# Cutting Length of Straight Bit for Jointing



## harpone (Feb 6, 2013)

I recently bought the small Bosch bench top router table and a Bosch 1617 combo router/plunge base. For my craft work I want to joint wood probably no thicker than 1". What would be the most suitable cutting length for a straight bit to do this?


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I'd probably go with a 1.25 inch to mimimize the mass of the bit. In other words, just a little taller than the thickness of the workpiece. You can get much longer bits and they will work, but that's a lot of steel to be spinning at very high speeds, and the stresses will be higher if you take more than a little off the workpiece with each pass. I also don't like having any more exposed cutter than is necessary. I like an excess of caution. My take anyhow.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

harpone said:


> I recently bought the small Bosch bench top router table and a Bosch 1617 combo router/plunge base. For my craft work I want to joint wood probably no thicker than 1". What would be the most suitable cutting length for a straight bit to do this?


1¼~1½'' now that's cutting length not OAL...
the best bit for edge joining...
https://www.freudtools.com/products/42-310


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Not sure you need the bearing, but if you just use the cutter part, that Freud bit should work just fine, and you get a pattern bit in the bargain. It also has a slight angle to the cutter so it is likely to produce minimal tearout. Do pay attention to the direction of the grain so you don't trigger tearout and small gouges.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

more on direction of cut...

.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Stick486 said:


> 1¼~1½'' now that's cutting length not OAL...
> the best bit for edge joining...
> https://www.freudtools.com/products/42-310


those do come in a variety of lengths and diameters..


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

David you're falling into the trap of using a router as a do all tool. You're going to spend time and money on a makeshift set up that will be too short and Mickey Mouse to do any good unless you plan on only doing very short boards. But if you like being frustrated then the router is the way to go.You're going to spend $25 dollars on a bit and an hour or so working on your fence and in the end what have you got? Spend your money of a used 4" solid cast iron jointer that can be had for under $50 dollars any day of the week. You don't need anything big if you are only doing edges. If you don't want to buy a jointer then do it on a table saw. I do a lot of work using rough wood from the saw mill where the edges aren't even close to being straight. I sold my jointer years ago and have never missed it. I use the table saw when needed but if the boards are under 4" wide I usually just put them through the thickness planer on their edge. 

https://www.wwgoa.com/article/jointing-on-the-table-saw/#


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

plan ''B'' to save money...

.


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## harpone (Feb 6, 2013)

*Been There, Done That*

Thanks for your advice. 4 years ago one of my sons asked me to joint some old oak 3x3s for him. I bought an old Craftsman jointer on CL ($95), jointed the 3x3s and quickly sold it on CL at a $25 profit. I have a TINY workshop at one end of our garage: keeping the jointer would have meant I could no longer garage my 1997 pickup truck. FWW I do not anticipate going any boards longer than 18".



mgmine said:


> David you're falling into the trap of using a router as a do all tool. You're going to spend time and money on a makeshift set up that will be too short and Mickey Mouse to do any good unless you plan on only doing very short boards. But if you like being frustrated then the router is the way to go.You're going to spend $25 dollars on a bit and an hour or so working on your fence and in the end what have you got? Spend your money of a used 4" solid cast iron jointer that can be had for under $50 dollars any day of the week. You don't need anything big if you are only doing edges. If you don't want to buy a jointer then do it on a table saw. I do a lot of work using rough wood from the saw mill where the edges aren't even close to being straight. I sold my jointer years ago and have never missed it. I use the table saw when needed but if the boards are under 4" wide I usually just put them through the thickness planer on their edge.
> 
> https://www.wwgoa.com/article/jointing-on-the-table-saw/#


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