Woodworking cutting tools: choose by operation, not by name

Woodworking tooling is selected by the operation it performs: saw blades separate and size the board, router bits and insert knives shape the edge, drill bits make the holes, planer blades and profile knives finish the surface. Get the operation right first — the tool name follows from it, and buying by name is how workshops end up with three tools that do the same job badly.

Quick selection by operation

Operation Tool What decides the choice Common mistake
Sizing and crosscutting panels Carbide-tipped saw blade Tooth count, grind (ATB / TCG), hook angle Too many teeth on thick stock: burning, slow feed
Profiles, rebates, grooves Router bit, insert router bit Shank, cutter diameter, bearing, knife geometry Brazed bit where an insert body would pay back
Holes in solid timber Brad point / dowel drill Point type, flute length, shank system Wood bit used on laminate: breakout on exit
Surfacing and thicknessing TCT planer blade, spiral cutterhead Knife length, bevel, number of edges Nick in one knife, whole set replaced
Moulding profiles Profile knife, insert cutterhead Profile to drawing, bevel, repeatability Profile matched to sample but machine speed ignored

Saw blades: tooth count and grind decide the finish

Three numbers control a saw blade: diameter, tooth count and grind. Diameter follows the depth of cut; tooth count follows the material; grind follows how the tooth should enter and leave the fibre.

Material Teeth Grind Note
Softwood, rip 24-40 ATB Deep gullets clear the chip
Hardwood 40-60 ATB Reduce hook for harder species
MDF / HDF 60-80 TCG Abrasive dust, expect regrinds
Melamine / laminate 60-80 TCG, negative hook Score first if the face must stay perfect
Aluminium (wood machines) 80-100 TCG, coolant-friendly Wax the plate, clamp hard

Router bits and insert knives: where the money goes

The choice is not “carbide or not” — every bit in this catalogue is carbide. The choice is whether the edge is brazed to the body or held in it as a replaceable knife.

  • Brazed: lowest entry price, simplest geometry, the whole tool goes out for sharpening. Right for occasional use and for profiles that need a fine, complex edge.
  • Insert: the steel body stays on the machine; you rotate or replace a knife in minutes. Right for daily production, for abrasive panels, and for any workshop that loses more money to downtime than to tool price.
  • Which profile: spoilboard surfacing and slab flattening, V-groove and slotting, flush trim with bearing, spiral flush and bottom milling, straight, chamfer and roundover. Each exists as an insert body in this range.

Drill bits: point geometry matters more than coating

A wood drill has to do two things a metal drill does not: start exactly where marked, and leave a clean exit. The brad point solves the first, the geometry of the outer spur solves the second. On melamine and veneered board, drill from the face with a brad point and back up the exit, or use a TCT bit with a sharper outer corner.

Planer blades and profile knives

TCT planer blades hold an edge far longer than HSS on abrasive timber, and each blade can be reground several times before the bevel runs out of tolerance. Profile knives are ground to drawing: radius, ogee, beaded and custom profiles for moulders and shapers. For repeatable profiles at production speed, the insert cutterhead replaces the solid knife — the profile stays the same, only the knife is changed.

Speed and feed starting points

Tool Diameter Spindle Feed per tooth
Saw blade (TCT) 250-350 mm 3,000-5,000 rpm 0.05-0.15 mm
Router bit (insert) 16-32 mm 12,000-18,000 rpm 0.1-0.3 mm
Brad point drill 3-12 mm 2,000-4,000 rpm 0.05-0.2 mm/rev
Planer head – 4,000-7,000 rpm 1-8 m/min

Standard reference values for guidance only. Confirm against the machine manual and the specific tool before running; start at the lower figure and adjust to the finish you need.

Browse the range

Saw Blades (8 products)

Panel sizing, crosscutting and rip work. Carbide-tipped teeth in ATB or TCG grind, D 180-350 mm.

TCT Planer Blades (1 products)

Replacement TCT knives for thicknessers and jointers; HSS alternatives for softwood only.

Portable Planer Blades (1 products)

Handheld planer knives, 82 mm and 110 mm formats, resharpenable.

Router Bits (2 products)

Solid carbide and brazed router bits for edge profiles not covered by the insert range.

Indexable Knive (14 products)

Replaceable carbide inserts for cutterheads: 12×12 to 60×12 mm, bevels 30/35/50 degrees.

Radius Profile Knives (6 products)

Ground profile knives for moulders and shapers: radius, ogee and custom profiles to drawing.

Wood Drill Bits (17 products)

Brad point, dowel and through-hole drills in TCT and solid carbide, 3-12 mm.

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

How do I choose between a saw blade and a router bit for a cut?

A saw blade separates the board along a straight line; a router bit shapes the edge that is left behind. Panel sizing, ripping and crosscutting belong to the saw. Profiles, rebates, grooves and edge trimming belong to the router.

What tooth count should a carbide saw blade have for MDF?

For MDF and HDF use 60 to 80 teeth with a TCG grind; for solid hardwood 40 to 60 teeth in ATB; for softwood and rip cuts 24 to 40 teeth. Too many teeth on thick softwood clogs the gullet and burns the edge.

Are insert router bits cheaper than brazed bits in the long run?

Yes, when the body survives. A brazed bit is discarded when the edge dulls; an insert bit keeps the steel body and swaps only the knife. On a machine that runs daily, the crossover usually arrives within the first year.

What is the difference between a brad point and a dowel drill?

A brad point has a centring spur that stops the bit wandering on a flat face. A dowel drill has a shorter, more parallel flute ground for repeat hole centres in edge drilling, typically on a multi-spindle machine.

Can TCT planer blades be resharpened?

Yes, several times, as long as the profile and the back face stay within tolerance. Each regrind removes a few hundredths of a millimetre; after roughly five regrinds the blade is spent.

Why does my router bit burn the edge instead of cutting it?

Feed too slow or spindle too fast for the diameter. Burning means the edge is rubbing rather than slicing. Increase feed per tooth first, then reduce RPM, and check that the bit is not a downcut being fed in the wrong direction.

Do I need different tooling for laminated panels?

Yes. Laminates and melamine chip on the exit side unless the geometry controls it: use a compression spiral, a scoring saw, or a TCG blade with a negative hook. PCD is the long-life option when the panel is abrasive.

What information do you need to quote a custom profile knife?

A drawing or a sample of the finished profile, the material, the machine and spindle speed, the required finish, and the order quantity. Without the machine and speed we can grind the profile but cannot guarantee the surface.

Sources and standards: ISO 7755 · ISO 9001 · UNSPSC · eClass