Spent $350 on a router bit set, learned why cheap bits cost more in the long run

I grabbed a big set of carbide tipped router bits from a discount tool site and they worked great for about 3 months. Then the bearing on the flush trim bit seized up mid cut and left a burn mark across a customer's maple cabinet door. Anyone else had a cheap bit fail at the worst time?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_joseph25d ago

Could the bearings be swapped out before they fail?

kellyjones25d agoMost Upvoted

Last year I swapped the bearings on my old Honda’s front wheels at around 85k miles just because I was doing the hub assembly anyway. They still felt smooth when I pulled them, but one seal had a tiny crack I hadn’t noticed until after it was out. I ended up messing up the new ones getting them seated right, so now I kinda wish I just left the originals alone until they actually started humming.

joel_hall1725d ago

Before they fail" is the key part - you'd have to catch it early enough. You could pull them and repack them with fresh grease if they're serviceable, but that's a hassle if you don't have a press and the right tools. Honestly, swapping bearings that are still running fine feels like asking for trouble, since you might mess up the seals or seating surface in the process.