I also would be interested in this topic as I no longer have a jointer.

 

Well come on in!

Out of curiosity, I went out to the shop and eyeballed a 3/4" path across the cutter head. depending on the height the bit's set at, the workpiece would make contact with between 6 and 8 total blades during a cut. As the bit is constructed of two spirals. So 3-4 cutters on each spiral. More than I thought, but still curious if it's really the best option.

 

I would like to suggest you spend time and money on hand planes for creating a straight edge to a flat face. Not says you won’t learn something so if you must good Luck.

 

I have way too many hobbies/obligations and not enough interest. Maybe some day. But not feasible at this point in time.

 

and me too . . . . way too many hobbies/obligations and not enough interest.

 

I use one of these. Not perfect, but works well.

 

I use one of these. Not perfect, but works well.

That's pretty much identical to the Whiteside bit I have. 1/2" straight cut. Like you, it worked fairly well, but I think it could be better.

 

A spiral bit preferably 1/2”

 

Thanks for the input. Any rationale? And, what type of spiral? I was thinking at the very least a down cut to help with chip evacuation. But was thinking a compression might be better for the quality of cut vs. a down cut.

 

I would not feel comfortable with that cutter head in my router spinning at 15,000 rpm.

 

I have a digital speed controller on my router. The mfg. recommends 8-15k. I'm definitely going to start it in the 8k range and don't expect that I'd ever push the upper limits.

 

If I were using my router table as a jointer, I would think about the cost of wear and tear when choosing a router bit. If you are jointing long edges frequently, how many linear feet of jointing your favorite woods can you get from a router bit? Can the router bit be resharpened and reused or must it be replaced when dull or nicked?

Note that some spiral router bits are high speed steel (HSS), while others are more durable carbide.

Finally, jointing with hand planes takes practice. I have a basic set of hand planes, including a #7 jointer plane, but have yet to plane a square straight edge. Sometimes when I am in the mood, I go out and practice some more on scrap. I'll get there someday.

In the meantime, I rely on the table saw to joint edges. I had longbed and benchtop jointers in the past, and may have one again someday.

 

If I were using my router table as a jointer, I would think about the cost of wear and tear when choosing a router bit. If you are jointing long edges frequently, how many linear feet of jointing your favorite woods can you get from a router bit? Can the router bit be resharpened and reused or must it be replaced when dull or nicked?

Note that some spiral router bits are high speed steel (HSS), while others are more durable carbide.

Finally, jointing with hand planes takes practice. I have a basic set of hand planes, including a #7 jointer plane, but have yet to plane a square straight edge. Sometimes when I am in the mood, I go out and practice some more on scrap. I'll get there someday.

In the meantime, I rely on the table saw to joint edges. I had longbed and benchtop jointers in the past, and may have one again someday.

That's a definite advantage I see to the cutter head style. They're carbide cutters, but can be rotated to use all 4 sides and are easily replaceable. Now, I'm not doing mass production. Just projects here and there for friends and family. So wear and tear will be more at a snails pace.

 

Well, since I don't have a table saw, hand planes or even a workbench to hold a board vertically, I'm going to gravitate to the router table to joint SHORT boards, not over 24" or so in length. I am very comfortable with 3" bits in the hand-held routers so in a router table should not be an issue. I am ordering this one next week. 1/2" shaft solid carbide. It says "upcut" so I'm thinking that upside down in a router table, it would be a "down" cut ?? Not removing more than 1/8" at a time. And, probably way less than 10 linear feet per month. (not a real woodworker here).

 

Let me know how that works for you. I was too wondering about up vs. down cut. Although I was thinking that I'd want down cut to force the chips away from the table.

In my testing, I did no more than 1/32". An eighth would seem like a lot. To achieve uniform removal amounts, I 3d printed a couple shims that I can quickly add to my fence. So far have 1/64th and 1/32nd. Might do a couple more, but the two I have currently seem like they'd be good for whatever I'm doing.

 

I have the DC on mine and it does fine. Shop vac run great, I just can’t put one on every tool..

 

I suppose that's the upside to being a casual hobbyist. I don't do enough volume to where moving a vac and my smaller dc around between tools is that big a deal.

 

I now have the three bits I plan to run through head-to-head testing. Of which the contenders are...

