Good deal on Router Bits! 35 for $40

[dzach]

Provided Link: Heartland America Router Bits (http://www.heartlandamerica.com/browse/item.asp?product=35-piece-router-bit-set&PIN=28496&GUID=1C3C6EFC-7371-4747-A262-38CFA292F0A6&DL=HWH19)


Check out the link below...
35 bits for $40 (plus free shipping!) seems like a pretty sweet deal... even if the bits only last a few cuts.

At $40, that's what I paid for 2-3 bits at HD/Lowes or 3-4 bits from an online retailer.

dzach

[Dirk]

> Check out the link below...
> 35 bits for $40 (plus free shipping!) seems
> like a pretty sweet deal... even if the bits
> only last a few cuts.

> At $40, that's what I paid for 2-3 bits at
> HD/Lowes or 3-4 bits from an online
> retailer.

> dzach

The thought of a cheap carbide-tipped bit makes my ***hole pucker. I'm too lazy to do the math on the angular velocities at 35k rpm, but I would not want to be on the receiving end of a piece of carbide that decided to disassociate itself from the rest of the bit.

[donradick]

> The thought of a cheap carbide-tipped bit
> makes my ***hole pucker. I'm too lazy to do
> the math on the angular velocities at 35k
> rpm, but I would not want to be on the
> receiving end of a piece of carbide that
> decided to disassociate itself from the rest
> of the bit.

I've been wondering about this.
So solid carbide bits are (much) better than carbide tipped bits, eh?

-Don

[biff]

> Check out the link below...
> 35 bits for $40 (plus free shipping!) seems
> like a pretty sweet deal... even if the bits
> only last a few cuts.

> At $40, that's what I paid for 2-3 bits at
> HD/Lowes or 3-4 bits from an online
> retailer.

> dzach

I have a similar set I got from them and have used them for 4 or 5 years and had no problems. The case itself isn't bad, with nice nylon inserts for the shanks and as I upgraded to better flush trim and 1/2 roundover I at least know where everything is. The bearings do get a lot of MDF in them, but so far no excessive heating or seizing. YMMV, of course.

[bking]

1/4" shank? 1/2" is much better and only a few cents more/bit. Big problem with huge sets like this is you'll probably only use 6 or 8 of the bits. They're sure cheap, that's for sure but I think I'd pass. Bet it's just cheap Chinese junk. All carbide isn't the same.

[Dirk]

> I've been wondering about this.
> So solid carbide bits are (much) better than
> carbide tipped bits, eh?

> -Don

I've only ever seen solid carbide spiral upcuts, though I'm sure there are others out there. For the steel / carbide combo, the key is in the quality of the weld joining the steel body of the bit with the carbide tips. If the welds are shoddy, it's just a matter of time...

Who knows. These might be REALLY good for the dollar. They might also be REALLY good, but with bad QC or just a high failure rate. There's just no way to know. Armed with that, I've no problem spending extra on a Porter Cable / Freud / Whiteside.

[Adrian]

I've purchase "cheap" bits before as well. My problems haven't been with safety. They all seem well built and sturdy. My complaint is with the cut quality they aren't as sharp or perfectly balanced and thus don't cut as cleanly, burn a little and stutter.

My $0.02 worth,
Adrian

[dzach]

Good feedback everyone on these... thank you!

I was not concerned with taking a piece of carbide in the arm or chest (although I am now...).

I was concerned with the quality of the cut however... while these might not be to the high tolerance level that a Porter bit might be, these would probably suffice for making internal cuts (braces, chamfer/roundovers for driver holes, etc.) rather than using the quality bits for cuts that are not even seen.

Just a thought.

I'm a sure that a few people will bite at the offer. At the price, it is tough to pass up.

dzach

[bill]

Wait for Woodcraft to put their bits on sale for $5 apiece. They do this several times a year. No, they're not Whiteside, but the Woodcraft bits are well-made, cut cleanly and have 1/2" shanks. $5 for a bearing-guided 1/2" shank bit is not a bad deal, and unlike the sets, you don't have to buy bits you'll never use.

HTH,
Bill

> Good feedback everyone on these... thank
> you!

> I was not concerned with taking a piece of
> carbide in the arm or chest (although I am
> now...).

> I was concerned with the quality of the cut
> however... while these might not be to the
> high tolerance level that a Porter bit might
> be, these would probably suffice for making
> internal cuts (braces, chamfer/roundovers
> for driver holes, etc.) rather than using
> the quality bits for cuts that are not even
> seen.

> Just a thought.

> I'm a sure that a few people will bite at
> the offer. At the price, it is tough to pass
> up.

> dzach

[Wolf]

They aren't bad! I have had a flush-trim bearing seize, but bearings are cheap. The cuts are okay, but I do use nicer chamfer/roundover bits in most cases. I have not had any complaints.

The Forstner bits are lesser quality than most, but they do the job fairly well. I wouldn't have made it through the 2" holes in a line-array baffle without this set.
Later,
Wolf

[jtaylor]

> 1/4" shank? 1/2" is much better
> and only a few cents more/bit. Big problem
> with huge sets like this is you'll probably
> only use 6 or 8 of the bits. They're sure
> cheap, that's for sure but I think I'd pass.
> Bet it's just cheap Chinese junk. All
> carbide isn't the same.

I really hate to knock Chinese products, but that country is just flooding America with all this very inviting cheap crap while taking money away from American Made Products of much better QUALITY. This kit may really look nice, but just how often will you really use many of the bits?

I believe you are better off buying high grade American Products which are much safer and would provide you with some legal recourse if the product failed and injured you, where as Chinese products are junk buyer beware,buy at your own risk. I try to avoid chinese tools as much as I can, but it's becoming harder as the Chinese flood are markets and we eat up the low priced junk.

So far many of the products I've bought from Harbor Freight tools have been returned due to early failure or being junk once I was able to open the package and better inspect the products. I must say that I'm highly dissapointed by Harbor Freight Tools quality, it's Garbage.

J. Taylor