Whiteside Router Bits UD2102 Up/Down Cut Spiral Bit with Solid Carbide Compression and 1/4-Inch Cutting Diameter

Boom! I use this Up/Down in my CNC all day long. It doesnt quit. This bit has become my main production tooling on 1/2 and 3/4 plywood. I have even crashed it several times- putting nasty strain on the bit, and it still holds true, and plows through Baltic Birch with no issues, tearout or ragged edges. Its a really nice cutter for the price. update: many hours of cut time on this, and it just wont quit. It just keeps plowing through plywood and plastic just fine.

Best bits on the market, bar none.

For my money, Whiteside router bits are the highest quality, best/cleanest cutting router bits available. They stay sharper longer than any other brand that I have tried. Bonus points for being American made in North Carolina.

Used on my CNC. It cuts plywood well. If I use it to drill a quarter inch hole (straight up & down on the Z axis) it seems to cut a slightly oversize hole. Other 1/4 endmills are more typical of what I get using a standard drill bit in a drill press -- a tight fit for a 1/4 dowel.

What I like about this Whiteside compression cutter is that the upcut portion at the end is nicely compact which makes the tool usable in thinner material than many other options on the market. These are my go to small compression cutter for CNC work.

I use this bit for cutting numerous MDF parts on my benchtop CNC. I leave a clean edge on the top and a decent edge on the bottom. Definitely worth the money and I will be buying more as needed.

After seeing several positive endorsements of Whiteside bits on YouTube, I decided to order one to try. When it arrived it appeared to be a quality bit. About a month after receiving, I finally got the opportunity to use the bit making some 1/4 deep dadoes in plywood for 3 drawer bottoms. The bit functioned very well. Two days later, I needed to use the bit again to make 1/4 deep dadoes in some softwood (SYP) for a small pegboard frame. I routed the first side with no problem. After routing about 8 of the second side, the bit snapped in half, with the broken half falling into the router motor. I had to remove the router from the table and disassemble it to get the broken piece out, noting some scoring on the cooling fins caused by the broken bit. With this being my first experience with Whiteside, Ill have to think long and hard before I consider purchasing another. Ironically, the 30-day return window expired 2 days before the bit broke.

Used on my CNC. It cuts plywood well. If I use it to drill a quarter inch hole (straight up & down on the Z axis) it seems to cut a slightly oversize hole. Other 1/4 endmills are more typical of what I get using a standard drill bit in a drill press -- a tight fit for a 1/4 dowel.

I have used compression and downcut bits from all of the big manufacturers as well as the no-name, budget bits. Some that are nearly double the price of this bit. But this one has given the cleanest cut on the face and back of the material I use. I have run two 3/4”, one 1/2”, and one 1/4” maple veneered 4’x8’ MDF sheets full of parts cut all the way through with the same bit and it’s still holding up just fine. You can barely notice any wear. I think I have found my new workhorse.

Great bit. Compression bits are the way to go if you really need to reduce or eliminate fraying and blowouts along the cut edges. I like Whiteside products anyway, but wasnt sure how this one would handle being subjected to plywood almost exclusively. It started out plenty sharp and made super clean cuts. It did finally wear down, but gave me a reasonable amount of use life. Fit my .25in router well. Plenty of shank for the chuck, while still having a long cutting surface. Helps reduce vibration and bit flexing. As with any bit, cut at the right depth and right speed and youll prolong the lifespan even more. Im buying another one, kinda says it all.