# Router bits



## Giff (27 May 2010)

Has anyone any experience of using bearing guided spiral router bits to follow a template or a pattern. Initially I will be using them on 18mm birch ply. Do they give a better / cleaner finish than straight cutters. Any recommendations or experiences would be helpfull. Thanks giff :?


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## StyXSIS (30 May 2010)

Ive used these for template work template patter bit but i cant say ive seen a spiral bearing guided cutter? & ive used guide bushes in the router base also with spiral bits but cant say ive seen a bearing guided spiral bit? Can you give a link to one?. Also your Q - yes bearing guided template bits give a good clean cut but your going to have to make sure the edge the bearing is going to follow on is perfectly smooth or every indentation thats there will show on the workpieces edge.


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## Giff (30 May 2010)

Hi StyXSIS

Here's a link to the guided spiral cutters.They are expensive but I may be making quite a lot of panels from the same template..has anyone used these ?
Thanks giff

http://www.infinitytools.co.uk/cgi-bin/ ... prod_85920


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## StyXSIS (30 May 2010)

When you first said spiral bit i thought you ment these CMT Super-duty Self Guided Trimming Cutters but then i read your post again & realised you did mean actual spiral bits, by the way thanks for the link to that bit. Could i tell you that buying that spiral bit will actualy cost ALOT more than that because i'll bet you haven't thought about Sharpening the cutter have you ??? You'll have to buy a special jig or pay somebody else to sharpen it! (will they do i right !?) Your best options are cutters like this CMT Self Guided Trimming Cutters or maybe just one of these where you can replace the blades CMT Straight Cutter with Top Bearing its more cost effective in the end.


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## mailee (30 May 2010)

Thanks for the link. I too had never heard of these cutters. The reason they are so expensive is probably because they are solid carbide. Just the standard spiral bits are expensive for this reason, check out Wealdon. Well I have learned something new today.


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## Giff (30 May 2010)

Thanks for the CMT links. Both will be useful and I think you have made some good points on the re-grinding..another thing you mentioned was the templates / patterns. I usually use MDF but they do tend to wear with use. Any tips / alternatives. Thanks again giff


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## StyXSIS (30 May 2010)

If i know im doing more than five off the same template like kitchen doors or a table top i usualy put a Melamine/Laminate Edge Banding along that edge that stops the deforming of the bearings guide edge & it can be used dozens of times in one go without distortion.


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## Giff (30 May 2010)

Thanks for the tip didn't think of that !...giff


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