Router Bits

Router Bits are clamped into a rotating piece of Machinery (the router), to cut grooves in other materials, usually either wood or steel. Router bits have four main components: the shank, the body, the finish, and the blades, sometimes called the cutters. The shank is the cylinder-shaped bottom end of the router bit inserted into the router. The most common shank widths are 1/2-inch and 1/4-inch. 1/4-inch shanks are used for smaller routers and lighter-duty jobs, while 1/2-inch shanks are for higher horsepower routers and heavy-duty jobs. The body is a piece of steel to which the blade is welded. The body provides weight and torque to the blades, or cutters, as they cut through the material. The finish is the coating baked onto the router bit to protect it from build-up from the wood. The Blade, or Cutter, is the part of the router bit that comes in contact with the material.

Common applications of Router Bits are: