The right router bit can make your projects look as professional as the shop from which it was cut. The profile of the router bits’ cutting edge determine the type of edge that it will cut. Most woodworkers dont take the time to learn how to use the different types of router bit profiles, however.
This approach cost you time, this approach wastes your materials, and, in the worst cases, it ruins your piece of wood that you spent many hours on. By learning the different profiles of router bits and seeing which profiles is used for what projects and why certain profiles have remained the same for many decade of router bit development, you can gain more control over your projects than if you used any number of jigs for your router bits. The right router bit will allow your project to include the details that will elevate the project and will save you the time that you would spend sanding or carving at the projects.
Knowing the different profiles of router bits will allow you to develop confidence in your skills and to no longer have to guess at which type of profile will accomplish your project. The list of the different profiles of router bits that every woodworker should know include the following profiles.
Common Router Bit Profiles Every Woodworker Should Know
1. Straight Router Bits
Straight router bits can cut the various types of flat groove into your project.
These bits will create flat-bottomed dados, flat-bottomed grooves, and flat-bottomed rabbets. Use straight router bits when cutting shelves, mill areas for the hinge, or cut inlay. The advantages of straight router bits is that the bits will remain sharp longer and require less resharpening.
The major disadvantage of using straight router bits is that they will create visible lines where there is any vibration or chatter in the bit. This means either using a steady hand or a good router bit table to minimize these chattering lines.
2. Roundover Bits
Roundover bits will produce edges for your project that are softened for more visually appealing projects.
These bits come in various sizes in relation to the radius of the cut. The roundover bit is helpful for eliminating sharp corner that may be visually appealing but may splinter on your project. The roundover bit is forgiving of novice woodworkers.
However, once you round over an edge with a roundover bit, you cannot take that edge back to its original form; thus, it is critical to use scrap wood to test out various sizes of roundover bits before using them on your project.
3. Chamfer Bits
Chamfer bits cut an edge at a 45-degree angle to the piece; however, a variety of these bits come in other angle to accommodate different designs. Chamfer bits are useful for catching the light on various project edges.
Because the chamfer bit has an angled edge, it will emphasize the angles of the project rather than softening them. Additionally, chamfer bits are helpful in removing the sharp arrises that may develop on the newly cut and machined edges of a project to avoid catching a sliver of wood. The only downside to using a chamfer bit is that deep chamfers can weaken thin edges of the project.
4. Cove Bits
Cove bits are the negative elements of roundover bits. These bits will create a concave quarter-circle edge that looks good on the underside of a tabletop or on decorative elements of a drawer. A cove and a roundover bit can work together to create a rule joint that looks good on a drop-leaf table.
Additionally, the cove bit will create a shadow line that will enhance the look of your project. However, the recessed nature of a cove bit means that dust will collect in the groove, so it is best to use these on a project that requires regular cleaning or one that will be finished.
5. Ogee Bits
Ogee bits will create the classic S-curve edge that has been associated with various types of traditional furniture.
These bits come in various sizes and can be used for Victorian or Chippendale furniture reproductions. On moddern furniture, they are often used for a smaller ogee bit on the doors of the cabinets. The ogee bit will demand that you use a slow feed rate for the bit and that the bit is sharpened to avoid any tear-out on the figured woods in the project.
6. Dovetail Bits
Dovetail bits will create flared, trapezoidal bits that will cut the joints that have held many centuries of boxes and drawers together. The dovetail joint will create a strong joint that does not rely on the glue that holds the pieces of your project together. Additionally, the cut end grain will become a decorative feature of your project.
Various angle of dovetail bits are used for different types of projects. For instance, a 14-degree dovetail bit is used on softwoods, while 7-degree or 8-degree bits is used on hardwoods. The downside of dovetail bits is that they require a precise setup of the project and a steady router bit to allow the dovetails to be cut.
7. Rabbeting Bits
Rabbeting bits will cut a step into the end of a board that can be used to fit backs into cabinets or to fit glass into a frame. Rabbeting bits come in a variety of sizes, so instead of buying multiple rabbeting bits, you can change the depth of the rabbet. A rabbeting bit will make for an easy assembly of your project; however, the rabbeting bit will only act on one face of the wood.
This is the same as leaving the other face of the wood alone, which is what you want in these situations.
8. Roman Ogee Bits
Roman ogee bits are similar to ogee bits but include a fillet and a quirk before the S-curve of the bit. These bits are perfect for enhancing the light-reflection of your project and are often used on raised panels and crown molding.
Additionally, because of the added fillet, the bit will require more precision with feed and wood grain than a plain ogee bit. Additionally, tear-out will be more prominent when using a Roman ogee bit.
9. Core Box Bits
Core box bits or round-nose bits are used for cutting a groove in the project that will have a smoothly radiused edge.
The bit is used for fluting a column, carving a decorative groove into the leg of a chair, or cutting a finger pull into the drawer for hardware that does not drill into the wood. A limitation to this type of bit is depth; they are best for relatively shallow grooves. For deeper grooves, you will have to first use a straight router bit to begin the groove and then use the core box bit.
10. Beading Bits
Beading bits are similar to roundover bits. However, beading bits will create one or two flat fillets that create a bead that stands out from the project. Beading bits are used on shaker-style furniture and picture frames.
The bead can follow the edge of the project or be inset from the edge, depending on the size of the bearing. The main feature of a beading bit is its ability to make a beading that stands out from the project in one pass. The small flat fillets of a beading bit will hide minor imperfection in the thickness of the wood.
11. Flush Trim Bits
Flush-trim bits may seem the least useful of all router bit profiles when standing in your workshop. However, flush-trim bits are the reason for the laminate countertops in kitchens, the usefulness of templates on the worktop, and the usefulness of having matching sets of two parts. A flush-trim bit will feature a bearing that rests on the template or the cut edge of the project, while the carbide blades will allow the router bit to cut flush with that template or cut edge.
Flush-trim bits come in two varieties that differ in where the bearing will rest. Additionally, flush-trim bits will feature shear angles or spiral flutes to allow for a clean cut on the melamine or plywood countertops. You should of had extras of each bearing in your router bit kit because they will wear with regular use.
12. Slotting Cutters
The final bit profile that every woodworker should know includes a set of slotting cutters that are used for cutting the tongue and groove joints for floating panels. The flat end of the slotting bit will cut the groove in the center of the project. While the slotting bit will not be as visually enhancing as other bits, the joint that is created by a slotting bit is what holds up the frame-and-panel doors such that they do not open and close with a clunking joint.
If you have experienced a cabinet door that did not align properly with its frame, you will understand the importance of slotting bits for the carpentry trade. While these profiles will not make you a better woodworker overnight, they will give you the skills and the knowledge of the language of router bits so that you can follow your creative impulses with your skills. The next time you find yourself standing in front of your wood and wondering what to do with that raw edge, remember that the router bit has likely solved your problem since many generations of craftsmen before you have used these tools.
Choose the right router bit for your project and let the chips fall.
