This morning I went shopping for a long straight router bit specifically for cutting the cavity for Benchcrafted Tail Vises. This long bit should allow the cavity to be excavated entirely from the back of the bench (with the bench top lying flat, upside down) without any fences or jigs, just an edge guide. I've been getting emails lately from several woodworking suppliers offering special discounts and free shipping. So I checked into Woodcraft since I know they carry my favorite Whiteside router bits. The bit that fits the bill is #1073. It's a 1/2" dia straight bit with a 2-1/2" cutting length and a 4-3/8" overall length. It should reach to the bottom of the 2-7/8"" cavity easily. Woodcraft's price wasn't ideal though. At $45.99 I thought I could do better. So I browsed over to a place where I've been buying a few router bits lately, Woodworkers' World. Their price? $26.70, with a whopping $2 for shipping (first class USPS). It you order more than $29, shipping is free and it goes out the same day. Great prices, a simple website. And brand loyalty has it's advantages. I download the Whiteside catalog, find the bit I want (it's quicker and easier than wading through a big fancy website) and plug in the part number at Woodworker's World. Check out and I'm done.
Great timing Jameel. I was shopping for an extra long straight bit myself to trim up the ends of my Roubo and I thought if I got it long enough I could use it for the vise cavity too. Interestingly enough, I bought the same bit you mention here. I paid more for it though! Thanks for the linke and I'll go kick myself now!
ReplyDeleteHa! What a coincidence. A fellow woodworker also tuned me into another great source for Whiteside bits. www.holbren.com.
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