Hi All,
OK, have things running nicely with plotting, so time to move up to actually cuttings things! Will start with HD foam and wood I guess, but would be good to get something that would also let me have have a crack at aluminium (although that can also wait for later).
I’ve ordered one of the cheap Katsu Makita “clones” for now.
But I am struggling to find decent bits to buy; can anyone recommend some good starter ones that are available in the UK and not too expensive?
Cheers
Brutha
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tungsten-Carbide-Milling-Acrylic-Cutting/dp/B07D6GYC9B
Ryan sells better quality bits but unfotunately the shipping and the taxes make it rather expensive for us here on the other side of the Atlantic
You could check Sorotec in Germany. I don’t know how much their shipping to the UK is unfortunately.
Rennie Solid Carbide Single Flute 3.175 x 8 x 38mm
I think you can also buy them direct from Rennie’s web site. These were recommended on the UK builder’s thread and should be good for aluminium too. Mine has accidentally trimmed a steel screw without breaking. It also make a neat cut in clear acrylic. I’ve since bought a box of 10 similar bits from Banggood but haven’t tried them yet.
I found a 90 and 60 degree V-bit on ebay too, but the sellers aren’t registered any more, so I can’t link to them.
You don’t really need both, but carving width depth are related to the angle of the V. The 60 degree bit cuts twice as deeply for the same width cut, so the 90 degree bit is better for wide cuts and the 60 degree bit for thin lines that might disappear if I sand it too enthusiastically.
I also have a 1/2" straight sided router bit from a hardware shop that I use for facing. TBH it’s too big as my router only has one speed - it throws chips with enough force to escape my vacuum, and will bog the router down if I do more than skim 1-2mm from the surface.
The problem I found wasn’t so much the bits, as needing a range of collet sizes (at £15 a go) but that was for a Bosch router. The 90 degree bit uses a 1/4" collet, while the 60 degree bit needs a 6mm collet, and that 0.4mm really does make a difference.
Also, I bought these cheap 0.8mm bits from China - they’re great for cutting model planes parts from balsa and thin ply. I expected to break loads of them, but haven’t yet. 3mm DOC and 6mm feed rate seems to be the point where the balsa itself bends and reduces accuracy, rather than reaching the breaking point of the bit.
Some of the others i bought from BangGood were engraving bits (the photos and descriptions are all a bit vague), which just have bumps on the sides instead of proper flutes. I’ve not tried them but they don’t look like they’ll work in wood.
I went the other way completely and brough the cheapest bits I could buy to learn with.
I simply went to Fleabay and brought a couple of sets of chinese bits.
They actually work pretty well for what I want, I did some cheap alumium and they worked. My view was that for a few pounds only, it was worth seeing what they were like. I have one expensive bit at £60 (I cannot believe I paid that) for cutting foam and it was junk. The cheap chinese bits were better IMHO.
I also brought some foam blocks to learn on (I am still learning), those and cheap bits are worth it.
Its surprising how easy it is to cock things up, such as accidently telling the katsu router to try and drill through the block, the cnc table, the supporting table and if I’d let it, the concrete floor in rthe garage. Ask me how I know 
Rob
Thanks all! Some really good info there to get me moving!
That’s pretty much what I did, but I wanted one ‘good’ bit for comparison as I wasn’t sure I’d be able to tell the difference between a bad bit and some other problem with the set up or machine.
Its surprising how easy it is to cock things up,
Me too - this cheapo emergency stop button has been used quite a few times. It’s not essential, but it feels good when you hit it!
I get one of those as well. I’m seriously looking for another one to put on the other side of the table so the distance I have to leap to hit is less
Most used bit of kit I have.
Rob