Query on router cutter

[Andybos0]

Hi Folks,

I am looking to buy a rail and stile set of cutters however I have noticed that some are reversible so only one cutter required, could someone tell me if these are reversible as they look identical to the reversible ones and I cannot see why I would need to buy both when one would suffice.

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworkin ... do+m_tr266



any other suggestions would be appreciated and it will only be used occasionally and for home use only.

Regards

Andy

 

[Wuffles]

If I'm reading that right, that's a set that isn't in a set price. Quite why you'd be buying one and not the other too is beyond me. I thought it was a bit cheap at first look.

Rail and stile bits are like a weird optical illusion until you're used to them - I'm not used to them yet so everything above might be nonsense.

Also check Whiteside bits from routercutter.co.uk

 

[monkeybiter]

IMHO those two cutters are simply for different timber thicknesses [check the specs in the drop-down], they do appear otherwise identical reversible cutters, but I bet it's a pain to reconfigure them between rails and stiles.

 

[Wuffles]

Ha ha, oh yeah. Annoying that in the two pictures they've configured them for rail and stile? I should have read the words in the drop down.

 

[Roughcut]

I suppose a rail and stile set (2 cutters) should last twice as long as a single adjustable rail and stile router cutter.
I've got a set made by Freud, not cheap but seem good for the required job.

 

[RogerP]

This is the set I recommend.

http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Reversible_192.html

 

[Steve Maskery]

Careful! They may be dismantleable but not necessarily reversible. If you turn the profile over, I think that the teeth will be pointing in the wrong direction

Personally I prefer the combination one-piece cutters and I raise and lower the workpiece rather than the cutter. I have a CMT one that does that and an Axi Shaker-style one (that I'm taking good care of, Eric). There is a little project showing them here.

 

[Billy Flitch]

Andy I`ll try and keep this simple or other wise it starts to get complicated.Steve is quite correct when he says you cant just turn the cutters upside down because just as he says the cutting edge will then be on the back of the blade and you will not be cutting the stock just burning it.
So to say a reversible cutter is a bit misleading, its better to call it a combination cutter if you go to the link that Roger P posted on the Weldons on the right hand side you can see two different profiles one for the profile and one for the scribe.

The difference is that the cutters change positions and to make things just a little bit confusing the whole cutter is the other way round to the diagram when fixed in the table so when you use the profile set up the face of the stile is on the bench. When you use the scribe for the rails so that it actually works you must turn the rail up side down so the back of the rail is on the bench this is what makes it fiddly to set up because your working of two different reference faces one on the front and the other on the back.

So going back to the original link that you posted at Ruttlands this bit I`m surmising because I don't own these two cutters, the two cutters are not the same the profile cutter is actually sharpened handed one left the other right.
But why ? Well this means that when you router the two profiles stile and rail, the face is the reference side on both pieces and both pieces have the face on the table. It just makes it simpler.
Hope this is of some help. Billy

O by the way when you set the router bits the two cutters are at 90 degrees to each other so that it is balanced.

 

[cedarwood]

If only doing a few joints this set is better value from rutlands I have it and they are still sharp
http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+tornado-co ... hank+TR302

 

[Andybos0]

Thanks for all the advice guys I have now purchased the single rail and stile cutter with only height adjustment required, I could of landed myself in trouble if it was not for the great advice on here.

once again thank you for all the advice it was greatly appreciated


Andy