STRAIGHT BIT KIT

Router Woodworking

Straight bits:

The straight bit has more application than any cutter. It is the one bit that all routers can manage; all collets accept straight bits. Plungers, trimmers, fixed base, over-arm, pin, CNC, whether DC, AC, wind or water powered; it makes no difference; they all accept straight bits. Paso Robles Carbide and I have assembled a special set of straight bits for all sorts of cuts in wood, aluminum, plastic, MDF, and other materials.

Several of the bits overlap in function, but each one is unique and designed for its arena of action. All of my straight cutters cut on the ends as well as the sides of their flutes. The cutters I'm about to present will produce mortice & tenons, make circles, cut grooves, dados, and slots, joint on the router table, swipe at heavy (or light) mill to pattern cuts, lap, cut notches, waste away inside excavations, and preplow out dovetail waste.
To be sure, every one of these tasks requires skill & fixturing. You can't walk up to these bits, for example, and produce a rabbet in aluminum, or cut perfect notches without priors. Moreover, and it should come as no surprise that most (router) quality cuttings do not occur without, jigs, fixtures, experimentation and time at the bench.*

We have 5 bits here, all cut from the same DNA but not one of them looks like another, (see specs at the bottom of the page). 4 of the cutters are carbide faced steel, 1 is solid carbide (404-SC). 1 has a modest down shear (RS4-40), 2 have straight up/down flutes (404-SC & 508), and 2 are slow-spirals (360deg./10" of flute). They were all selected for their functionality, durability, deflection resistance, quality of cut, safety and the ability to be reground 4 or 5 times**.

404-SC

The 1/4" solid carbide (404-SC) cutter has a 3/4" cutting depth capacity. Keeping its depth of cut/pass at <3/16", with modest feed rates, will yield the best of cutting results. Skinny bits are fragile and deflect. This double Vee flute is about as stiff as it gets for a bit this skinny. Expect little deflection. As such, this is the tool for narrow pathway cuts such as in making circle templets, slotting edge or face grain or plowing out a pathway for a small dovetail cutter.

RS4-40

The RS4-40 is a 5/8" cutter with a long (1/2" x 2") shank for max reach with thick templets and/or long collets. With plenty of steel in the web, it won't chatter on the work. The relatively short flute length (1") is perfect for wasting inside excavations, making tenons and laps with sharp shoulders (in plastic, metal & wood), and cutting dados and rabbets. It works well in templet collars, a very safe way to keep most of the cutter out of play whilst at work in shallow applications. This tool bit can waste up to 3/8" x 3/8"/pass without deflection. Expect a more efficient cut with this double down shear flute and next to no vibration.

508

To get the most out of my mortiser, I designed the 508, so named for its cutting diameter, .508". It is a long, strong, short fluted tool for deep excavations. The cutting diameter is just a little bigger than its shank and as such, can mortise well beyond its short 9/16" flute. Depending on your fixturing and plunge router, expect to dig holes at least 2" deep with this bit. I also like this bugger for long tenons, notches, or any outside cut requiring a lot of reach. Use this bit with edge guides or collars. Not recommended for ordinary router table rabbets, dados or other shallow, single pass cuts.

S-818C

The S-818C is serious business. This spiral ground tool has a flute length and diameter of 1.125". A very well balanced, very aggressive tool bit, it is designed for deep, wide, inside or outside cuts. I use it to size, rout & mill aluminum, acrylic, polycarbonate, fiberboard and wood. With more than 3/4" of its web in the body and a 1/4" relief on the end of the flute, expect this tool to mow down anything in its path without bending. It is especially effective in end grain, leaving an impeccable finish. Pathway and fractional thickness cuts are also laser crisp. Its up spirals will pull the chip up and out of its excavation. Use it on the router table for jointing, rabbets, sizing fixtured stock, and pin/templet cuttings. This is a PRC exclusive. Spiral ground cutters >.500" in solid or brazed-on carbide with 1/2" shanks do not exist.
See safety notes.***

