stile & rail router bit

[fiasco]

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes

The sears stile & rail router bit set is 1/3 the price of the ones offered at HD or Lowes.

Are these good enough for the occasional odd job?

Also, what router bit do you to get the wide cove in the edge of a raised door panel?

Are there some tutorials out there on door making w/ raised panels? I read the one on newwoodworker but it did not do much detail on the actual process of making the raised panel.

[MikeMcCoy]

MLCS has some detailed instruction sheets on their web site. I don't have the link handy but that's what I used when I did my first set of raised panel doors.

[Ken Massingale]

They have that bit on sale for ~$15 at times. It's an ogee style so you would need an ogee raised panel bit. Brian at Holbren has good sets at good prices, http://www.holbren.com/home.php?cat=29
Mark at heavydutytools.net sometimes has great deals.
It's best to make the raised panel at lower router speeds since most RP bits are large, and make several passes, don't try to take all the stock in one pass.
If you like the cove style, that can be done on the tablesaw rather easily, (http://www.rd.com/americanwoodworker...onth/main.html) but usually there is more sanding than when doing them with a router bit

[fiasco]

is blandesnbits any good?

[LCHIEN]

try www.mlcswoodworking.com
they have free instructions(you have to ask for printed ones when you order or download the PDF file) and they have free shipping (whereas most internet places will charge you $5-10 for shipping).
and they are very reliable and offer great customer service (can you imagine calling sears for router bit advice?)

even if you buy the bit elsewhere, get the free instructions download from their site, it's applicable to all manufacturer's router bits and covers all router bit types.

Oh, and as someone else pointed out, I always buy 1/2" shank bits for my router, when available.

[Ken Massingale]

is blandesnbits any good?

Yes, I have a few bits from them and they perform well for occassional use.
k

[Garasaki]

The referenced bit by the OP (from sears) is a 1/4 inch shank...that'd be enough to keep me away.

[Ken Massingale]

The referenced bit by the OP (from sears) is a 1/4 inch shank...that'd be enough to keep me away.

I don't have an issue with a 1/4" shank on the rail/stile bit if it's a quality bit at a decent price, never on a RP bit tho. Still prefer 1/2" shanks overall.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

The link you posted was for a $42 Rail and Stile bit set. That, IMHO, is not a great deal. You can buy a nice Freud set on sale for $100 which would include rail, stile, panel bits and an instructional DVD.

The MCLS reference mentioned is wonderful. The complete manual for all types of routing applications can be downloaded here :

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops.../instruct.html

MCLS complete sets start at $69.99. That is a good price on a product that will be well supported by MCLS should you have questions.

Since you MUST have a 1/2" collet for the raised panel, why use 1/4" collet for the R&S? This is very basic and I hope not to insult, but using this bits require the use of a router table. You can not use them in hand held applications.

[fiasco]

No insult at all! I'm here asking cause I dont know!

I just got the Sears ryobi BT clone table saw w/ router mount.

I have the Craftsman 130.26620 Fixed Base/Plunge Base router kit.

I will definatley pay more attention to the bit shank size!

[fiasco]

What is the difference between the "undercutter" version and the one without (besides $21) at MLCS 6 piece cabinet set?

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops...es/set6cab.htm

[onedash]

http://www.freud-tools.com/fr97ograparo.html
This is the set I have. The under cut makes it the correct size to fit the groove and have the entire thing flush.(panel does not project out farther than the stiles and rails)
The set I have has an additional set of cutters for the panel bit (4). That is supposed to make a cleaner cut and some other benefit I think...
Its the only set I have ever used so I can't say its better or worse than any others.

[JimD]

The undercutter saves you a step. I have one but I do not know if the next panel raiser I buy will have one. It takes a little more power to do cuts on both sides as you make the last cut or two but what bothers me more is the cutter on the top where I could more easily come into contact with it. The other drawback is if you do not keep your panel flat on the router table, the undercutter will dig in and the edge will not be the intended size. Without the undercutter, you either need to get a special undercutting bit or just cut a rabbet on the back with a straight bit or even the BT3100.

On the rail and stile bit, you have probably noticed there are three types. There is a reversable bit that will do both cuts but you have to reconfigure it between the cope cut (which you should do first since it's on end grain and there may be some tearout) and the raising cut which will be on long grain and will clean up minor tearout from the cope cut. I have one and it works fine but is not as convenient as the stacked set I like a little better. The stacked set has the disadvantage of the undercutter, however, in having exposed cutters. I do not mind it as much. I do the cope cut on a sled of baltic birch 1/2 inch plywood and have to make only a very minor height change between the two cuts. There are also sets with two bits. I have not tried them but they look like another good way to go. Any of the types will work. I would go with 1/2 inch shank with any of them.

You also need speed control to use the horizontal panel raisers. If you router does not have that, you want one of the vertical panel raisers (which work best in a horizontal router table).

Jim

[fiasco]

Anyone know of any mlcs coupon codes?

[fiasco]

I believe this is the set I'm going to get

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops...es/set6cab.htm

Jim, from your post I believe I will get the set without the undercut.