Help... I need to buy router bits :)

[=Adam=]

Hi guys!

Yesterday I acquired a small elu router (for free), it just needed a plug to be wired in and it worked perfectly!

The router didn't come with any bits which I didn't expect in all honesty because of the circumstances. This just means that I have to buy some but I have no idea where to start.

My initial idea was to go to b&q or wickes and just pick up a pack which looked to be good value. I have seen that wickes have a set of 12 for £11 and b&q have some at about £20.

I plan on using the router for small jobs, mainly DIY as I am not a commercial user. The main idea with it is to make a router table so that I can do mouldings etc.

Based on my usage would the wickes bits be up to the job? If not then I have also seen faithful ones and Clarke ones on eBay, would these be any better?

Thanks for looking!


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.669202,-4.055743

 

[marcros]

It depends how much you are going to use it.

If you are going to predominantly use one or two mouldings, I would spend a bit more and get branded ones- just the ones that you are going to use rather than a set. If you are going to use various different ones on the odd occasion, then the likes of silverline will do the job. they are not the greatest of cutters, but they are cheap- on a budget it might be better to have those than none!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Those sets of cutters seem like good value but in reality you probably won't use most of them. Far better to buy individual cutters as you need them. Most people rate Wealden as the best, both in terms of quality and value for money http://www.wealdentool.com/

If you have not used a router before, Ron Fox has some excellent tips on the Wealden site http://www.wealdentool.eu/quick_tips.html

Hope this helps.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Eric The Viking]

Wealden actually do a starter kit of bits: 1/4" shank (fits smaller routers), with a range selected by Ron Fox.

It's not cheap at almost £100, BUT, it looks to be cutters you might actually use, rather than the odd selection in most kits, and I'd go for quality first with cutters any day. The point is that badly made or blunt cutters can wreck work, and at best will cause burn marks. I've amassed a few truly awful ones, when they've come with cheap routers, etc., and some of them haven't even been symmetrical (i.e. off-centre!). Those will at best really damage the work, and at worst could damage the router or break or come loose.

Trust us - if you start off with good cutters, you'll do good work and build confidence. Cheap ones will frustrate you and are a false economy. If you can't run to £100, buy a few good ones rather than a set.

You'll find Trend or Freud are fairly common in tool shops, also Titan. They're all good, but IMHO Wealden are better value.

A router table doesn't need to be complex: I got by for years with a slab of formica-faced chipboard from IKEA (was a big shelf for a wardrobe. I screwed it to a workmate-type set of legs (instead of the jaws). The router was bolted on with countersunk bolts, just straight onto the middle of the table, Then a large cutter was fitted, and plunged carefully through the surface. For a fence, you just G-clamp a square piece of wood across. It really does work well - the router is dead square to the surface, and there's nothing to catch the work on on the table surface. Also because the hole through is small, the router stays cleaner.

I used it for years and got really good results. Once you start on proper tables, it gets more complex. Yes you can do lots more with them, but the simplest approach can't be beaten in the value-for-money stakes.

Have fun - Elu routers are sought after these days!

E.

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

+1 for Wealden.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Wealden do brilliant mail order, and more often than not you know a day or two ahead what you are likely to be doing.
Trend do nice sets for £40ish
I used to work closely with another router user, and we always checked with each other before we bought cutters, to make sure we didn't duplicate. After a few years we had hell of a collection between us.

 

[Digit]

Looks as though I'm out of step again! If this is the first time you have used a router Adam then I'd go for the bargain pack. They work, albeit, not as well as the good ones, but better to practise with IMO.
If you are experienced then yes, I'm with 'tother's, buying sets always means buying some you don't use.

Roy.

 

[=Adam=]

Thanks for the replies!

It is not the first time that I have used a router as I use one in my day job however I don't use one very often at all (usually someone else does it).

Anyone know anything about the Axminster value pack?

 

[Mark A]

I bought a set of 24 1/2" cutters from Axminster (I think they're discontinued?) when I bought my router last year, then found the exact same set almost half the price from ITS London http://www.itslondon.co.uk/p3_PTA_Power ... r+Sets.htm

For £50 they're not bad, but for half price they're a steal, though still not a touch on the Wealdens cutters I've got. Or another option could be Tornado cutters from Rutlands? I've got a rail and stile cutter set which is good quality and they sometimes have offers on, just not now.

Hope this helps

Mark

 

[Eric The Viking]

Tornado cutters from Rutlands? I've got a rail and stile cutter set which is good quality and they sometimes have offers on, just not now.

Actually... they do have an offer at the moment - 10% off plus free delivery (ends Sunday night). The trouble is, every time I go onto their site, most of the things I want are out of stock. Worth a look though.

E.

 

[siggy_7]

I've used Wealden's bits and I've also been very happy with the quality, for what you get I think they're very reasonably priced. The one thing I would like is to find some straight cutters with a 10 degree iah shear angle on them (not to the extent of a spiral flute) which Wealden don't seem to make as the twin flute cutters I have from them are straight - does anyone have any recommendations for those?

 

[Eric The Viking]

Their rebate cutters have a substantial shear angle on them (not sure how much). I have one and it leaves a really nice finish. Their other big cutters usually have shear angle too. I suspect it might depend on the diameter - if you don't have the necessary edge velocity, the cure might be worse than the disease as it would tend to dig in rather than cut (like a plane iron). I note their six-wing surface trimmer has a slight angle, but not very much - could this be to get a better finish at the expense of stock removal?

I don't own and have never used a spindle moulder, but their cutter blocks have a fairly steep angle (off the radius) built in. I guess you can 'adjust' this with a ground back bevel (like SCMS blades), and I know it's partially for safety too, like planer knives, but in terms of finish, I suspect the fact the block is so wide and runs so fast makes a big difference to the angle they can 'get away with'.

Wealden have some odd terminology though. That surface trimmer is in a completely different category to the three-wing ones. I often find stuff I want, but only after searching around for ages. Might be worth giving them a ring, possibly?

E.