# Cmt?



## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

Hi All,

Been checking out this forum for a while and decided to join. Lots of great info here.

I recently purchased a CMT spiral flush trim bit. Received it yesterday. First thing I noticed was that the bearings were not held with a screw or nut but only a small clip. Called CMT and was assured this is not a problem. Second thing I noticed is that it didn't seem very sharp. I could shave the hair on my arm with a brand new Whiteside spiral bit. 

Today I did some test cuts. This thing destroyed a piece of mahogany and a piece of koa. I never had these problems before. Switched the bit to a two year old Whiteside bit that has performed hundreds of cuts and the finish was smooth and silky on both these woods.

I'm thinking I maybe got a dud. Anyone have experience with these bits?

Thanks for any input.

Ted


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Ted Stevenson said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Been checking out this forum for a while and decided to join. Lots of great info here.
> 
> ...


use to use them a lot, religiously even, till their CS tanked...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Ted; first, welcome!
Second, scream bloody blue murder (to CMT...they should get first shot at making this right).
CMT is at grave risk of ruining their hard-earned reputation. 
They've long boasted of using German steel and Carbide; now they're slipping into the 'outsourcing' trend...read 'Made in China' for that.
Another member here called my attention to this re CMT circ. saw blades.
To say that I was most unhappy to see would be a gross understatement.


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## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

Thanks guys!

I'm returning the bit and buying a Whiteside. I work with some really expensive wood and can't take any chances. I will call CMT on Monday to let them know about this product.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Ted; take pictures of the damaged wood, and the bit! They owe you, and not just for the bit.


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## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

I doubt that would do any good and I'm just going to cut my losses. This was my first CMT bit and definitely my last. Aside from the lost wood, there's the safety factor. The router jumped when I got to the end grain. These guys should think twice before selling a piece of junk that rotates at several thousand RPM.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I have a number of CMT cutters and find them all of top quality.

In Australia, we don't have your choice and all my top end cutters are CMT.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

That's sad to hear, I hope it's an anomaly and not a trend, I have 6or 7 CMT bits and am happy with all of them. I haven't bought one in a couple yrs though, so who knows what they've done to increase stock portfolio values over product quality. So many Cos have gone that way over the last couple 3 decades. I'm glad I bought all my important tools before the fall.


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## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

I should have never used the bit. The fact that they use a clip to hold the bearings in place should have been a red flag. They will hear from me on Monday.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Don't bite the bullet. Complain. If you don't they'll think everything is fine.


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## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

I plan to let them know first thing Monday morning. I'm going to let them know that I don't want a replacement. I'm actually kind of angry right now and wondering how they can sell this garbage. I mean, a two year old Whiteside performs infinitely better. The CMT is just plain dangerous for the wood and router operator.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Ted Stevenson said:


> I plan to let them know first thing Monday morning. I'm going to let them know that I don't want a replacement. I'm actually kind of angry right now and wondering how they can sell this garbage. I mean, a two year old Whiteside performs infinitely better. The CMT is just plain dangerous for the wood and router operator.


and please keep us posted...


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Yes. Please do keep us posted. Everyone needs to know about this.


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## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

Just got off the phone with them. They said to exchange it but at this point I'm not taking any more risks. I'm sticking with the usual Whiteside bits. I've never had a Whiteside that disappointed, in fact, they have all been surprisingly good, far surpassing anything I've used from Freud, Dimar and others.


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## AUSSIE WOOD (Mar 9, 2015)

I've never had any of my customers complain about the CMT bits. We well them all day every day, I've never seen one with anything other than a screw or nut.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.


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## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

AUSSIE WOOD said:


> I've never had any of my customers complain about the CMT bits. We well them all day every day, I've never seen one with anything other than a screw or nut.


Go to the CMT website and check out part no. 192.507.11B 
I don't have enough posts to post a link.

If you look at the spare parts tab, you'll see the clip. Who knows, maybe I got a bad bit somehow but it absolutely did not cut properly. I just received my new Whiteside bit, razor sharp.


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## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

old55 said:


> Welcome to the forum.


Thanks!


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## AUSSIE WOOD (Mar 9, 2015)

Ted Stevenson said:


> Thanks!


First of all, welcome, I know it's hard not being able to post links until you have 10 posts.

I'll check out the bit in more detail when I get to work. I'll check their website and catalogues.

Where are you?

Cheers


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## AUSSIE WOOD (Mar 9, 2015)

The business I work for has been selling these for a number of years, and we've never had an issue. 

I am unsure of why you've had issues.


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## Ted Stevenson (Feb 28, 2015)

AUSSIE WOOD said:


> The business I work for has been selling these for a number of years, and we've never had an issue.
> 
> I am unsure of why you've had issues.


Like I said, maybe I got a bad one. One opinion I'm absolutely not interested in hearing is that of "user error". It's not my first spiral bit and I've built around 400 guitars so I'm no newbie when it comes to routers and bits. This bit splintered a piece of Koa. My 2 year old Whiteside used on the same piece of koa did just fine with nothing more than a little burning which is to be expected from a bit that's been used for hundreds of cuts.

The Whiteside I just received is sharp enough to shave the hair on your arm and makes almost no noise when trimming a 1 3/4" piece of wood, it just quietly slices the wood.

I contacted CMT and they did not seem very concerned. Here's a little tip on router bit bearings, they shouldn't wobble at all, that's why Whiteside, Amana, Freud etc. use nuts to hold the bearing in place. With the clip, there is some wobble in the bearing that cannot be rectified. Crappy, cost cutting design and nothing more. 

As soon as I touched the wood with the spinning bit, it tore the wood to shreds and the router jumped a few inches so apart from a quality issue is the issue of safety.

Maybe you can let CMT know about this.


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