Router bits

[paulmagras@caribsurf.com]

can anyone tell what company make the best quality router bits to be used CNC machines i am thinking of making gingerbread for buildings so i need bits that will stand up to 8-12 hours continuous use [ using a shopbot]

[gerald_d]

For the Americas, Onsrud (http://www.plasticrouting.com) is probably a good starting point for a search.

[tom@allexsign.com]

ok, the Onsrud are quite excellent bits, but please take a look at the BELIN spiral "o", they have a mirror polish and are about $22.50 ea. Solid carbide, upcut, yes upcut that leaves a glass edge in most materials. We started using them in august of 2000 and thats all we have gone with ever since. they are razor sharp, quiet, and cut like a dream. the longest I have used one of these bits at one time was approx. 10.5 hours. Depending on the material you are cutting, you will get thousands of inches before you will need to buy a new one. I dont have the direct phone number, but go to multicam.com to get the dealer closet to you. By the way, we have used the onsruds and compare very well to the spiral "o", but because of the polish on the spiral "o", ejection is better. Also, one last piece of info, the belin spiral "o" is made overseas, in france, if they were manufactured here in the us, they would have a price tag of about $80.00, thats how well they are made. Just passing through for updated and saw this article, thought this would help.

Thank You,

Tom Byron
Unit Production Manager,
ABC Pet Products Intl. Consumer Products Division.

[gerald_d]

Hi Tom, We use Belin because France is nearer to us (and I go there sometimes). I only suggested Onsrud as a starting point because they seemed bigger in the US.

By the way, France being a metric country, the Belin metric sizes are less expensive than the inch sizes.

[edrawe]

I am just now recieving my shopbot can someone tell me which bits I should get first. I plan on making house signs and also will need to cut out parts for various projects.
Thanks in advance

[gerald_d]

Just a very rough idea:

60 degree V-cutter

1/2" straight (square-nose) cutter

1" straight (square-nose) cutter for surfacing table and other odd jobs

1/4" straight cutter if it will fit your router

[jrw00d2@aol.com]

I am carving photographs on my Bot and I am looking for a sign/engraving bit but with a very sharp angle, the only ones I have been able to find so far are 60 deg that taper to 0. any ideas?

[Jeff Guinn]

Jay,
Eagle America ( 1-800-872-2511/ http://www.eagle-america.com/ ) sells a 45 degree bit , part # 132-1022.

[david@thecarpentershelper.com]

Jay,
Try multicam.com they not only sell software and machines they have some really good 1/4 inch bottom feed engraving bits down to .030 with a very steep angle they are called bottom feed because in ingraving machines you either load bits from the top of your machine or the bottom. David in Wyoming

[doug]

Hey Paul M./Gerald D./Tom B:
Heard an interesting bit of info at the Jamboree, the manufacturers of the Belin bit are the parent company of Onsurud. I too have used and am very pleased with the quality and performance of the Belin bits. However, I purchased some Onsrud bits at the Jamboree, can't wait to give them a try.
Just thot' you would like to "hear what I heard".
Doug in Oklahoma

[gerald_d]

Hi Doug,

That is interesting, but I wouldn't know what the significance of the connection is?

We buy our Belin bits directly from a company called Belin in France. This is their (slow?) website. (http://www.belin-y.com/us/accueil.htm)

[debekker]

heres a different question.. What is the advantage of using a ball nose bit to do 3d work.
Ive been playing alot with some different ball nose bits and not to happy with the results. I get to many valleys with it cause it dosen't overlap like the end mill. Could someone enlighten me if I'm doing something wrong. I understand the geometry of the bit I can see why its doing it. I just read somewhere its better to use ballnose instead of a endmill.
Thanks in advance

[gordon@shopbottools.com]

There is an advantage to using a ball end mill for 3D work. They produce smoother surfaces than a regular end mill, give more detail on most parts, and don't leave swirl marks on flat or sloped surfaces. The disadvantage are that they produce ridges (scallop) and won't make sharp inside corners.

Another bit that we've been cutting 3D work with in our shop is being done with tapered ball end mills that have a 1/16" radius ball end and a 0.5-1 degree taper. You can get these from us or SGS makes them. The advantages to this type of bit is that it is small, but usually has a much longer and stronger cutter than your typical 1/8" bit, and will leave more detail. The disadvantage is that you can't cut a truely vertical surface, but in most 3D work there usually are many instances that this occurs.

The best way to minimize scallop is the make the step-over of the bit smaller, creating more passe across the piece. Though you have to watch how small you make this can add considerably to the cutting time in some cases.