• Traditional Straight Bit (Whiteside - Model 1067): This is a 1/2" shank, 1/2" cutting diameter, and 1-1/4" cutting length. Nothing much to say here. Whiteside bits are great and this one is no exception. In my initial jointing test the other day, it performed well. Had a little smidge of snipe in maybe two spots. But I attribute that more to technique. Still, this one will be the least capable in respect to the thickness of material it can be used on.
• Spiral Compression Bit (SpeTool - Model W02012): This is a 1/2" shank, 1/2" cutting diameter, and 3" cutting length. For the purpose of jointing, I'm starting to think the compression bit won't be any different than a down or up cut bit. Unless I position it very precisely. I've not run it yet, and have no experience with SpeTool. But my initial impressions are very positive. It's nicely machined with a very polished finish. Of the three contenders, this bit will be the most capable in terms material thickness it can handle.
• Cutter Head Style Bit (SpeTool - Model W07020): This one is a 1/2" shank, 1-1/4" cutting diameter, and 2-1/2" cutting length. Like the spiral compression bit, my initial impression is that it's a very nice bit. While the machining of the flutes isn't nearly as polished/refined as their spiral bit. The actual carbide cutters are razor sharp and super clean, with a nice mirror finish. I suspect this one will give the best quality cut. Due to the size, weight, and configuration. But I'll do my best to remain unbiased; and let the cuts do the talking. While this one was more expensive, it should last much longer. As the cutters can be rotated 4 times and then replaced (the kit even came with 10 additional replacement cutters).

I'll make sure to post the actual testing once it's complete. For now, I'll just share a few pics of the bits. I will say that the cutter head one is comically massive compared to the other two. And weighs significantly more than even the other two combined. So I'll definitely start slow with that behemoth.

One thing I'll mention is that the initial cutter head I received had light rust on the flutes (pictured below). The actual cutters were fine. And I probably could have cleaned it up. But at the cost of $139, that was just unacceptable. Fortunately Amazon immediately sent a replacement. Which was in perfect shape. Just keep this in mind should you choose to purchase the same bit. And make sure to look it over carefully once it's unboxed.

 

why would you use the router a table sled is what i use its a great job

 

Replies like this are better received with photos of the tools and equipment that you use and maybe some projects that you have made using your methods in your shop.

 

I have done this using my router table and to be honest it is more trouble than it was worth. Any stock that was longer than about 24" gets a bit tricky to keep secure to the table and fence without setting up several feather boards and support on both side of the router table. You also have to have a fence that you can off-set to get a smooth cut (very easy to do with my Jointech fence). I use a handheld router and a straight edge clamped on the edge of my bench or a straight edge clamped on the board and run through my tablesaw.

 

A table sled is a lot of trouble as well.

Long stock usually ends up as short stock, so for many it can be cut down to shorter pieces.

 

why would you use the router a table sled is what i use its a great job

Replies like this are better received with photos of the tools and equipment that you use and maybe some projects you have made using your methods.

Agreed. And someone can always pose a "why bother" type question. Why bother making it at all when you can buy it from Amazon/IKEA?etc.?

As I'd mentioned, I already have a taper/jointing jig for my TS. It works fine. Just wanting to experiment with an alternative method and would like to use the best bit for that application.

 

You could apply a strip (or 2 or 3) of veneer to the outfeed side of the fence. Also agree longer boards will be an issue.

The issue I see is keeping the outfeed side pressed against the fence. If the other edge of the board is irregular or not parallel, you can’t use a featherboard. So you’re relying solely in the stock guides?

Anxiously awaiting the results 🙂

 

Unfortunately didn't get to test the different bits yet. But did find some scrap and prepped it (i.e., removed the paint with a polycarbide abrasive grinder wheel, as I don't like running painted stock through my TS or router). This also ensured the edges that'd be jointed in the testing are clearly not flat.

As far as the outfeed side. As mentioned, the 3d printed shims seem to work just fine. But I have seen that people use laminate to accomplish the same.

As for keeping it flush against the fence, I stepped away from my desk to snap a couple pics of the stock guides in action. Pictured is a 3/4" thick, 5.5" wide, and 48" long sheet of MDF moulding (weighing about 5lbs). Zero outfeed support beyond the table top. So all that's engaging that board is 6" of table top and one stock guide. As you can see, a single stock guide keeps it both flush with the fence and fully supported.

