Router Bits

Offering a wide range of durable and quality router bits, from a selection of the worlds top suppliers.

Getting Started With Router Bits

Router bits appear in an endless variety of shapes and sizes. If you are brand new to working with a router, sorting through the terminology can also be a little daunting. Understanding the basics of routers is the best first step in choosing the best router bit. Choosing the best router bit for the job will also allow you to get the most of their use.

Common Types of Router Bits

Straight Router Bits

These are the most common router bits used. Using straight bits will form straight cuts in material. They form a groove, dado or also hollow out an area for a mortise or inlay. These bits come in a variety of cut diameters, in the range of 3/16″ to 1-1/2″.

Rabbeting Bits

These router bits produce straight vertical or horizontal cuts. They also cut a rabbet (notch) along the edge of a material. These bits are a “piloted” bit. This means that where the bearing on the end bit also acts as a guide during your cut along the edge of your material. Rabbeting bits come in a set that includes a range of pilot bearing diameters. These allow the bit to also produce a variety of cut dimensions.

Flush Trim Router Bits

These router bits also use a pilot bearing to guide the bit; but, the pilot bearing here is the same size as the bit’s cutting radius. This allows flush trim bits to trim the edge of one material to make it flush with the edge of another material. This could mean trimming the edge of a veneered surface for example to make it flush with a substrate. The pilot bearing on these bits is either on the top of the bit, at the base of the bit’s cutting edge, or also on both.

Chamfer Router Bits

These bits make bevel cuts at specific angles. They also form decorative cuts on the edge of a material. Also, they can make joinery cuts by creating beveled edges for multi-sided constructions.

Edge Forming Bits

Using these bits allows cutting a decorative edge into a material. The possibilities of edge-forming profiles are also endless. The most common profiles are Round over bits, Ogee bits, Edge beading bits, and also Cove bits.

Molding Router Bits

These router bits are designed for architectural molding profiles. This also makes them larger than other common edge-forming router bits. They also have many basic edge-forming profiles in one bit. Due to the added size of these bits, they are also used in a router table.

Stile & Rail Bits

Frame and panel construction uses these bits for building frame members for cabinet and passage doors. These bits also offer a decorative cut as well as a panel slot for the edge of a door frame. They also create a corresponding cut into the end of the material. The cut is also in the frame’s “Rail” or where the horizontal member meets the edge of the frame’s “stile” or verticle member. These bits are available as either a pair of matched bits or a single bit. They can also cut both the necessary components.

Raised Panel Bits

These bits, alongside the Stile & Rail bits, create a profiled edge on a door panel. The edge also fits into the corresponding slot in the frame’s stile and rail. Raised panel bits offer come in both horizontal and vertical sets. Vertical sets are the safest to operate due to their reduced radius. Horizontal sets by contrast have a much larger radius. The horizontal bits are also necessary for panels with curved edges. For example, arched top or “cathedral” cabinet doors.

Joinery Bits

Specialized joinery bits come in a variety of sets. These include dovetail, drawer lock, finger joint and also lock miter bits. Each of these bits produces their own specialized type of precision joint. For example, one combination would be the dovetail bit and the dovetail jig. These, for example, produce accurate and quick dovetail joints for drawer boxes and other box-making projects.

What kind of router bit do you need?

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