msajeep

I am just starting out with woodworking. I have a set of ryobi 1/4 shank bits, that I've had good success with, but now that I have a 1/2 router, I'm looking to get a set of 1/2 shank bits. Would these bits be a bad idea,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ROUTER-BIT-SET-5...QQcmdZViewItem

If so why? I can't justify paying 30-40 a bit right now with the little bit of woodworking that I do. Thanks for any help

jeepme79

I don't see it as a bad buy. I did the same thing when I bought my router. I bought a cheap multi-piece set for playing/little projects just to have the diversity. When I am doing a serious project where quality is a must, that's when I shell out the coin for the good bits, but only buy them on an as-needed basis. If you are working on something where you may hit a nail, best to waste a cheap bit.

knotscott

The problem I see is that these bits are an unknown...they might be fine, but they might not. I've been present in a shop when a cheap bit lost its carbide cutter and imbedded itself in a wall...we were just lucky it didn't imbed itself in one of us.

There are lots of good choices for bits that are well under $30-$40 each. My favorite is Whiteside's set of top notch US made cutters that includes the 7 most commonly used profiles for ~ $80 for the set w/free s/h. (use "SMC10", woodnet10", or "BT310" discount code. Holbren also offers the "Holbren" line for less . MLCS sells a 15 pc set of decent Asian import bits for $40. Price Cutter, Woodline, Woodcraft, and Grizzly all offer proven alternatives at very reasonable prices. No need to test the waters....there's very little to gain with that Ebay set IMO.

dusty2

With bits, the devil is in the details and unless you can examine them up close, I'd be inclined to think twice. Cheap ones do come apart on occasion (I'm a fortunate observer). It isn't allways about them comming apart though. Better bits have more carbide and can be sharpened more times than cheaper ones. Also better bits are designed to minimise kickback and are safer to use and keep you from trying to hog too much material at one time.

JON BELL

A few years ago I had a 1/4 bit slip out of my router about 6" from my face.After that I switched to 1/2" and tighten them good! 1/2" bits also reduce vibration and make a cleaner cut.

dusty2

it's a lesson (if you survive) you'll never forget

JON BELL

It grazed my knee.Like a paper cut

woodman42

I bought a set off of ebay once just to play with and they worked out ok. I wouldn't want to have to use them for a lot of routing, but if you don't use them much they should be fine.
But............with E-bay, you always take a risk.

__________________
Did you say tool sale?

Handyman

I to bought a cheep set of 60 bits off Ebay in a nice wooden box. I got then for around 50 bucks I think. I knew when I bought them that they weren't going to be great, but they gave me a chance to learn what i could do with a router. I use my router mostly to do fluting work, but every once in a while I will route a bull nose.

Like "JEEPME79" I to replace them one at a time with better bits when I have a paying job I need them on. I have about 100 1/4 shank bits now, about 1/2 are really good, the others cheep.

Fundabug

I also had a 1/4 inch shank bit slip out once, but it just rattled around and made a lot of racket. I've got two good size sets of 1/4 inch shank bits that were given to me as gifts. I've since bought a router that has 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch collets that are easily switched out. Whenever I need a new bit that I don't already have, or replace a broken bit, I go ahead and upgrade to the 1/2 inch shank. They DO reduce vibration and seem to make cleaner and more accurate cuts as far as I'm concerned. Also, I used a couple of 1/4 inch shank bits this evening for the first time in a while and I noticed how much louder they seemed to be....Maybe it was just me, but I used a 1/4 inch straight/mortising bit with a 1/4 inch shank on some oak and I had to put in ear plugs because of the high pitched squeal it made....and I'm deaf in my left ear!

msajeep

Would you guys think that this set is of much less quality then those ryobi sets that home depot sells?

gtobeech

Most of the bits are made in China. There are a couple made in USA. Whiteside, American Eagle, and there is another but I forgot. I'm a big supporter of buy USA, so I'm partial to the American Eagle bits. I did buy the cheaper bits to use while I was learning how to use my router. Now as mentioned earlier I buy them as I need them.

jerry

In most things,but definitely router bits, you get what you pay for. I like Whiteside.

Regards

Jerry

knotscott

It's hard to hazard a guess about the Ebay bits, but if they were top notch they would likely be well known. I'd classify the Ryobi bits as being moderately acceptable Asian import bits that are readily available and slightly overpriced for what they are....I'd place them in roughly the same league as the Holbren, MLCS, Woodcraft, but likely not quite as good and definitely no better. My guess is that the Ebay bits are not at the level of the Ryobi, but it's strictly a guess...my logic is that there's no reputation to protect and less incentive to be any better than as cheap as they can be.

...strictly speculation and my opinion, FWIW...

Buffalo Bilious

They're yellow.... who's the catalog-sales company that bally-hoos their yellow bits? Can't think of 'em right now, but it's probably the same stuff without the markup.

Anyway, I've considered buying one of those huge bit collections myself, but I've come to realize that I'd probably use only three or four of them with any regularity, and that's if I was motivated!

A collection like that might be cool in terms of figuring out what each one does and getting some router practice, but I've come to the conclusion that if I had one of those sets, 98% of it would be dead weight in my toolbox.... Right now, I just don't have a need for a 68 degree-half angle-roundover mortising-french cove-bit.

For $50, you can't really go wrong, so go for it, but personally, I generally wait until the inspiration hits before I go looking.... if I need a bit, I'll scope 'em out and buy a good one in order to get the job done.

And FWIW, the HD Ryobi bits do a good job... but again, I buy 'em one at a time!