This scenario is pretty unrealistic. Bordering on reckless if that were actually how I approached a cut. But hopefully illustrates that this setup is very capable.

 

I find it quicker to just buy it s3s and move forward. Sure is business it’s quicker, but I still prefer this in my hobby shop.

 

If I had a decent supplier nearby I might do the same. But I'm stuck with Menards/HD/Lowes. And their s3s/s4s stuff often needs some help. Also depends on the project. Sometimes it just doesn't matter. Other times I want more precision.

 

All this hee-haw over this one topic is starting to get the water muddy.
Everyone so far has posted only opinions and conjectures on what "THEY" do in "THEIR" shop. The O/P wants to try something different that he can use in HIS shop. So let it go at that.
When it comes to edging (Jointing) rough lumber by hand, I find the straightest board I have and clamp it to the rough lumber in question and run a 3/4" Top-Bearing Pattern Bid down the side and be done with it.
Buying S3S finished lumber, long out-feed tables, table-sleds, hand-held (no motor) planes, floor-mounted jointers, etc. do not come into the arena.
But, I just made myself my very first router table that is 36" long and 24" deep and I am very pleased with it. I'll make a project post on it soon.
For now, I'm interested in this topic of "short" pieces for a quick edge trim for gluing up "small" panels for jewelry boxes, cigar boxes, burial urns, yada yada yada. Not anything over 18 inches.
Let's wait for more data from the O/P on how the different bits pan out.

 

All this hee-haw over this one topic is starting to get the water muddy.
Everyone so far has posted only opinions and conjectures on what "THEY" do in "THEIR" shop. The O/P wants to try something different that he can use in HIS shop. So let it go at that.
When it comes to edging (Jointing) rough lumber by hand, I find the straightest board I have and clamp it to the rough lumber in question and run a 3/4" Top-Bearing Pattern Bid down the side and be done with it.
Buying S3S finished lumber, long out-feed tables, table-sleds, hand-held (no motor) planes, floor-mounted jointers, etc. do not come into the arena.
But, I just made myself my very first router table that is 36" long and 24" deep and I am very pleased with it. I'll make a project post on it soon.
For now, I'm interested in this topic of "short" pieces for a quick edge trim for gluing up "small" panels for jewelry boxes, cigar boxes, burial urns, yada yada yada. Not anything over 18 inches.
Let's wait for more data from the O/P on how the different bits pan out.

Thanks for bringing the conversation back to the original topic/question. That definitely sounds like a really nice size table. Looking forward to seeing the build.

 

I know some (or at least one) is waiting on the testing results. Unfortunately have some obligations for the next day or so. But my plan is to do it Saturday evening. Stay tuned...

 

Alright. I think it's technically still Saturday in some parts of the US 🤓. Got back from my short trip away, hung out with the family, and managed to knock out the testing late this evening. I've detailed my impressions and rankings below. As well as a collage of pics comparing the cuts side-by-side.

Overall Impressions

• Whiteside 1/2" Straight Cut (25,000 RPMs): I already knew this one would cut fairly well from my initial proof of concept testing when setting up my router table for jointing. Whiteside makes some great bits, and this one is no exception. It leaves a very nice finish. Which I would largely consider to be good to go; needing no other sanding, finishing, etc. The only issue with this bit is that it's the most particular/demanding in regards to technique. And thus the easiest to introduce a little bit of snipe and/or low spots across the joint. Yet is certainly something that could be controlled for with a little practice.
• SpeTool Spiral Compression (25,000 RPMs): This one felt like it cut well. At least as good as the Whiteside, if not better. However, the finish wasn't as good as the Whiteside bit. Specifically in two ways. One, it was rougher overall. And two, it seemed to leave a little tearout. It was less demanding in regards to snipe. But the joint edge would certainly require some additional finishing and cleanup.
• SpeTool Cutterhead (10,000 RPMs): This was definitely the most intimidating, at first glance. The thing is absolutely massive. But it turned out to be a joy to run. The feel as I ran it across the cutter was so smooth. Absolutely buttery. It was even the quietest of the bunch. And the cut quality, amazing. So shiny and smooth. While I would say that it's not significantly better than the Whiteside. It cut much easier and was the least demanding of the bunch in regards to technique.