S-818CX-GR

The GR is a mill to pattern up-spiral router bit, a trimmer with its guide roller on the shank. Trimmers of this design slice on the sides and bottoms of their flutes.
(Bottom bearing trimmers do not bottom cut). The cutting diameter is .005-.008" smaller than the roller and therefore it will not cut into the templet it is routing along. This cutter is for hand or table use and requires a templet for guidance. It is essentially the same as the S-818C but it has a longer flute, 1-5/8". It will slice the entire thickness of 1-5/8" material.
It is one heavy duty tool bit and should be used in 3 HP routers by experienced router people. This is not a tool for those starting out.
Its essential advantage as a trimmer is its finish quality and efficiency. End grain cuts are immaculate.
It doesn't take a lot of power to keep the guy going; nevertheless, it should be used in big routers like the Milwaukee 5625, DeWalt 625, and Porter Cable 7518.
For your safety, offset subbases are strongly recommended with this much cutter extension whilst hand routing.
Use this cutter in material from 1" to 1.6" thick. I use it to square the ends of desk and countertops too big to saw.
This is not a cutter for everyone and is offered as an option in the kit. The cutter is 75$ (w/S&H) solo or 50$ if sold in the kit.

Need a set? Ordering instructions:

1. Set of 4 straight bits, (404-SC, S-818C, 508, & RS4-40): $150 (Includes s&h)
2. No.1 plus the S-818CX-GR trimmer: $200 (Includes s&h)
3. S-818CX-GR trimmer only: $75 (Includes s&h)

Email for more info, or send payment (check or money order) with email and shipping addresses to:

PAT WARNER
1427 KENORA STREET
ESCONDIDO CA 92027-3940

Specifications

CD = Cutting diameter
FL = Flute length
OAL = Overall length
S = Shank length & diameter

1. 404-SC, CD = 1/4", FL = 3/4", OAL = 2", S = 1/4" X 1-1/4" (SC = solid carbide)
2. RS4-40, CD = 5/8", FL = 1", OAL = 3", S = 1/2" X 2"
   (3/4" CD available at the same price.)
3. 508, CD = .508", FL = 9/16", OAL = 3-1/2", S = 1/2" X 1-1/2"
4. S-818C, CD = 1-1/8" = FL, OAL = 3"
5. S-818CX-GR, CD = 1-1/8", FL = 1-5/8", OAL = 3-3/8", S = 1/2" X 1-5/8"

* Customer support available, purchase not required. Step x step tutorials are not to be expected but do expect advice on safety, rout-able material, set up, practicality, and general support.

**The regrinds preserve the dimensionality well and essentially restore the cutter to factory sharpness. There is enough carbide for 4-6 regrinds.
Regrinding brings surprising economy. The 404-SC, a 23$ cutter, for example, if sharpened 5 times at $7/regrind, totals $23 + [5($7)] = $58.
So the product life for 6 runs is 58 bucks or ~ $10/run. The spirals cutters (~$50&$68/ea) see a substantial savings too, at $12/regrind, grinding and purchase = $110/6 runs, or $18/run, much less than most new solid carbide spirals.

***Safety notes on Spirals.

1. Use in 3 HP router tables whenever possible.
2. Expose only enough cutter for the job, e.g. project only 9/16" of flute to joint 1/2" stock.
3. An up shear cutter tugs on the collet. Use with new or known good, burr-free collets.
   Tighten to usual specs, typically 75-100 inch-pounds.
4. Fixturing and guides are required for hand held S-818-C applications. PC/DW collar guide bushes will not accept this bit.
5. Wear eye protection, this bit in the hand router throws its chip upward.
6. Routing in stages is safer than full flute cuts.
7. The cutter is designed to handle up to 1/2" x 1/2" volume swipes. (Note, 1/4" x 1" = 1/2" x 1/2"). Notwithstanding, the material may not stand that much waste/pass so begin your router outing in small increments.
8. Though capable of very deep full thickness cuts, keep the east/west cut to 3/32" or less/pass. Adjust the cut with the proximity of your templet.

Have fun, take the New stepwise (no giant leaps), and no skylarking.