Best Router Bits

[bushwhaker]

Hi all,
My name is Nikolai. I am from Bulgaria and am DIYer enthusiast (i.e. home improvement)
I'm sorry that I write in this topic.
I have some question. You say that wealden router bits offer best value for money, better than TREND. But wealden look same as TREND. Also here TREND are better prices. What is the difference and where I'm wrong.
Thanks in advance and kind regards.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Probably a bit late, but Wealden for me as well.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've used Wealden for thirty years and not had a problem.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Nikolai - if you can get Trend cheaper use them, there's nothing wrong with them.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Nikolai,

There are two types of Trend router bits. The green ones are for the hobby user and will be cheaper than Wealden, but they also will not be as good a quality. The black Trend ones are for the professional and they will be closer in quality to the Wealden bits.

In the UK, typically, the Wealden bits are better value than the Trend and they also have an excellent reputation for service.

Neil

 

[marcros]

How do trend (green) compare with axcaliber? I am looking for a baby box mitre cutter for 3/8" timber- wealdon don't do one that small, freud used to and cmt used to, but I cant find either of those options readily available.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Nikolai - sorry, I should have mentioned the difference as Neil did. I was thinking of the black ones.

 

[bushwhaker]

Thanks for your opinion.
Unfortunately, English is not my mother tongue and I must clarify.
Here we have a TREND, but not Wealden. The price of Wealden + shipping will come a little more expensive.
Also consider Tornado of Rutlands. They have a set of six cutter for 60 pounds, which is very cheap. Sought views on Canadian forums, but more like "paid review".

 

[Eric The Viking]

I have been buying Axminster value router bits, I am not sure they are up to the mark. I was routing some hardwood on my table and the bit was scorching the timber. What is considered to be top quality router bits ?

Er, Axminster are pretty good, actually.

If you are getting scorching, that may mean a number of things:

- Are you moving the stock too slowly?
- Is the cutter speed too fast?
- is the cutter blunt?
- are you using the router in a table, or handheld? It's far easier to scorch when handheld, in my experience, as I find it's hard to control the feed speed as well.

You don't say what type of routing you are doing. Some larger cutters can be very hard to set up, because the speed can't be perfect for both the inside and outside of the cutting area at the same time. You might need to take really small cuts, and then a climb cut right at the end on a really fine setting, so as to get a clean result.

Before blaming Axminster, it might be worth checking what you're doing, just in case.

Just a few thoughts.

E.

PS: I like Axminster, Wealden, CMT, Freud and Trend cutters. I'm sure there are other good ones about too!

 

[Eric The Viking]

How do trend (green) compare with axcaliber? I am looking for a baby box mitre cutter for 3/8" timber- wealdon don't do one that small, freud used to and cmt used to, but I cant find either of those options readily available.

I have two of the Axminster mitre lock cutters (biggest and smallest). I've got good results from the small one using it to joint strips of wood for a tiny tabletop, but they are really hard to set up properly. I haven't used it for actual box mitres yet.

Did I mention it was really picky to set up?

If I didn't say it before, I ought to: it's hard to set up.

:wink:

 

[Glynne]

I don't know why, but I think mitre lock cutters may be awkward to set up.
Anybody else get that impression?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Probably not, but if they are just make sure you keep an off cut when you get it right so that you can easily set it up again.

 

[marcros]

it is probably off topic to the OP, but i see the value for these bits being in 9mm or 12mm sheet material (probably from the same sheet), rather than for one offs on things that will vary in thickness. It is probably worth the fiddly set-up time if you can make a dozen boxes or more before having to re-tweak it.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

How do trend (green) compare with axcaliber?

I was told by someone, whilst I was down in Axminster, that he believed the Axcalibur WHITE cutters were made in the same factory as the Leigh cutters. I have used Leigh cutters and they are excellent.

If the above is true, I would say that the Axi WHITE cutters would be a lot better than the Trend GREEN.

 

[Eric The Viking]

How do trend (green) compare with axcaliber?

I was told by someone, whilst I was down in Axminster, that he believed the Axcalibur WHITE cutters were made in the same factory as the Leigh cutters. I have used Leigh cutters and they are excellent.

If the above is true, I would say that the Axi WHITE cutters would be a lot better than the Trend GREEN.

It's odd: I've got a Trend (green) bevelling cutter that seems to go on for ever. On the other hand, I bought a long-shank
1/4" Trend cutter (1/4" shank and cut), to use with a box jointing jig, and that blunted really quickly, even in softwood.

I find the Axy ones at least as good, and more consistent. Trend are hugely overpriced, IMHO.