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Tried a cheap router bit set from Harbor Freight and it paid off on a big job | Cabinetmakers - Vivisector

Tried a cheap router bit set from Harbor Freight and it paid off on a big job

I had to build 12 shaker-style doors for a kitchen remodel in Raleigh last month, and my good bits were all dull. Grabbed a 15-piece set for like 30 bucks, figured I'd trash them after. The cuts were clean enough, no tearout on the maple ply, and I finished the whole order before lunch on day two. Anyone else ever get lucky with a budget tool when you were in a pinch?

3 comments

3 Comments

jordan_hill3mo ago

Spray some dry lube on those cheap bits first, it helps a ton.

thomas_price3mo ago

Hold onto that set for backup honestly. I've grabbed those cheap sets before when my Whitesides were getting sent out for sharpening and yeah, they surprised me for the money. The key is you gotta check each bit for runout before you use it on something nice, sometimes you get a dud in the pack that'll chatter like crazy. But for plywood and MDF on a production run like that, they cut clean enough if you're not pushing the feed rate too hard. Just don't expect them to hold an edge for a dozen more projects... they'll dull out fast on solid hardwood. Still beats shutting down a job while you wait for a resharp though.

jason_stone593mo ago

Hang onto that set for backup for sure, @thomas_price hit it right. But here's something nobody's talking about yet - those cheap bits can actually work better on certain materials because they're ground with a slightly different geometry sometimes. I had a buddy who ran a cabinet shop and he swore by the cheap router bits for cutting aluminum composite panels cause they chipped less. The steel isn't as hard so it flexes instead of snapping on impact. Just don't try to run them through oak or hickory at full depth cause that's when you'll get the chatter and burning.