Freud 12-152: 3/4 (Dia.) Double Flute Straight Bit (Eclipse Grind) Red

Used this to widen an opening on my counter. It did the job well, I didnt try to do it all in one pass, instead I did about 1 deep then another and finally the 3rd step was to complete the pass. I also only shaved off about 3/8 at a time. I cut well, didnt leave burrs/shavings.

I made a cherry table and used it to cut mortises as well as groves the length of 6 planks. I made groves 1/2 inch deep for splines to locate the planks. The total distance would be roughly 55 feet of cutting. The bit was still sharp and cut 10 mortises 1 3/4 inch deep on the ends of the table. I believe theres a possibility that those who broke the bits tried to cut the full depth in a single pass and at too great of a speed. To cut the full 1 3/4 inch mortise I made 3 passes, which is more or less standard procedure. Using digital calipers I checked the floating tenons that fit the mortises and they measured .373 inches. .375 is 3/8 of an inch.

Its like a hot knife through butter. Very happy.

I needed a larger straight cutting bit for a project I was working on. I bought this one and I must tell you, this thing cuts! The bit runs true, sharp as heck and no tear out! Pretty much what you’d expect from Freud!

I use this almost exclusively to cut slots in small shelves. Like for a fastener or a lectern book sliding stopper or perhaps something adjustable. I could use the 1/4 straight bit that came in a set of various bits costing about what this one bit costs. So why would I buy this? Well, it cuts far more accurately. You can see by eye even that the slot is kind of perfect. The 1/2 shank transfers more power for any brand, but its still a feature. The cutter goes straight and it doesnt care if it suddenly hits where a branch was in hardwood or an odd spot in something, that just disappears. Thats where the free or multi-pack one fails. Something a little off and it wobbles and maybe you can see it, or the board moves a little, or the slot height is uneven, or even some little bits fly out, all of which leave the slot looking crummy. So being frugal I might very well use cheap bits sometimes where the holes will be invisible or Im just doing some random chopping. But for finishing stuff that the end user will see, you need to use a specialty premium bit. For me thats usually Freud bits because I get consistently good results with them. And again, not saying your whole set needs to be these--theyre not cheap. But even for a hobbyist who cant pass on the cost, the ones you really like and use frequently should be Freud.

Its a Freud. They make good products. Cant go wrong.

I wanted to flatten the end of a 6x6 reclaimed oak beam. The beam was just the right height to secure in my benchs tail vice, and I made a jig to control the path of my 2.25 HP plunge router. I chose this bit because of its size (1 diameter-- takes off a decent amount but not too scary-big) and because of its cutting depth, which was necessary for me to reach the piece with my jig, while a more typical slab-flattening bit was not able to do. Anyway, it worked great for that purpose!

You do the math... this should produce a very tight fit. It does. Pliers were required to force the 1/4 shelf pins into the 15/64 holes. But, that was the recommendation of the shelf pin jig maker (Rockler). I dont think I will be making frequent changes to the shelf positions. (I have used the bit only one time to make 16 shelf pin holes so I wont comment on either longevity or value for money.)

Razor sharp as expected. High quality Freud tool. I see reviews here from people who used this for something other than what it is intended for- mortising, edge trimming etc. This 15/32 bit is used to cut perfectly sized dados for 12mm offshore plywood. I buy 1/2 inch birch plywood, finished one side at a great price from the lumber supply, but it is not 1/2 it is 0.46, or 12mm. Using a standard 1/2 bit to route dados for cabinet making etc makes a dado that is way too big, loose and sloppy. You can also get what is marketed as a bit specifically for undersized offshore plywood, but it is 31/64ths which is very close, but still makes a groove a little too wide (1/64th) if you do precision work. The 31/64 groove will fit together easily with that extra room but does not look good. If you use 12mm plywood and can route a perfectly straight dado, this is the one you want. Youll need to use a clamp to pop the joint together but with no slop or shadow line. For a particularly difficult joint, Ill sand the edges of the panel going into the dado slightly and it slides right in.

The trick with router bits is to make sure they are clean and sharp. They are pretty good from factory, but I found if you clean them and give them a good honing with a diamond file card before first use. They work much better. Also important to use correct router speed and feed rate. But dull dirty bits along with incorrect speed and feed lead to burning. When used properly these bits work great. Unfortunately some undersized plywood from foreign producers sold at big box stores are now thinner than 21/32nds. So these might even be a little over sized for those ply goods. So if you buy from large retailers, check the actual thickness of the sheet stock.