In the woodworking industry, wood routers are on top of the most versatile tools used in this field. However, it’s important to point out the fact that router bits play a significant role in this tool. The bits are the ones that work directly on the material to shape, carve, and cut it. A good wood router serves no purpose without a complementing high-quality router bit; this makes the process of choosing bits so crucial.
MLCS is one of the companies that first come up with manufacturing top-notch router bits, and there are reasons why. In this article, we’re going to give you a guide on choosing the right bits and showing you why MLCS router bits are famous among beginners and professionals in woodworking. We’ll also have MLCS router bits reviews that discuss three MLCS products to give you bit options from the renowned brand.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Router Bit
If you’re new to woodworking and are trying to find the proper router bit for your wood router, you should check out the details below. On the other hand, it’s good to be reminded of these factors when you’re headed to purchase another set of bits.
Sharpness
The sharper the router is, the easier the work would be to cut and work with various kinds of wood materials; however, this factor often relates to the bits’ safety issues. Make sure that sharpness won’t compromise your safety and the status of your project.
Material
Overall, there are mainly three kinds of materials used to make router bits: carbide-tipped, high-speed steel (HSS), and solid carbide. Each variety has characteristics that make the bits have different functions and applications. Solid carbide is considered the best among the materials and is more used towards more complicated and sophisticated projects. HSS bits are used on softwoods, and the carbide-tipped bits are utilized on hardwoods and rough applications.
Vibration Rate
Minimal vibration rates mean being able to maintain the sharpness of your bits. This factor is also concerned with prolonging your bit’s life because fewer vibration rates prevent it from eventual wear. To make sure that your bit has a reasonable vibration rate, choose one with an excellent spin rate.
Shank Diameter
Generally, the standard shank sizes of bits are 0.25-inch and 0.5-inch in diameter. A 0.25-inch bit is fine, but it would be much more helpful to have the 0.5-inch router bit because it’s better in covering cross-sectional areas that are up to four times larger than the other bit can handle.
Why Pick MLCS Router Bits
As mentioned, MLCS is popular in the industry for producing superior-quality router bits; that’s the reason why we’re giving the spotlight to the brand. Amateur and professionals have these bits to complete their woodworking tool accessories, and we’ll tell you why.
The router bits from MLCS are guaranteed to be versatile and can be used on diverse wood project applications. The bits are also sharp enough to handle fine and precise cuts on materials like softwood. Another feature that the brand’s router bits have is the minimal vibration rate that extends the accessory’s usage life from usage wear and retains the bits’ sharpness. Lastly, MLCS manufactures router bits that fit right in the budget; the brand’s bits usually come in sets of 15, 30, and 66 pieces, and each set costs less than buying the bits individually. Comparing its overall price to what the other router bit manufacturers, MLCS provides a cheaper option.
MCLS Bits Reviews
MLCS 8377 15-Piece Router Bit Set
This model is one of the most used router bit sets in the woodworking industry because of its versatility in a wide range of wood projects. You won’t have to find other bits for your complicated woodworks because this set of superior-quality carbide-tipped bits comes in various grooves and sizes; the package comes with bits like round nose, panel pilot, V-groove, flush-trim, cove, dovetail, and more.
The router bits in the set have excellently sharp edges to help you cut crucial curves and angles on different types of wood materials. The bits also have a 0.5-inch shank, which makes the accessories useful in larger cross-sectional areas. This 8377 kit also comes with an Allen wrench and a bearing to assist you in beading bits with ease.
Overall, the MLCS 8377 is packed with a good amount of bits and a wooden box to keep everything safe. If you’re just getting started in the woodworking industry and are finding a set of high-quality yet budget-friendly bits, this model is for you.
MLCS 6077 15-Piece Router Bit Set
Like the previous model, the MLCS 60788 comes with carbide-tipped router bits and a low price for 15 pieces of high-quality bits. The package comes with the same types and sizes of bits, including rebating bit, flush-trim bit, hinge mortising bit, round nose bit, and roman ogee bit.
The only factor that sets this model apart from the first product is that this kit’s bits come in a 0.25-inch shank diameter, limiting its coverage when it comes to curving. Because of the shank, you’ll have to be more careful with working on and putting pressure on the router bits as such actions may wear the accessories’ sharpness.
The MLCS 6077 comes with a wooden box packaging, as well as the Allen wrench and a bearing for beading the bits. While this set is not as flexible for application as the MLCS 8377, the kit is still a great choice if you’re looking to practice more curving techniques.
MLCS 8369 30-Piece Router Bit Set
This last MLCS bit set has the same excellent carbide-tipped bits and a 0.5-inch shank diameter for each accessory; however, what makes it different from the previous models is that this set offers 30 pieces of router bits. The bits are of the same variants that include panel pilot bit, V-groove bit, 45-degree chamfer bit, and round over bit.
Because of the increased amount of inclusive bits in the package, having this will help you work on more complex wood projects. The kit is set out to provide you with superior precision and accuracy with its wide-range selection.
For its price, we think that the MLCS 8369 is worth it. The set comes with more bit options and provides better work accuracy and support to avoid immediate improvises after cutting.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a router bit set on the cheaper side but doesn’t compromise quality, it’s hard to find another brand that produces better models than MLCS provides. For those looking for other budget router tables, check out some articles on Router Table Reviews and see what kind of deals you can find! Hopefully, you learned more about selecting the right router bits for your line of work and knew your options with the three MLCS router bit products we’ve reviewed.