Whiteside Router Bits 1376B Bowl and Tray Bit with 1/4-Inch Radius 1-1/4-Inch Cutting Diameter and 1/2-Inch Cutting Length

I have dived into bowl/tray routing by necessity. A friend asked me to make a very specific item that is a "game board" (Michigan Runny) that looks like a snack tray; 1" center depression surrounded by eight depressions of which two are larger than the rest. Template made out of 1/2 inch ply.Having never done this before I researched the net for help, and of course found more than I could digest. Actually ordered a Freud bowl bit with no bearing guide and realized what I'd done and cancelled it. I ordered the Whiteside.Received it promptly via Prime. Opened and inspected the bit. Solid, sharp, good bearing.Began (slowly) routing using a Porter Cable router via the template in 1.25 thick butternut, a softer wood compared to most hardwoods. The bit performed flawlessly, and ate through the butternut like it wasn't there using 1/8" or less passes.Very, very pleased with the bit. The only thing I've done is drop a few drops of machine oil into the bearing as the bit was getting hot after continued passes. That helped, but heat is still an issue and one just has to take their time in order to not overheat the bit.One thing... The radius of the bearing should be taken into consideration when purchasing. Only due to the fact that it is so large it may NOT fit the corners you need for your project. This happened to me, but the difference was so slight I decided to keep the new radius in some of the corners. Just sayin'Project not complete, as I needed a collet extension to finish. Maybe today, and if I remember I'll come back and post a pic!If the size is right, BUY THIS BIT! I have other Whiteside bits and I love 'em!

Quality made bits for a reasonable price. I avoid cheap router bits, cutters spinning at such speeds shouldn't be skimped on in my opinion.

Excellent quality. Used to make finger holds on bread boards.

No burning, cuts great!

For the price, this bit is fantastic. I've used it to bore out 3-4 bowls and it has worked flawlessly so far. Very clean cuts and no burning. Well worth the investment without spending crazy money on a bit.

You can never go wrong with Whiteside bits. In my opinion these are the best bits for new woodworkers. They are a little on the pricey side, far from being the most expensive but the value they offer is well worth it. Quality is amazing and then stay sharp for a long time. I started out buying the cheapest bits I could that had decent reviews and they kept chipping or just blowing apart during use, and I ended up spending way more on multiple cheap bits than if I had just bought better ones from the start. Learn from my mistakes.

Works great but took some time and experiment to learn amount of step-over, plunge rate, and feed rate to obtain a smooth cut. No info was supplied by Whiteside on how to use bit in CNC machine.

Love this bit. Very stable and easy to manage in my router table. Makes a nice flat surface, doesn’t burn or chip out. At first I tried the 3/4” bowl bit but it was frustrating because the flat spot was too small. This has a nice large flat spot.