Carbide Router Bits

Carbide router bits are some of the most important cutting tools to be found. These versatile cutters are capable of creating such a wide variety of shapes that there really is no limit to them. They are used for woodworking, aluminum cutting, steel rule die cutting, jewelry, and other materials and applications.

Typical geometries from router bits

• Straight or square. These include dado, rabbet, slot, mortise and flush trim

• Simple radius. These include bowl and tray, ball end, bullnose, cove, roundover and bead.

• Angular profiles, such as chamfer, V-groove, bevel, and dovetail.

• Decorative edge details, including ogees, fillet cove, corner bead, table edge, and handrail.

• Sash and door profiles, such as stile and rail sets, sash, and finger pull.

• Joinery profiles, including tongue and groove, dovetail, lock mitre, drawer lock, glue and finger joint.

These are the most commonly used geometries, but almost any imaginable shape can be created in a carbide router bit. A wood CNC machine, such as the K2 CNC line, is very fast and accurate, while remaining cost effective.

Who uses carbide router bits

Luthiers, or guitarmakers, use wood CNC machines to produce the many components that go into a guitar. This makes it possible to mass produce very high quality instruments, while maintaining a very high level of quality and workmanship. Companies such as Martin and Taylor produce very good guitars, and use CNC technologies extensively that employ sustom router bits.

Jewelery makers also use small CNC machines with carbide cutters and  carbide router bits to create some stunning pieces. Often, the design is cut into wax first, then used to make the actual jewelry.

The home hobbyist very often uses these tools in a Dremel or other rotary machine. With a few attachments, you can do some very good work in your home shop, creating your own trim and other wood work. These can use high speed steel or carbide router bits to do the job.

Dozens of industries use these to produce ATV parts, RV components, appliance components, and much more. The huge furniture making industry obviously relies on these carbide router bits to cut all the shapes, joints and features found in our living rooms and bedrooms.

The Freud company makes fine quality carbon and carbide router bits that feature a proprietary TiCo Hi-density carbide for maximum cutting life. They are also balanced, giving a clean, professional finish to the wood.

Freud's Quadra-Cut design provides 4 cutters, instead of the industry standard of 2. This gives a clean edge and requires no rework to finish. With quality carbide router bits you can produce some very high quality work.

They also produce power tools, such as the FT3000VCE 3-1/4 HP Variable Speed Plunge Router. This has a powerful 15 amp motor and is very durable. For the serious worker, this is a very good tool. Together with the FT2020 Template Guide set, you can produce very high quality work. Combined with the wide selection of carbon and carbide router bits available, almost any shape can be produced.