Router Bits - Defined as "a cutting bit used in a router", these multi-tasker tools are a very important part of our lives. You may scoff at such a thought, but consider the number of things in our lives that we come into contact with everyday that a router and cutting bit has touched... CNC bits are used for the sign on the front of your workplace and the numbers or name on your mailbox, stile and rail bits are used to make the windows of your house, and dovetail bits are used to make your dresser drawers. Routers have been used in some kind of mechanism holding the bits used to create a high speed spinning action for many years, but it was only recently that routers and their bits that are designed to be used with them came together in a marriage that has made this tool combination so useful to the woodworking tools craftsman of today.
Typically made of HSS, or high speed steel, bits for routers are designed to withstand very high temperatures and still maintain a sharp cutting edge that enables the router bits to glide through the material it's cutting with relative ease. Most routers and the bits they use have recommended RPM ratings to help insure tool longevity and safety to the user. Carbide tipped bits have the cutting surface covered with carbide, and some router bits contain no steel at all being made completely of carbide. These carbide router bits are slightly more expensive than the traditional HSS bits, but offer a longer, sharper tool life and are designed to be used when cutting composite woods such as MDF, plywood, and other manmade materials.
Bits Tools
It won't take long to realize that there is no shortage of router bit manufacturers to choose from, so how do you know which one is right for you? Some of the best known names in the industry such as Freud, MLCS, CMT, Amana, and Jesada were put to the test and the results may shock you. In all, 17 different company's bits were put to the test known as the Router Bit Matchup. When the sawdust had cleared, Whiteside Bits emerged the winner proving to stay sharper, longer and producing the fewest imperfections in the material used for the test. For full details on this test, search "Router Bit Matchup, Whiteside" on your search engine.
Whiteside bits is a small, 30 year old company located in Claremont, North Carolina. Featuring over 300 different styles of bits in just about any size requirement, Whiteside router bits is a great choice for the beginner hobbyist or the experienced craftsman. Whiteside bits are made in the USA and offer the perfect tool for any woodworking project you may be working on.
Once you decide to try Whiteside bits, you will need to find a dealer who carries the Whiteside product line. There are a few local stores who may carry a limited selection of Whiteside bits, but for the best selection and pricing, the Internet is the best place to shop for your router bits.