Rankings

1. SpeTool Cutterhead
2. Whiteside Straight Cut (close runner-up)
3. SpeTool Spiral Compression (distant 3rd place compared to the above)

I was most surprised by the compression bit. Just not in a good way. The little bit of tearout maybe shouldn't have been a surprise. But I really expected the overall finish to be much nicer. Don't get me wrong. It was far from terrible. But it was nowhere near as nice as the Straight Cut or Cutterhead bits. Without a doubt, the spiral compression bit is going back.

So with that out of the way, we're down to two contenders. Frankly both are winners. The Whitside straight cut bit leaves a very nice finish. It's just more sensitive to technique. Which is not only evidenced by some snipe, but also can feel a smidge "grabby" during the cut if I didn't use ideal technique. It also lacks, comparatively, in terms of cut capacity. Still if you don't have the funds to pick up a cutterhead bit. A quality straight cut bit will be more than serviceable. And will need little, if any cleanup.

This leaves us with the winner (IMHO); the cutterhead bit. While I'd never freehand with this bit, it's dream to cut with when chucked up in a router table. What you can't see in the pics is how smooth it feels when making a cut. It just glides though the wood. What is evident is the finish. Perfectly smooth, shiny, and will need zero cleanup/finishing. As indicated above, I ran this one at less than half the speed of the others. It felt very stable, and I'm confident I could have pushed it plenty faster. But I don't see a need.

Conclusion

While the Cutterhead and Straight Cut bits were fairly comparable in terms of cut quality. The cutterhead is the clear choice for me when jointing on a router. It's the most forgiving in regards to technique, cuts more easily, leaves a slightly nicer finish, and will last significantly longer.

In spite of being very large and heavy, my 14A (2.5 hp) Skil router had zero issues running it. And as mentioned, it was actually the quietest of the bunch. Yes, it's not cheap (around $130). But I expect it'll last just about forever between the rotatable cutters and the 10 additional cutters it came with.

I also learned a lot in the process just in general about using a router for edge jointing. Technique certainly matters. So I'll continue to both fine tune my setup and practice. Yet even with this testing, the largest gap I could find was .0015", measured with a machined straight edge (spec'd tolerance of .001") and a set of feeler gauges. And from what I can tell, it's the result of something I'm doing (either setup or technique) in the last 1-2" of the cut. Which I'm pretty confident in being the culprit, as it was consistent across the bits.

 

Alright. I think it's technically still Saturday in some parts of the US 🤓. Got back from my short trip away, hung out with the family, and managed to knock out the testing late this evening. I've detailed my impressions and rankings below. As well as a collage of pics comparing the cuts side-by-side. ...

Great write-up. Thank you.

 

Awesome project. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Can we see a group photo of the bits used ?

 

Sure thing. I think I posted this a page back. If you want something different, let me know.

Top pic in the collage (from top to bottom) is Whiteside Straight Cut, SpeTool Spiral Compression, SpeTool Cutterhead.

Bottom pic, is the same order, but from left to right.

For a bit to cut quality reference, I also threw together the below pic. This time they're labeled, as I placed them in order of worst to best cut (from left to right).

 

Sure thing. I think I posted this a page back. If you want something different, let me know.

Thanks again for allowing us to follow your journey. I ordered the Up Cut Spiral bit before the results of your tests were posted. It will be here tomorrow. It will see very little use as an edging bit in a router table. I'm very comfortable with a straight-edge and hand-held method. But, still should be better than the two-blade straight bit I've been using.
I think I have a way to put a collar under the bit on the motor to keep the dust out - and still have enough air flow to breathe properly. (have to see on that). I haven't run enough material yet to see how the vacuum box over the bit works.

 

I looked up the price of the segmented cutter and not too bad. However, I would not put that heavy of a bit in my router. I think it will cause bearing issues sooner or later.

 

Given how easy it seems to run with my 14a (2.5hp) model, I'd expect any decently powered and constructed router should handle it without issue. Especially given how little material is being removed with each pass. My particular router also has a soft start and no brake. So it's not "violently" starting or coming to a stop. I guess time will tell. But I couldn't find any mentions of bits like this causing bearing issues.

 

Now that I've landed on the best bit/cutter for this application. I took some time investigating my setup and technique to see what might be causing the consistent .0015" (roughly) gap in the workpiece being cut. Fortunately it didn't take long to figure out the culprit(s).

