The other day we gathered up all of the dull saw blades, joiner knives
and router bits to take to the sharpener. Thinking that we wouldn't
need any ogee bits for a week or so we took all of them, along with
everything else we could find that was dull.

Sure enough, two days later we needed an ogee bit. We ran down to
the borg and the only ogee they had was a Vermont American carbide.
We thought, "what the hell we need it now" and bought it.

I swear that all of the dull bits we sent to the sharpener were
sharper than the brand new VA right out of the box. The bit was
cheap at $16 but that was about $15 too much and that's only if the
bearing is worth a buck. We could have driven another ten miles and
poked around in the display case with all of the shiny blue Bosch
bits.

I don't know why I do that kinda stuff!!!

Mike O.

"Mike O." wrote in message

I swear that all of the dull bits we sent to the sharpener were
sharper than the brand new VA right out of the box. The bit was
cheap at $16 but that was about $15 too much and that's only if the
bearing is worth a buck.

I don't know why I do that kinda stuff!!!

I don't either, but most of us have at one time or another.

When I bought my first router I had no idea what bits to buy so I got a
cheap bit like you describe. I thought I mad a mistake buying a router
until I got a good bit.

I keep hearing things about Harbor Freight tools are OK for a light use, but
it always comes back to bite you in the ass when a cheap tool ruins the
work, rounds the head of a bolt, etc. IMO, cheap tools are very expensive.

Mike O. (in ) said:

| I swear that all of the dull bits we sent to the sharpener were
| sharper than the brand new VA right out of the box. The bit was
| cheap at $16 but that was about $15 too much and that's only if the
| bearing is worth a buck. We could have driven another ten miles and
| poked around in the display case with all of the shiny blue Bosch
| bits.
|
| I don't know why I do that kinda stuff!!!

Everybody does it once. Mine were a cheap set of yellow-painted
no-name bits on sale at Menards. Chucked one up in the router table
and got wood smoke as soon as the brand new bit touched pine. Decided
to keep 'em around in case I ever run out of matches.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

I'll grab cheap ones when I can on sale from time to time to use on crappy
jobs and I found it to be more of hit and miss some sub par and some above
par. I found even some B&D's actually cut pretty decent. Sears Ahhhh! Even
the Grizzly's I've been pretty happy with.

Some cases the dollar cost of a high end blade may never actually be
recovered.......



"Mike O." wrote in message
...
The other day we gathered up all of the dull saw blades, joiner knives
and router bits to take to the sharpener. Thinking that we wouldn't
need any ogee bits for a week or so we took all of them, along with
everything else we could find that was dull.

Sure enough, two days later we needed an ogee bit. We ran down to
the borg and the only ogee they had was a Vermont American carbide.
We thought, "what the hell we need it now" and bought it.

I swear that all of the dull bits we sent to the sharpener were
sharper than the brand new VA right out of the box. The bit was
cheap at $16 but that was about $15 too much and that's only if the
bearing is worth a buck. We could have driven another ten miles and
poked around in the display case with all of the shiny blue Bosch
bits.

I don't know why I do that kinda stuff!!!

Mike O.

Mike O. wrote:

snip a tale of woe about cheap, not low cost cutting tools

I don't know why I do that kinda stuff!!!

It is a lesson we sooner or later, we all learn.

Lew

"Mike O." wrote in message
...

Snip


I swear that all of the dull bits we sent to the sharpener were
sharper than the brand new VA right out of the box. The bit was
cheap at $16 but that was about $15 too much and that's only if the
bearing is worth a buck. We could have driven another ten miles and
poked around in the display case with all of the shiny blue Bosch
bits.


Well actually most tools can be sharper than with the original edge that
the come with. Its all relative. Take 95% of carbide tooth blades,
chisels, hand plane knives to name a few. Typically the resharpened blades
always come back sharper than when the tool was brand new.

Years ago I bought a large set of bits on clearance from Sears for like
$15. I figured what the heck... less than $1 a piece and the box alone
was prolly worth $15. Wouldn't you know, I can't destroy these things.
I even routed a couple hundred feet of 1X using the core bit, three
full depth passes, and the bit still cuts fine. I still wonder if my
M12V affects the bit performance...

I bought one of the Columbian assortments. I didn't have high
expectations, but the total cost was around $ 2 each, and they're
good for practicing with different types of bits on scrap wood.
I'd rather sacrifice a $ 2 bit to learn rather than dulling a
$ 40 bit before I can use it properly.

Mike O. wrote:

I swear that all of the dull bits we sent to the sharpener were
sharper than the brand new VA right out of the box. The bit was
cheap at $16 but that was about $15 too much and that's only if the
bearing is worth a buck. We could have driven another ten miles and
poked around in the display case with all of the shiny blue Bosch
bits.

I don't know why I do that kinda stuff!!!

Some tools are made with the expectation that the user will sharpen
and hone them before use, but most people don't!

Leon wrote:

Well actually most tools can be sharper than with the original edge that
the come with. Its all relative. Take 95% of carbide tooth blades,
chisels, hand plane knives to name a few. Typically the resharpened blades
always come back sharper than when the tool was brand new.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
"Mike O." wrote in message

I swear that all of the dull bits we sent to the sharpener were
sharper than the brand new VA right out of the box. The bit was
cheap at $16 but that was about $15 too much and that's only if the
bearing is worth a buck.

I don't know why I do that kinda stuff!!!

I don't either, but most of us have at one time or another.

When I bought my first router I had no idea what bits to buy so I got a
cheap bit like you describe. I thought I mad a mistake buying a router
until I got a good bit.

