They’re available in cut diameters ranging from 3/16-inch to 1½ inches and have either one or two ‘flutes’ (cutting arms) depending on how large or fine of a cut you need. The configurable rabbet bit I bought (changeable bearings - think they're called "step washers"?) only goes to 1/2"... about 13mm. I have been looking for a rabbet router bit that will allow me to get to dead on the 19mm... but it seems to not exist?

The majority of router bits that feature a bearing normally also include bearings of different sizes with the bit or in the kit. As the bearing follows the object your are working on, the size of bearing dictates the depth of the cut, so for a different depth of cut you can simply change the bearing for a different size. Sets such as these include all the essential router bits you will need for pretty much any carpentry project and although they may not give the most accurate of cuts or stay sharp for long, they will allow you to practice and hone your skills to the point that you can then justify spending a little more on some decent bits. Router Bit Types Easy to disassemble: You can usually separate a rabbet joint by removing screws and pounding with a rubber mallet. Joints made with nails and dowels are usually easy to pry apart.V-bits as with most other decorative cutting bits come in a range of different shapes and angles that can be used to form everything from a deep thin channel to a wide shallow one. A rabbet joint is stronger than a butt joint for two reasons. The rabbet increases the amount of surface area available for glue. And when a piece of wood fits tightly into a rabbet, the vertical side of the groove prevents it from leaning in that direction and breaking the joint. Unlike performing any of these tasks using other tools such as planes or saws, a router with the correct bit will give a 100% accurate and clean cut when used correctly. The purpose of the bearing is to allow you to easily guide your router bit along a piece of work so that your (normally) shaping or detailing work is kept straight and accurate.

On its own, the router is useless, but coupled with the correct bit you can create a masterpiece! To these ends here is a run down of the most popular router bits and different shapes or mouldings they cut. Straight Cut Router Bits Flush trim bits are essentially straight bits with a pilot bearing that’s the same diameter as the flutes. The bearing at the tip guides the cutting arm perfectly around the edge of a surface, allowing you to trim overhanging material perfectly flush. You can use this for shelf edging, veneer trimming, or to smoothly join edges. They’re also great for duplicating curved patterns from a template. For trimming purposes, these bits can be used in a hand-held router, but a table-mounted router is best used when replicating patterns with a template. But it’s just a rabbet!” my students sometimes complain. Why overthink it? After all, most folks follow the standard protocol: on the tablesaw with a dado head buried in a sacrificial fence. However, the first approach is not necessarily the best. While there’s no doubt the tablesaw works, there are factors that might encourage an alternative method. The key question is, what matters more: what’s removed, or what remains? Two ways to cut a rabbet A rabbet joint is stronger than a typical butt joint—which is simply two straight edges joined together—because a rabbet provides more of a mechanical connection. Cutting the rabbet creates more surface area where the wood can be glued and therefore creates a stronger joint than simply nailing or gluing together two straight edges. For an even stronger rabbet joint, opt for a double rabbet joint where rabbets are cut into both edges of the adjoining workpieces. Rabbet joints vs. dado jointsIs it because a trim router and a 1/4" bit would just find that too hard, even if I did multiple passes? Due to the nature of a bearing and it’s very smooth rotation, this helps to avoid the router bit juddering or jumping around, keeping any cuts dead straight and accurate to the surface you are working on. As they effectively cut a 45° bevel edge, they are also commonly used to ‘bevel” the edges of two adjoining surfaces to create a mitre joint so that they meet to form a right angle. You can cut dadoes, grooves and rabbets in many different ways. In this article, however, we’re going to show you a simple, foolproof cutting method that requires only a router, a pattern bit and two straight guides.

You’ll find rabbet joints most often in cabinets, drawers and shelving, but there are many other uses for rabbets in general construction. Woodworkers like them because they are: In this episode of Getting Started in Woodworking, the forth in our series on building an oak bookcase, we demonstrate how to cut accurate dadoes and rabbets with a router and a simple jig.

How to Cut Perfect Rabbets

This project should be read in conjunction with our project on how to use a router found here. What are the Different Parts of a Router Bit?