I believe the biggest contributor was my fence. I'd never put a straight edge on it. And had just assumed each half was coplanar with the other. Given that the two halves came from the same sheet of 3/4" UHMW stock. Checking it with a straight edge today, I discovered this assumption was incorrect. And that each half angled slightly towards the cutter. Essentially leaving a dip/valley where the two halves meet.

Interestingly enough, the gap was right around .0015"-.002". So, I shimmed each UHMW half with a strip of painters tape (on the backside where it mates with my TS fence). Little bit of trial and error with placement. But didn't take long for the two halves to be perfectly coplanar.

From here I reinstalled my 1/64" shims to left side of the split fence. And then turned to my technique. Having watched a few videos last night, it seemed the ideal method is to apply force only to the left side of the split fence. You start the cut like normal. But as soon as the workpiece engages with the left fence, any pressure towards the fence should be solely on the left hand side.

Between these two things (i.e. shimming the fence and applying correct technique), the gap I encountered during testing has been entirely eliminated. Now leaving a perfectly straight and uniform joint. I haven't yet run any cuts with my stock guides. But I'm thinking that when I do, I'll only run one stock guide on the left side of the fence. As mine are designed to pull the workpiece into the fence. And I only want that pulling force on the left hand side.

For those who like visuals, below is a depiction of the two issues. Top portion of the first image is how the fences were misaligned (exaggerated to properly illustrate it). Bottom portion of the same image is with the fences now coplanar, shimmed on the left side, and directional arrows showing how the force should be applied during a cut.

Second pic is showing the gap against my machined straight edge pre vs. post calibration. I borrowed my kid's light table to capture this, as it really highlights the gap well.

The last pic is a sample joint between two pieces that were jointed post-calibration. Neither of the two boards in the last picture are planed flat. So I'm pretty impressed with how well they still mate together.

Overall I'm extremely happy with how well this setup performs. Sure, it doesn't eliminate the need for a jointer. But significantly enhances the capability of a simple router table.

 

Used the new jointing setup on about 60 BF of cedar this evening. With the majority of the boards being between 4-6 feet long. Worked wonderfully with a single stock guide on the left half of the fence. Which really helped keep the technique consistent. Finish was just as nice as the pine I'd used during my testing. Even encountered a few knots that came out just as clean.

Only thing that I need to figure out is the best way to clean the bit after use. But beyond that, I'd say this project has officially gone from proof of concept to established setup.

 

Great series of posts and this will be of great value to anyone looking to do the same thing. I would mention there are commercial fences that have the offset feature built in, such as the Infinity fence.

I commend you on your clear explanations & excellent write up!! I’ve wondered about that monster bit.

By cleaning the bit do you mean debris or resin? I use Krud Kutter to clean resin.

How will you face joint? Normally that’s done prior to edge jointing.

 

Great series of posts and this will be of great value to anyone looking to do the same thing. I would mention there are commercial fences that have the offset feature built in, such as the Infinity fence.

I commend you on your clear explanations & excellent write up!! I’ve wondered about that monster bit.

By cleaning the bit do you mean debris or resin? I use Krud Kutter to clean resin.

How will you face joint? Normally that’s done prior to edge jointing.

Thanks!

Yes, I'm aware of the commercial options. And that something like the woodpeckers version would likely be easier to set up for jointing. I built out my DIY router table/wing setup before considering the whole jointing aspect. So after the fact, it was just a lot easier and cost effective to 3d print a few fence shims and call it a day.

Another upside from this testing is that I personally have a setup now that works really well. Cutterhead bit, router fence offset by 1/64", proper technique/stock guide placement, etc. So since my router table is an extension of my TS, I can take advantage of the secondary window/cursor on my TS fence to make this as repeatable as possible.

As far as the cleaning, yes, I'm talking about general debris, pitch, etc. I use a combo of detergent and water to clean the pitch on my saw blades. Just wondering the best way to tackle all the cutters on the spiral bit. Perhaps a small brass brush in conjunction with a cleaner?

And for face jointing, that's up next. Thinking that'll be done using a planer with shims. Pretty much has to be. As I don't really have the space or need as a home gamer to purchase a larger jointer for handling faces. But I'd still be open to any suggestions. Whether dedicated or creative.

 

You can use a brass brush. But when I use Krud Kutter all it takes is a stiff toothbrush. The trick is let it soak for 30 mins or so.

 

Good info! I've used the krud kutter specific to rust. Stuff is awesome. Would expect their other products are the same.