What are the different types of Wonkee Donkee Trend router bit?

There are many different types of router bit or cutter. They can usually be classed as follows:

Groove-forming router cutters

Groove-forming cutters are designed to produce grooves in the surface of materials.

They do not usually have a pin or ball-bearing guide, and may require the use of a side fence, guide bush, or another method for guiding the router. A guide allows them to rout along the edge of materials as well in the surface. 

Many groove-forming cutters have the bottom cut facility, and so can be used in a plunge router to cut into the surface of materials, rather than having to cut from the edge. bits without the bottom cut facility need to have an edge from which to start cutting.  For more information, see: What are the parts of a Trend router cutter?

Straight groove-forming router cutters

These bits have straight flutes and so produce straight-sided, flat-bottomed grooves in materials. 

Examples include single and twin flute straight cutters, mortisers and pocket cutters. 

Shaped groove-forming router cutters

Shaped groove-forming router bits are usually two fluted and are typically used for decorative moulding or jointing applications. There is a huge range of different shape options for these bits for an array of groove profile shapes.

By changing the height of these router bits, or by altering the table fence or side fence position, different profiles can be produced using the same cutter. This can mean grooves of different sizes can be routed, and some cutters are designed so they will produce different shapes of grooves when they are altered.

Self-guided router cutters

These cutters have a pin or ball bearing guide located either on the shank or below the cutting edges and are primarily designed for edge-forming applications. 

 

They do not usually require a side fence or other external method of guiding, as their pin or bearing follows the edge of the workpiece or a template fitted above or beneath it. The width of the cut is controlled by the edge of the pin or bearing running along the workpiece.

Self-guided router bits can be used on workpieces with straight or curved edges, (for example, rectangular or circular tables,) and can be used for trimming, moulding, or rebating applications. 

With bearing guided versions, the bearing can usually be removed and replaced for a smaller or larger diameter one, in order to produce a differently shaped or sized cut. 

Straight self-guided router cutters

Also called trimming and profiling cutters, these have straight flutes and are typically used on multi-layered materials, to trim one or more of the layers flush with one another.

Shaped self-guided router cutters

These are similar to shaped groove-forming cutters but with a pin guide or guide bearing located on their shank, or below their cutting edges. They are available in an array of designs for different tasks. 

Shaped self-guided cutters with a shank-mounted guide often have the bottom cut facility, allowing them to plunge into the surface of materials like groove-forming cutters. Those with a bearing below their cutting edges can only be used to form the edge of materials. 

Typical profiles include bevel, radius, dovetail, round over, and rebate cutters.

Joint-making router cutters (can be guided or non-guided)

Examples include:

• Dovetail bits

• Tongue and groove bits

• Biscuit jointer bits

Joint-making bits sometimes come as a pair that will cut two mating sections (two parts that fit together) in materials. These sections are then fitted together to form a joint. Some joint-making bits come with a guide pin or bearing attached. These are known as pilot bits and can be used to cut along the edge of materials. Other joint-making bits do not come with a guide. These are known as non-pilot bits and can be used to cut across the surface of a material. 

Slotting and grooving router cutters

Slotting and grooving cutters, also called arbor-mounted router bits, consist of single or multiple slotting groovers, or profile blocks, assembled on an arbor, using spacers, shims, and ball-bearing guides to adjust their proximity and depth of cut.

This form of cutter offers a high degree of versatility, as the basic components can be mounted in different combinations, using the shims, washers and spacers to vary their spacing.

Replaceable tip router cutters

Replaceable tip router cutters are comprised of a solid tungsten carbide blade held by retaining screws to a ground steel body.

When dull, the blade can be rotated to expose up to three more cutting edges.