Best Router bit Bearings?

[Nick Sorenson]

I've been using a whiteside roundover bit and it's leaving a good bit of bearing track in softer hardwoods.

The bit is great but the bearing isn't leaving good results. Anyone got a bearing brand or type they recommend. I wouldn't think a super precision bearing is necessary here but I'm betting there are bearings that are better than what came stock on this bit. Curious if others have hot-rodded their router bits with better bearings?

[Neil Brooks]

No personal experience, but .... Freud makes an aftermarket/replacement set that I'd be inclined to try, if I were shopping for such things

[Larry Edgerton]

Its probably not the bearing. You are pushing on a very small area, the actual bearing contact patch is small enough that you are compressing the wood with the pressure that you are exerting on the router.

If you were to leave the router off and push on it just as you would when routing, you will find that you are leaving a dent in soft woods such as pine.

There are some square bearings but I have never tried them so I can't say how they work. What I do is take a damp towel when I am done routing and place it on the wood and then hit it with a hot iron to steam out the dent. If it is a straight run you can use a edge guide, but the damp towel and iron is a very fast solution.

[Tom Esh]

Might be a bad bearing, but I've never had one from Whiteside. It's nearly impossible to avoid bearing tracks entirely but one thing that will definitely make it worse is runnout in the bit, shaft, or collet. It's easy to test: Adjust the bit height so only the bearing contacts the workpiece. If you feel vibration when running the piece along it, shut down, rotate the bit 90 degrees in the collet, and try again. Repeat until you find the smoothest setup or "sweet spot". You'll get a smoother cut too.

[Jack Pinkham]

Pat Warner's book 'The Router Book' notes that router bearings operate under severe conditions and may wear out in a few hours of cumulative use. He suggests using two bearings if the cutter design permits to reduce marring softwoods.
http://www.amazon.com/Router-Book-Co...0785949&sr=8-1

[glenn bradley]

If the bearing turns smoothly with your fingers it is doubtful that it is the culprit. Do you have someone who can observe while you make a pass and tell you if the bearing is spinning fast or not? If it is the bearing, call or email Whiteside. I would bet they will replace it toot-sweet.

I should maybe add that I have a wide variety of bearings that I use for altering bit profiles. I keep the usual I.D sizes in various O.D.; 3/16, 1/4, 5/16. 4mm. 8mm. 1/2 and some 1/4 and 1/2 locking collars for top bearings. I have never had a bearing actually fail in the 5-6 years I have been using the router heavily. I do not trim laminates or do things that historically cause bit failure so I am probably not a good example if that is the sort of thing you are doing.

I do have bearings that have stayed in service as a bit is sharpened till useless. Woodcraft, Rockler, etc. are about the bottom of the line bits I use but, there are obviously really cheap ones out there. I put a bit of bearing lube on before returning the bit to storage.

[Brian Penning]

Always wondered about the availability of replacement bearings. Isn't the the bit going to wear down much before you'd need to replace the bearing?
Though Jack's post above has me wondering..

[Bruce Wrenn]

The cheapest replacement bearings I have found were on the Woodcraft $5 rabbeting bit. I removed the bearing and put it on another bit, then ground down the mounting stud and made a nice planer bit. Got my money's worth twice in that deal. Now if I could figure how to grind two 45 degree ends, I could make beaded face frame bit.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

If the bearing turns easily it should work fine. A widerr bearing would help, but there's not a lot of room to expand on most bits. A bearing track in wood is caused by pushing the workpiece too hard against the bearing if using a table mounted router or pushing the router too hard against the work if using a handheld router. I find I have more track showing with a table mouted router. Make light multiple passes until the bit just snugs against the work and not having it jammed against it.

[Gary Curtis]

CMT from Italy sells pretty high quality bearings individually or in sets.