Homemade Pattern Bit?

[aesache]

Has anyone made there own patern bit? can i not just add a bearing to a strait bit? eg 1/2 inch router bit and 1/2 inch OD bearing = instant pattern bit? why would you purchase a $25 pattern bit if you can buy a strait cut bit for 10 bucks and a bearing for 2 bucks?

is there a reason no one has done this on the internet?

[Buter]

I'm all for trying to save a buck, dude, but you'd probably be asking for trouble here.

IF you had a straight bit with a long enough shaft, it would be no worries.

I'm still in my jammies having my morning coffee (at home, for a change), but I'm willing to bet that if I went out to the workshop and measured the shaft of a straight bit and compared it to a pattern bit, the pattern bit would have a shaft that is longer by about the same thickness as the bearing and collar.

If you would be tempted to slide a bearing and collar to your straight bit and then have that much less in your router's collett, er..., don't. The more a bit sticks out from the collett, the greater leverage it has and the less 'clamping power' the collet has - this could potentially lead to the bit temporarily becoming 'wobbly' (for lack of a better word) under a load. I'm not exactly sure what speed a router bit spins at, but the results wouldn't be good.

Have I pulled a bit out of a collett a little bit to get that extra reach? Yup. Swore I'd never do it again - until the next time I did it.

Good luck and don't do anything stupid.

PS - Check out MLCS for good quality, inexpensive bits

Cheers

Buter

[ScottR]

You can use a straight bit with a shaft diameter that matches the cutting diameter as a pattern following bit as long as you insure the shaft is the only part that touches your template--just like the bearing is the only part that can touch the template. This has been shown in some of the guitar building books....though I would imagine the shaft would eventually burn and wear out faster than a pattern bit with a bearing.

SR

[Quarter]

I swap stops and bearings around on a couple different bits. Like to get the inside radius on my FPS I use a 1/2"bearing on a 1/2" box core bit. It can reduce your possible depth of cut, but in a specialized situation like mine, its a moot point.

.

[aesache]

so what your all saying is yes, no, maybe lol

sounds to me like some have had luck and others not i am just going to give it a go i have an old strait bit and i just bought a few 2 dollar bearings i guess worst case i am our 4 bucks and a scrap piece of wood.

[Buter]

And such is the joy of this forum!

You will always get advice from people with different points of view. In this case, nobody is giving bad advice (not always the case and, sadly, I've tossed out a rotten fish or two by mistake myself).

As for your question, if you have enough shaft on your bit to safely add a collar and bearing, go for it. If you put the bearing and collar on your bit and think, 'you know, there ain't a lot of shaft in that there collett', get a different bit to play with or buy a pattern bit.

In fact, you can swap different sizes of bearings around and have a flush trim bit and various rebating bits for doing binding.

As Scott suggested, when Melvyn wrote his book those many years ago, one of the methods he was using was to run the shaft of the bit along the template.

Cheers

B

[Ripthorn]

Only problem I see with using a bearing on an old bit is that the old bit might be a few thousands smaller in diameter than your bearing, which would mean you wouldn't get any cut at all. You can always give it a shot, though.

[aesache]

ok so i tried it and..........suspense is building........... it worked! there was absolutly no difference and as an added bonus the straight cut bits were on clearance for $2.97 a piece needless to say i bought enough to last a life time1

thanks all