The five
Up-cut spiral — grooves, housings, mortices. Clears its own waste. Down-cut spiral — shallow work on veneered material, where the top edge must not fray. Flush trim with a bearing — template work, which is how any shape gets repeated. Rebate bit — carcase backs, glazing bars, half the joinery in a cabinet. Roundover — the edge treatment that makes furniture feel finished.
What the set is for
Discovery. The ogees and classical profiles in a twelve-piece set will stay in the case; the five above will wear out. That is the honest arithmetic, and at €5 a bit it is still cheaper than guessing.
Shank size
6 mm (0.24 in), 8 mm (0.31 in), 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch are all in use and none is interchangeable. A 1/4 inch bit in an 8 mm (0.31 in) collet appears to fit and will be thrown.
This does not replace your machine’s manual. Guards, riving knives and safe working procedures differ between machines, and the manufacturer’s instructions for yours take precedence over anything written here.
Prices quoted in this text were read on 2026-08-12. The live price is at the top of the page.
What comes up most often
Are boxed sets a waste of money?
Not at the start. At around €5 a bit, a set is a cheap way to find out which five profiles you actually use — and then buy those five properly.
Last reviewed 2026-08-12