Want your reviews on Rockler 45° Lock Miter Router Bits - 1/2'' Shank

Justinlangar36

New User
Janky
Hey, this is my first post. I need your review on a rockler router bit which i am thinking to buy and getting mix opinion on it.
I think to purchase this because it suits my work.
It is easy to machine parts using the lock miter bit, because when i set the bit height right, one part gets cut horizontally on your router table and the corresponding part gets cut vertically. This is the bit that you buy for joining cabinet parts, drawer boxes, and making four sided columns.

But i read a article on rockler router bit. And read about its pros and cons.

In cons section i read that :-

Some of the users have complained about the construction quality

You will get considerable kickbacks even when you go slowly.

So i want to confirm this happens for not. If you guys used it and having construction quality issues then please tell me. As if this doesn't happen then i ready to purchase it.

Please give your reviews - good or bad.
Thanks in advance.
 

Bill Clemmons

Bill
Corporate Member
I can't speak directly to the quality of Rockler bits, but if I need any router bit my first choice is always either Whiteside or Klingspor's in house brand. Both are very high quality, reasonably priced, and made in USA.
 

Bas

Recovering tool addict
Bas
Corporate Member
I don't have that specific Rockler bit, but some thoughts that might help:
- Rocker generally has decent router bits. Not the best, but definitely average/ above average. From my very limited, anecdotal experience, Whiteside bits tend to remain sharper longer. But they're also more expensive.
- For standard bits (straight, roundover, flush trim etc.) it pays to get the better bits (Whiteside, CMT, Freud, etc.) over the long haul
- Right now, the Rockler bit is about $20 cheaper than the Whiteside one. Percentage wise, that's quite a bit, but in absolute terms, investing the extra $20 might be worth it. It all depends on how much you plan to use it.
- I have a lock miter bit, and I find it too scary to use. But that's me - lots of people have made that type of bit work. It's a big piece of spinning metal, so it is not surprising some users experienced some sort of problem/ kickback. I don't think that's specific to the Rockler bit
- Setting up a lock miter bit can be tedious. One of our members here built a jig to make that easier. You also need to make sure you have a tall fence, good push blocks, etc.
- The web site with the review is rather generic/ vanilla. It appears to be one of those sites that aggregates data from other sites, not actually testing the product. If you look at the next router bit, much of the description is duplicated, and the "cons" are identical. That makes no sense.

If you want real reviews, look on woodworking sites, Reddit, Amazon etc. Take all of those with a grain of salt as well, since companies will pay for having their products reviewed, users have biased opinions etc. But they'll still be more accurate than those aggregator sites.

In short, I think you'll be fine with the Rockler bit. Going for a slightly more economical bit is not a bad idea considering this is the first time you're using lock miters - you may find it's not for you.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
I assume you have to adjust the bit so the fence is in the right place so the two pieces of wood are cut complementary to each other, so the joint is tight and at 90 degrees. Can you incrementally move the fence to expose more of the bit to cut down on the kick-back? I do this when I am raising panels with the panel raising bit. I don't have any experience with this bit you are interested in, but maybe there are some tricks to using it.

Roy G
 

mdbuntyn

Matt
Staff member
Corporate Member
You can find the set up jig that Bas referred to here. I was visiting with a member a few months ago, and he prefers the Lock Miter Master over the UHMW set up block that he purchased
 

Skymaster

New User
Jack
Go Freud AND BUY the infinity setup jigs. Created by a fellow ncwwer. YES it will cost a few bucks,however trust me. That is how I do the urns, pay up front and don't have the aggravation on the back end. PS the above link is the jigs I reccomend
 

Alan in Little Washington

Alan Schaffter
Corporate Member
I know the guy who invented the Lock Miter Master set-up jig. He's a swell guy and says, whatever bit you get, make sure it is sharp and you spin it at the right speed for its diameter and, most importantly, get a LMM set-up jig to make things easy on yourself. Unlike setup blocks, the jig works with any thickness of wood within the capability of the router bit and has special markings that allow you to make special lock miters- lock miters in stock of different thickness, offset lock miters, and rabbetted lock miters. It also works with just about every brand of lock miter bit.

For Roy, yes, both the fence position and bit height must be precisely set when using a lock miter bit. Unfortunately, each setting affects the other so tweaking one without re-adjusting the other often results in a bad setup. Folks often unsuccessfully chase the setup- adjust and test, adjust and test, repeat again, etc., then give up and throw the bit in the back of the drawer! :rolleyes: That is where the Lock Miter Master comes in handy- carefully follow the easy steps and you'll be cutting perfect lock miter joints.
 

Skymaster

New User
Jack
Alan GREAT JOB they are extremely helpful, setup is a tad tedious until you do it several times.Still saves many frustrating hours. Infinity cheaped out a tad on the magnets, not your fault, they could be stronger. Too easy to shift on the tool. That said still, BRAVO
 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
I'm sure Alan's jig works great, But it wasn't around 50 years ago when I needed it (Alan, you have some explaining to do!), but I found that a tall fence with a cutout for the bit essential. I use MLCS bits and find that the lowest part of the bit and the bottom of the work simply meet at the table's surface, and all is good. I use the setup block to rough adjust the bit, center to fence over the bit, then use the workpiece to fine adjust. Can't remember having to cut trial pieces. A shop made push block helps to keep the work against the bit while cutting.

Here's my tall fence:

Lock Miter (2).jpg


First pass.

Lock Miter (5).jpg



Push block. I use something like this for many applications.

4260.jpg
 

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