I keep hearing things about Harbor Freight tools are OK for a light use,
but it always comes back to bite you in the ass when a cheap tool ruins
the work, rounds the head of a bolt, etc. IMO, cheap tools are very
expensive.

This is a lesson I want to learn from others (like the OP). I keep hearing
that CMT sells good router bits. Just from watching the traffic here I'd
say the are the #1 recommendation. I went to their website today to find
the bullnose I'd need for my window sills. I couldn't tell what would be an
appropriate size for my 3/4" thick boards. Nor did their site help me find
a dealer in my area (Ottawa, Ontario). Anybody know of one? (I'm willing
to order online, too, if I can be sure I'm getting the right thing.)

My next option will be to buy a bit from Lee Valley. Their catalog shows
clearly all the dimensions and I have little doubt I can pick it up on the
way home from work this Friday. Would you say a CMT bit would be worth my
effort or can I expect the LV bit to perform just as well?

- Owen (who just got his new Lee Valley router plate and cam lifter
installed in his router table and is very happy how it turned out) -

"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message ...
|
| "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
| ...
| "Mike O." wrote in message
|
| I swear that all of the dull bits we sent to the sharpener were
| sharper than the brand new VA right out of the box. The bit was
| cheap at $16 but that was about $15 too much and that's only if the
| bearing is worth a buck.
|
| I don't know why I do that kinda stuff!!!
|
| I don't either, but most of us have at one time or another.
|
| When I bought my first router I had no idea what bits to buy so I got a
| cheap bit like you describe. I thought I mad a mistake buying a router
| until I got a good bit.
|
| I keep hearing things about Harbor Freight tools are OK for a light use,
| but it always comes back to bite you in the ass when a cheap tool ruins
| the work, rounds the head of a bolt, etc. IMO, cheap tools are very
| expensive.
|
| This is a lesson I want to learn from others (like the OP). I keep hearing
| that CMT sells good router bits. Just from watching the traffic here I'd
| say the are the #1 recommendation. I went to their website today to find
| the bullnose I'd need for my window sills. I couldn't tell what would be an
| appropriate size for my 3/4" thick boards. Nor did their site help me find
| a dealer in my area (Ottawa, Ontario). Anybody know of one? (I'm willing
| to order online, too, if I can be sure I'm getting the right thing.)
|
| My next option will be to buy a bit from Lee Valley. Their catalog shows
| clearly all the dimensions and I have little doubt I can pick it up on the
| way home from work this Friday. Would you say a CMT bit would be worth my
| effort or can I expect the LV bit to perform just as well?
|
| - Owen (who just got his new Lee Valley router plate and cam lifter
| installed in his router table and is very happy how it turned out) -
|
|

You might want to take a look at Freud as well.

I got my bits from Home Depot and I saw the CMT at the other big box in London ON.

Having a sample of both, I find they are like a hot knife in butter compared to the cheapies.


--
PDQ

--

Owen Lawrence wrote:

This is a lesson I want to learn from others (like the OP). I keep hearing
that CMT sells good router bits. Just from watching the traffic here I'd
say the are the #1 recommendation. I went to their website today to find
the bullnose I'd need for my window sills. I couldn't tell what would be an
appropriate size for my 3/4" thick boards. Nor did their site help me find
a dealer in my area (Ottawa, Ontario). Anybody know of one? (I'm willing
to order online, too, if I can be sure I'm getting the right thing.)

Which web site did you go to? A Google search for +CMT +"Router Bits"
turns up a bunch of different places including McFeely's, Carbide.com,
Woodcraft, etc.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

(Remove -SPAM- to send email)

In article .com,
wrote:

I still wonder if my
M12V affects the bit performance..

Well, the M12V does keep up to its dialled speed rather well. That can mean
better cooling. That has got to be the best plunge router for the money out
there.

In article ,
"PDQ" wrote:

I saw the CMT at the other big box in London ON.

The 'Hammer' box? Where is that one located?

*waves* Sarnia, here.

Owen Lawrence wrote:



This is a lesson I want to learn from others (like the OP). I keep hearing
that CMT sells good router bits. Just from watching the traffic here I'd
say the are the #1 recommendation. I went to their website today to find
the bullnose I'd need for my window sills. I couldn't tell what would be an
appropriate size for my 3/4" thick boards. Nor did their site help me find
a dealer in my area (Ottawa, Ontario). Anybody know of one? (I'm willing
to order online, too, if I can be sure I'm getting the right thing.)


I get my CMT from a bunch of farmers in Iowa.

They have an 800# and are most helpful.

YMMV

Lew

"no(SPAM)vasys" wrote in message
...
Owen Lawrence wrote:

This is a lesson I want to learn from others (like the OP). I keep
hearing that CMT sells good router bits. Just from watching the traffic
here I'd say the are the #1 recommendation. I went to their website
today to find the bullnose I'd need for my window sills. I couldn't tell
what would be an appropriate size for my 3/4" thick boards. Nor did
their site help me find a dealer in my area (Ottawa, Ontario). Anybody
know of one? (I'm willing to order online, too, if I can be sure I'm
getting the right thing.)

Which web site did you go to? A Google search for +CMT +"Router Bits"
turns up a bunch of different places including McFeely's, Carbide.com,
Woodcraft, etc.


http://www.cmtusa.com/

- Owen -

Sun, Oct 30, 2005, 9:16pm (EST-1) (Mike*O.) aint
sharp:
snip Vermont American carbide. snip

I suppose it depends on what you buy. I've used their pattern bits
and no prob, they've lasted as long for me as other brands.



JOAT
If it ain't broke, don't lend it.
- Red Green