Drugstore Cowboy

Any good recommendations for a rail & stile bit with a 1/4" shank?
(or warnings about ones to avoid)

YES - I know the BEST thing to do would be to FIRST invest in a 1/2" shank router -- but right now that's not an option.
MAYBE if I am real good Santy will bring me one for Christmas --

But I have a couple of projects this summer that would greatly benefit from
having such a bit now.

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bobj3

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Hi Cowboy

Here's one or two links, I have used the ones from the ebay links and they ARE GREAT bits.

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops.../setrais1.html
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-pc-1-4-SH-Ogee...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-pc-1-4-Shank-R...QQcmdZViewItem

NOTE**** if you get the one off ebay besure to print out the web page it will help you setup the bit...
One more NOTE****the set from ebay is a great set to make small cabinet doors/full glass panel doors , most 1/4" routers can take them on BUT the panel cutter may take a pass or two to get the job done.
They are smaller than the norm (2" dia. the norm is 3 1/2") but you are still removing alot of stock.
Just use the fence on the router table to take a smaller cut on the 1st and 2nd pass the 3rd pass will give you a nice clean cut.

Hope this helps a bit.

Bj

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BrianS

I'm sure others with more experience in this will chime in shortly, but one thing that was stressed to me when I considered this very thing is the relatively low power of a 1/4" shank router, and the size of the rail and stile bit. That is a large cutter to be turning on a small shank. It takes a lot of power to drive a bit that size, and with a large bit you must slow it down, which costs power on a small router.

You can make them with a table saw, as indicated in the following links:


Raised panels on a tablesaw
Raised panels on a tablesaw

Brian

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Drugstore Cowboy

Brian
The first link is pretty much what I have always done in the past - making simple square rails and stiles - then adding molding to get the bead effect. I've also routed the bead on the edge then mitered JUST the bead.
I only recently discovered the specialized bits and was interested in doing it the 'right' way.

The second link has some REALLY interesting content.
Being a bonafide redneck I've done a LOT of different things with Bondo over the years (keep a can right next to my WD40 and duct tape) but I had never thought of making a shaped sanding block with it.
Definitely gonna have to print that one out and give it a good thorough read.

THANKS

challagan

Cowboy the only one I have is a 1/4 shank set from Eagle America. I made some doors with it and used a 1 1/2 horse power router..... the only router I had at the time. The set worked fine with a variable speed controller to slow it down which you MUST do. The router table I had at the time was a piece of crap! You can do it if you don't need to make a bunch of doors. If you do, you would be better off getting a 1/2 collet router and more HP.

Corey

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Drugstore Cowboy

If I stumble across a price I just can't resist - I may still try one.
But you have just about convinced me --
Thinking for now I will stick to my old way of doing them and incorprate some ideas from Brian's links.
Save my cash to put toward a good strong 1/2" collet router. Just in case Santa doesn't think I've been good enough.

Thanks for saving me from myself.