# Extra long trim bit?



## Tom Brown (Jan 7, 2012)

Does anyone make a flush trim bit longer than 2 inches of cutting surface? I need to flush trim a breadboard top that is just over 2 inches high.

I see there are some 2 inch bits on Amazon but I could use 2.25 or 2.5 inches of length. That's pretty long for something spinning that fast so it wouldn't surprise me if it doesn't exist.

Thanks!


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

There are (I have one, 2.5L x 1.125"D), but, in my view, : Not recommended.
Too much cutter extension all at once, too much cutter engagement with the work. There are straight cutters longer >2", can and should be used in a collar.
Take this cut in stages with a plunger.
Will be easier on the cutter, plunger, the work and the operator.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

1 pc 1/2" SH 3" Extra Long Flush Trim Router Bit | eBay

1 pc 1/4" SH 2" Blade Extra Long Flush Trim Router Bit | eBay

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## TomB19 (Jun 27, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> 1 pc 1/2" SH 3" Extra Long Flush Trim Router Bit | eBay


Thanks! Just ordered it! It's going to save my life.


Quillman, I read what you're writing but I just installed a spruce breadboard on top of a cabinet that is going to host my thickness planer. I made it oversized so I can trim it back for a nice edge. Spruce shouldn't be too tough to cut.

The actual cut will be 2 inches plus the thickness of a layer of formica to cut, so it shouldn't be too bad cutting spruce. That bit looks pretty lousy, though. I'll probably turn the speed down so it doesn't dog-leg and kill me.


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

1/2" trimmers of that length couldn't be more fragile or flexible.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

TomB19 said:


> Thanks! Just ordered it! It's going to save my life.
> 
> 
> Quillman, I read what you're writing but I just installed a spruce breadboard on top of a cabinet that is going to host my thickness planer. I made it oversized so I can trim it back for a nice edge. Spruce shouldn't be too tough to cut.
> ...


Hi Tom - check that one over very carefully when you get it. The first one I got the bearing was just a hair offcenter. Spun up fine but when you contacted the bearing, all H.... broke loose:bad:
Turning the speed down is a good idea also


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## TomB19 (Jun 27, 2011)

Thanks for the note, jschaben. I will look the bit over closely. I hope I didn't waste 20 bucks.




Quillman said:


> 1/2" trimmers of that length couldn't be more fragile or flexible.


Understood.

My shop furniture all has 2" butcher block tops with formica glued to the carcass. If I was designing it again, I'd make the butcher block 1.75" in height and use my 2" cutter.


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## TomB19 (Jun 27, 2011)

By the way, if I had been thinking, I could have thicknessed the top down to 1.9 inch thickness prior to gluing it to the carcass of the roll away cabinet it's going to top. I haven't laminated the formica to the butcher block yet but I don't see a way to thin the butcher block now that it's in place.

I could use a hand plane but it seems like a lot of work to get it even at just under 2" thickness.

The top is intended to be 20 x 36 but it is currently larger than that because I wanted to glue it to the top of the cabinet and trim it back with the router. Before gluing it, I could have just fed it through the thickness planer a couple more times. Now, I just don't see an easy way around this. Any ideas?


I notice there is a 2.5" flush trim bit from the same vendor. I'm going to see if he will kill the 3" order so I can get the 2.5". It will be more safe.

Also, I can't help but notice after extensive web searching that what many vendors call flush trim bits are what I would call a template copy bit. To me, it's not a flush trim bit when the bearing is on the top.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I have many of them and no errors with any of them..I also use the 1/4" shaft ( 3/8" ) ones the same way..

I run them at 16,000 rpm's the norm and I have not bent any of them over or broke any of them..

It's hard to beat a 20.oo dollar price tag...

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## TomB19 (Jun 27, 2011)

Thank you, Bob. That's very reassuring.


Please tell me about that bit on the right of your picture that looks like an end mill but with two bearings on the tip. What is it? Where did you get it? It looks like the ultimate trim bit. Does it cut as cleanly as it looks like it would?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tom

MLCS solid carbide router bits

It's a great bit not long as the others but it cuts great..I have it in the 1/4" shank size and the 1/2" shank size..in the up-cut and the down cut type.


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## TomB19 (Jun 27, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Tom
> [edit: link removed because I am not allowed to post links]
> 
> It's a great bit not long as the others but it cuts great..I have it in the 1/4" shank size and the 1/2" shank size..in the up-cut and the down cut type.


Thank you so much. I would send you a thank you by PM to keep this sort of comment out of the forum but I'm not allowed to use the PM system, yet.

This is one of the most helpful sites I've been on. You guys are great!


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## gmercer_48083 (Jul 18, 2012)

Sounds like a good excuse to buy an electric hand plane.


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## Tom Brown (Jan 7, 2012)

bobj3 said:


> 1 pc 1/2" SH 3" Extra Long Flush Trim Router Bit | eBay





Quillman said:


> There are (I have one, 2.5L x 1.125"D), but, in my view, : Not recommended.
> Too much cutter extension all at once, too much cutter engagement with the work. There are straight cutters longer >2", can and should be used in a collar.
> Take this cut in stages with a plunger.
> Will be easier on the cutter, plunger, the work and the operator.





TomB19 said:


> Thanks! Just ordered it! It's going to save my life.
> 
> 
> Quillman, I read what you're writing but I just installed a spruce breadboard on top of a cabinet that is going to host my thickness planer. I made it oversized so I can trim it back for a nice edge. Spruce shouldn't be too tough to cut.
> ...


*Project update:*

The bit arrived yesterday. It was dull and I don't mean just a little. It didn't work. It was a waste of 20 bucks.

The best thing I can say about the bit is that it's bad enough that I realized it wasn't going to work before I damaged my project with it.

It vibrates like crazy, even at lower RPM. The bearing left a groove in the test piece I was trying to cut, as though the bearing was jammed, but it turned freely by hand before and after a test cut.

What it comes down to for me is this: It wouldn't trim 1/16" off the end grain of a 1" spruce test piece. I wanted to see if it would leave a smooth finish. It couldn't cut it. I even checked to make sure the router was spinning the correct way. lol! 

If anyone stumbles across this thread, my advice on this bit is to stay away. Even for rough projects, it's no good. See Quillman's comments about the bit being fragile and flexible.


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## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

Tom,

Sorry to hear about your bad luck. Sometimes gambles pay off, sometimes not. I recently got this Diablo bit from HD 1/2" x 2" and just finished using it with good results in my router table in an edge jointing application.










Being new I didn't have the confidence to recommend it till now.

They also sell a flush trim version Here.










Might be worth a try and at least if it's a complete bust like the previous one you can take it back.


GCG


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