American Made router bits

[mercifiknow]

Who makes them? Anyone?

I was looking at VA but they are now owned by Bosch and are made in china to Bosch’s specifications.

I’m looking for a starter set but I’m not wanting to buy Chinese product.

Thanks!

 

[RTM]

My guess would be Whiteside

https://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/

More on them here

Whiteside An American Company

Whiteside Machine Co. was founded in 1970 in Claremont, North Carolina. Today they have a 40,000 sq. ft. facility; back when they first started out items were made in their basement home shop. They produce a complete line router bits and custom tooling to meet their customer needs. They are...

www.garagejournal.com

Woodpeckers claim these are US made

Ultra-Shear Router Bits - Woodpeckers

Ultra-Shear Router bits from Woodpeckers are top-quality, solid carbide router bits made in the USA. Enjoy factory direct pricing.

www.woodpeck.com

Dated blog post

American Made Router Bits » Carbide Processors Blog

 

[southalabama]

Go Italian

Freud.

 

[strutaeng]

Whiteside. I've used them for about 10 years and are very good quality, sometimes even cheaper than the big box store brands produced in SE Asia.

 

[ZX3ST]

Whiteside. Very fair price for the quality. I won't buy anything else unless I'm in a pinch.

Amana Tool is also a good one. I've not used their router bits, but lots of their various countersink and counterbore bits and they are also very fair and good quality.

 

[cgrutt]

I was going to say Whiteside for US. I have some CMT bits that are very good but believe they are made in Italy. I also have a lot of Lee Valley bits that are very good. Have no idea where the Lee Valley bits are made. Also have Bosch bits which are fine.

 

[2Fast]

Whiteside

 

[AmericanMechanic]

Whiteside. You can even call them and speak to an American if you have questions. Real USA made bits. There might be other small manufacturers, but not aware of them.
Note: the lady at Whiteside told me their bits are still USA made but they were forced to remove that from the packaging because the small bearings used for flush trim are not made in USA and they have been unable to find a supplier for USA made bearings that suffice for the task.

 

[mercifiknow]

I’m going to look at Whiteside prices tomorrow. Freud I can’t afford. Bosch I can but I’m trying to support us if I can. I’m not against people making money but some of the prices made us, and quality of the products, I question.

As always, great responses and great feedback!

 

[cgrutt]

@mercifiknow what bits do you need? I try to support US as much as i can but its becomming harder and harder as time goes by. Just bought a pair of "USA" boots and it there wasn't much to choose from and almost all of the manufacturers make the majority of their stuff overseas now anyway. Even if they offer a USA product it likely been sourced with foreign parts. Shame really.

 

[jar944]

I’m going to look at Whiteside prices tomorrow. Freud I can’t afford. Bosch I can but I’m trying to support us if I can. I’m not against people making money but some of the prices made us, and quality of the products, I question.

As always, great responses and great feedback!

Freud is cheaper than Whiteside

 

[Steve_P]

I know you said you wanted US made, so I didn't post. Now that you got that answer, I'll give you a low-priced import set if you just want to get started with a giant assortment starter set and go from there.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GTF69PG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[shibertus]

I’m going to look at Whiteside prices tomorrow. Freud I can’t afford.

Just went through the same search myself. The Whiteside starter set ($130, 7 bits) is very similarly priced to the Freud starter set ($125, 9 bits). Ended up going with Whiteside.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CSBAKY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000022605/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[acer66]

Whiteside. Very fair price for the quality. I won't buy anything else unless I'm in a pinch.

Amana Tool is also a good one. I've not used their router bits, but lots of their various countersink and counterbore bits and they are also very fair and good quality.

Same here.

 

[jsmeece]

Whiteside for me as well, have about 10 bits, never had a problem with them.

 

[RTM]

Starter sets may not be the best, as they often include shapes you won't use.

 

[acer66]

Starter sets may not be the best, as they often include shapes you won't use.

This, unless one is certain that all bits will be used I would rather buy good quality bits by the project.

 

[alinc100]

Whiteside makes good bits . Amana may be another with USA bits as well. Freud,CMT make very good bits too,but I believe all in Italy. I find keeping any carbide clean helps to extend the life of the cutters. Simple Green and a brush works as does products like Bostik's dri-cote(for blades and bits) and top-cote for tool surfaces/fences guides. And CGRUTT the last I knew Lee Valley's bits were made in Taiwan to their specs. I used to be pretty active on a WW forum a (20 years ago) and Rob Lee participated often and as I recall that was the answer. I only have a couple bits from LV , and they perform well as you mentioned. https://www.jdindustrialsupply.com/dricote.html

 

[jar944]

Amana and cmt are preferable imho.

I would personally avoid sets and just buy the ones you need. Also replacable insert carbide bits are better than brazed carbide bits.

 

[lund]

I also endorse Whiteside. Super quality at reasonable prices. They sell sets also with common types frequently used and for special applications. This is a company that should be supported.

 

[mercifiknow]

@mercifiknow what bits do you need? I try to support US as much as i can but it’s becomming harder and harder as time goes by. Just bought a pair of "USA" boots and it there wasn't much to choose from and almost all of the manufacturers make the majority of their stuff overseas now anyway. Even if they offer a USA product it likely been sourced with foreign parts. Shame really.

I got 2 routers for Christmas 2021 and haven’t them or any for that matter. So for now it’s a starters set but I don’t like HF or similar “brands”.

 

[mercifiknow]

I know you said you wanted US made, so I didn't post. Now that you got that answer, I'll give you a low-priced import set if you just want to get started with a giant assortment starter set and go from there.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GTF69PG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Thanks Steve I actually saw that while looking. There’s a BIG Chinese 100 piece set for ~$125 the other day. It was tempting.

 

[gsmith22]

one more vote for whiteside. its all i have and they are fantastic

 

[mercifiknow]

Freud is cheaper than Whiteside

Really?? ****. I’ve priced Freud and nearly had a Code Brown Event in my pants! If that is the case I may to piece meal my bits.

 

[mercifiknow]

Starter sets may not be the best, as they often include shapes you won't use.

Agreed. I want a small set because they don’t typically give things you don’t use.

 

[mercifiknow]

Amana and cmt are preferable imho.

I would personally avoid sets and just buy the ones you need. Also replacable insert carbide bits are better than brazed carbide bits.

“Replaceable insert carbide bits”?

 

[jdm5]

“Replaceable insert carbide bits”?

Yes - here is a sample from Amana: RC-45711

They work great.

 

[jar944]

“Replaceable insert carbide bits”?

These are replaceable cutters, but not insert.

 

[Steve_P]

Thanks Steve I actually saw that while looking. There’s a BIG Chinese 100 piece set for ~$125 the other day. It was tempting.

ha! Yeah, don't buy a 125 bit set; you'll never use 120 of them.

I've only used one bit, the 1/8 radius, but I rounded hundreds of linear feet with it, and it performed perfectly IMO. I agree that I will probably only use 5 bits out of this set over the rest of my life. But I am also not going to be making cabinets, or cutting exotic hardwoods, so I don't need the best- just something that is functional. I have a bunch of my dad's 1970s USA router bits, but he didn't have a 1/8R for some reason. And all of the bearings were shot on the flush bits. So it was time to up my woodworking tools since I bought a DeWalt 20V cordless router for a small project.

If I had the goal of becoming a master woodworker and cabinet builder, then I would definitely buy the best bits one at a time. But for me, this set should suffice. I only suggested this if, like me, you don't have lofty goals.