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Straight bit · plunging

ASNOMY AS0161-1PST6, 6 mm straight bit, 8 mm shank

The most-used bit in any router drawer, at eleven euros — and a listing that calls itself a set without ever saying how many bits are in it.

Six millimeter straight router bit with 8 mm shank, product photograph

ASNOMY AS0161-1PST6, 6 mm straight bit, 8 mm shank

The most-used bit in any router drawer, at eleven euros — and a listing that calls itself a set without ever saying how many bits are in it.

Cutting diameter
6 mm (0.24 in)
Shank
8 mm (0.31 in)
Cutter
YG6 carbide
Shank steel
C45
Edges
Three, including a cutter on the bottom face
Part number
AS0161-1PST6
Availability
No EAN published — other markets could not be verified
Amazon reference
B0DGCGZDK7
  • A bottom cutter, so the bit can plunge into the middle of a panel
  • Three cutting edges rather than the usual two
  • The listing calls itself a set and never states how many bits are supplied

Best for: Grooves, housings and shelf trenches in solid timber, MDF and ply

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Specifications

Cutting diameter
6 mm (0.24 in)
Shank
8 mm (0.31 in)
Cutter
YG6 carbide
Shank steel
C45
Edges
Three, including a cutter on the bottom face
Part number
AS0161-1PST6
Availability
No EAN published — other markets could not be verified
Amazon reference
B0DGCGZDK7

Every figure below is a manufacturer specification read off the listing itself. The judgments are ours.

What the specification says

6 mm (0.24 in) cutting diameter on an 8 mm (0.31 in) shank, YG6 carbide on a C45 steel shank, three cutting edges including one across the bottom. Part number AS0161-1PST6. No EAN on the listing.

The shank is not a detail

Six millimeter, eight millimeter, quarter inch and half inch shanks are all in circulation, and none of them is interchangeable. A quarter inch shank dropped into an 8 mm (0.31 in) collet appears to seat, grips on almost nothing, and is thrown at working speed. Check the collet that is actually in the router rather than the model name — plenty of routers ship with two, and only one of them is fitted.

A set of how many

The listing describes itself as a bit set throughout and never states a quantity. The part number suffix and the specification both describe a single 6 mm (0.24 in) cutter. Treat this as one bit at eleven euros — which is still a fair price for a plunging straight bit — and be pleasantly surprised if more arrive.

Availability

Catalogued and unsold: the American Amazon shop lists the reference with nobody behind it.

Read from Keepa on the day this page was last revised; stock and price both move without notice.

Saws this fits

What comes up most often

Why does the bottom cutter matter?

Because without one a straight bit can only enter from an edge. A bit with a cutting edge across the bottom face can be plunged straight down into the middle of a panel, which is what a stopped housing or a hinge recess needs. It is the difference between a grooving bit and a general-purpose one.

How deep should one pass be?

Shallower than feels necessary. A router removes waste by rubbing at very high speed, and depth of cut is what turns that into heat. Several light passes leave a cleaner wall, keep the carbide sharp for longer, and are far less likely to snatch the machine out of line at the end of a cut.

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    Radii
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    Working length
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