palm Tree Dreamin (Dec 7, 2010)

*Thanks!*



bobj3 said:


> HI ~Erin
> 
> You should not need to shim any bit, they should be matched set like below,I would suggest you take the Skill set back if you can and get a refund.
> Anytime you play with the cutters it's always hard to get it to set right.
> ...


Hi Bj,
Thanks, for that!  It only makes sense that if something is made right, you should not have to shim it. He just figured he must be doing something wrong. After I saw the reviews, I guessed it was the tool and not the craftsman. He has made a living as a carpenter for 30 years, but there is always something new to learn, isn't there?

I will pass on the information you posted. I am sure it will be of help. It looks like he will be making more cabinets in the future for his work, so having right tool is important. Thank you, so much, for your advice! :dance3:

~Erin


Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive.
~ Bugs Bunny

What if the hokey pokey is REALLY what it's all about?
~ Curtis Spencer

Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
~ Jonathan Swift


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI

Your Welcome

I should note,,I made them the hard way for years and than I came across the sommerfled videos and I said O that's how the Pro's make them so easy, you can make a cabinet and doors in about 1/4 the time and they will allways be dead on..

" Your Biography
Traveling the Southwest in our motor home. Hubby is the carpenter with 30 years experience in building,"


Videos,, You can also pick them from 

Cabinets And built-ins DVD's From peachtree Woodworking Supply

they are down south.. 

Peachtree Wooworking Supply Inc.
6684 Jimmy Carter Blvd. Suite 100
Norcross, GA 30071 

http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/sommerfelds/Catalog/page28.pdf
http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/sommerfelds/Catalog/page29.pdf

http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/sommerfelds/Catalog/page27.pdf

Seem pdf file posted ▼
http://www.routerforums.com/router-...ot-bottom-out-your-router-bit.html#post154119

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Palm Tree Dreamin said:


> Hi Bj,
> Thanks, for that!  It only makes sense that if something is made right, you should not have to shim it. He just figured he must be doing something wrong. After I saw the reviews, I guessed it was the tool and not the craftsman. He has made a living as a carpenter for 30 years, but there is always something new to learn, isn't there?
> 
> I will pass on the information you posted. I am sure it will be of help. It looks like he will be making more cabinets in the future for his work, so having right tool is important. Thank you, so much, for your advice! :dance3:
> ...


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