Milescraft2216 1/2-Inch Bearing Guided Straight Router Bit for Mortising

good

I bought this to speed up a recent re-model where replaced 9 (old Luan) doors with solid six panel wood doors. In addition to the kit, I also bought this top bearing router bit. All of this was used on a Dewalt palm router with the Dewalt pilot guide in the base of the router. After careful measurement and marking the new doors setting the mortise jig took a little time but the actual mortising/routing was very fast and accurate. The only complaint is the curve on the hinge corner template did not match the actual hinge. That required a little wood filler and sanding. I do not think I could have done this project in the time it took me without the tools.I bought this to reduce risk of my existing router bit not working well with the templates. This worked well so I never chucked up my existing bit ot compair.

I gave three stars because the bit appears to be well constructed. But, the cutting edge of the bit is rebated. The cutting bit is smaller in diameter than the bearing. Maybe, hopefully, someone with more experience will leave a comment explaining this. I may be wrong, in that case I think the bit would be worthy of five stars.Up Date: July 22, 2014Well the rebated cutter is a problem unless you use Milescraft's hinge mortise jig. Which isn't exactly clear in the description, though it could be inferred. What I wanted was a mortising bit with a 1/2" cutter and a 1/2" bearing; what I got was a bit with a 1/2" cutter and a 5/8" bearing. I like to make my own templates, I cut them the exact size of the hinge. This makes it easy to line the template up with my carefully place marks. To use the Milescraft router bit I had to make the template 1/16" bigger all way around, making the prospect of lining it up on my marks a guessing game. Because the bit cut 1/16" away from my newly made template it left fuzz when cutting across the grain, which had to be sanded off. This wouldn't have bothered me an iota if the description made it clear that the cutter was rebated. Is it possible that Milescraft makes their templates is such a way that you must always purchase their router bit when you need a replacement? I don't mind if they do, but they should make it clear in the description.

used to mortise hinge pockets on a door. We had a template and it worked flawlessly

YOU JUST CAN'T TELL. Had I been able to finish the doors I need to install, maybe I'd be writing a review similar to others here. It's true, the bit cuts very well and is very affordable. I purchased it to use with a Woodhaven Hinge Jig. Installed the bit, set the depth and made a practice cut (#1), fine as expected. Moved to my door and cut my first 3 hinge mortises(#2nd, 3rd &4th cuts with bit); perfect. Now on to the door jamb. Secured the jig to the jamb, checked bit depth again & mortised the 1st jamb hinge(#5); everything was fine up to this point.DISASTER ON THE 6TH PASS! While running the outside border of the jig cutout, the router gouged into the body of the jig (made of phenolic, a durable, and in this case, black plastic). A brand new $23 jig, pretty much ruined as the lower half where the bearing would normally ride is progressively cut until the missing chunk where the bit badly gouged the radius-ed corner.THE QUESTION: WHY??? Seems the router bit bearing collar(SUPPOSED TO KEEP THE BEARING DOWN BY THE BIT BODY) didn't stay in place! As the bearing collar moved up the shaft, the bearing followed... right up and out of the jig while the router blade made contact with the jig body (Of course at an angle where I couldn't see it all happening in the brief millisecond it took). I heard the last "CHUNK" gouged from the jig and the router jumped, all while I was having a split second moment of wondering, "Why are little black shavings flying out of the jig? TOO LATE, DAMAGE DONE IN UNDER A SECOND!THE PROBLEM: ROUTER BEARING COLLAR SET SCREW: I don't recall noticing the set screw in the collar upon opening the package, and I should have. Prior to using the bit, I made a quick "look over" of it, spun the bearing, tugged upward on it & was satisfied. Could the screw make its way out so fast in just 6 cuts if installed properly? No. MORE PROBABLE: If the screw was installed, it was just resting inside the threaded opening and never buried down against the shaft. Inspecting the bit after the damage, the indent on the shaft has no mark where you would expect to see the screw made contact with the shaft. Too late now. I should have checked BEFORE, NOT AFTER, to see if the screw was completely & securely set against the shaft ~LET ALONE INSTALLED. AND THAT'S MY OTHER FEAR: WAS THE SCREW EVER INSTALLED DURING MANUFACTURE? I'll never know. I haven't found a tiny screw yet on the bathroom floor where I was routing the jamb hinges for a new closet.LESSON: No matter how much experience you have, TAKE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, NOTHING, FOR GRANTED. I have no recourse for recovering what's been lost. A useless router bit (as far as I'm concerned); a ruined hinge jig, and lost time on installing this and other doors recently purchased. I now have to reorder a new jig & bit from Amazon, but not a Milescraft! IF YOU CHOOSE TO BUY THIS ONE, CHECK FOR THE SET SCREW AND MAKE SURE IT'S SECURE AGAINST THE SHAFT. Sad, I never thought to check something like this as it seems it would be like checking all the body screws of your router when you purchased it to make sure all were present and tight. DUH!

This router bit was an exact replacement bit for the Milescraft 350 hinge template which helped me complete a whole house interior door replacement by easily routing the door hinge mortises with no issues as the new doors were placed into old door jambs.

Just what I needed to router hinges into new blank doors. I used a template to guide the tool, and the tool never failed even with 16 doors to be done. Still have it and looks as if it were never used. It's now in my router box to be used the next time I have occasion to use it.

This was the second one. The first one had a chip on the carbide cutting edge. ** NOTE** Make sure to take q quality 1/16" Allan (hex head) wrench and snug up the set screw on the collar. It will feel snug at first but still give it a tug. Mine required an additional 1/4 turn to cinch it up. It cuts OK for the price, worked well with my Templico door hinge template vs a straight bit and guide collar mounted on my router. If I did doors for a living I would go for a high end $$ quality cutter.

Works well but it would be nice if the bearing was the same size as the cutter heat. Lost its edge somewhat quickly; but works well enough for this price. Can be sharpened using a diamond sharpening stone.

Not sure why the supplied bearing is a different diameter than that of the cutter shaft. For flush trimming they should be the same. Need to buy another bearing.

used it a few times works great

Utile à la pose de charnières

Came on time and worked reasonably well.