Customer Reviews

Freud 99-036 Adjustable Tongue and Groove Bit Set, 1/2-Inch Shank

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

In the past I have used my table saw tenoning jig to make shaker style cabinet doors, but I found that a really accurate set up was overly time consuming. I purchased the tongue and groove router bit set and found it to be a more accurate and quicker way to form these joints. With the large number of spacers provided, you can allow the perfect tolerance space for glue and the joints come out perfect. Use a variable speed router in a router table.

At first I thought how could Freud have created an adjustable groove bit, with the seemingly single cutter, and make it adjustable. Then I discovered that it really was two cutters that were sandwiched together. Their carbide tip is a lot wider than the plates that hold them. Additionally they are offset, so when they are sandwiched without any spacers, they are just like having the one bit. With the included spacers, you can adjust that groove cutter to a nice range of sizes.
Additionally the two large cutters that make up the tongue bit are adjustable with the spacers that are provided. They are stacked on the bit so you don't have to go looking for them when you want to make a change.
I have a lot of Freud bits, and I have bought all of them from Amazon. The price and convenience can't be beat. The one complaint that I have is that Freud does not wrap these bits in a way that protects them from a UPS shipment. Do you know what UPS stands for? Unbelievably Pulverized Shipments. :-) With carbide tipped bits, which are super brittle, rolling around in the box, after they come loose from the snap together plastic carrying enclosure, they are left to do battle with one another. Consequently, check your faces for defects when you get them. Amazon has the greatest customer service.
All in all a great set of bits, highly recommended.

I imagine that Freud will be offering this set as a reconditioned item in the near future, judging from all those who have received chipped cutters due to the packing issue. Like others, I too received these bits in a box where the bits had come out from their indivual packaging and were allowed to bang into each other. And yes, they were chipped!

I have liked dealing with Amazon in the past, but fail to see how they can continue to offer low prices when they continue to not learn from their shipping mistakes. While many prior shippments have arrived in good condition, this will be my fourth package that was not packaged properly -- two of these were NOT Amazon's fault, as they arrived in the manufacturers' had packaging. But Amazon certainly needs to pay attention to how they are sending these bits -- especially when you consider how dangerous it could be using a router bit that has a crack in the carbide. Let's not have someone injured because of this...

*** Update *** Just received replacements for damaged bits. You guessed it -- they arrived exactly as the original order, DAMAGED! Absolutely NO attempt had been made to package these bits in a way to prevent such damage. What a waste of both time and money for both Amazon and the unhappy customers.

I was recently asked to make tongue and groove flooring to match oak treads, risers, skirts, and cap on a stairway that I was building. The customer did not want comercially available flooring, and insisted on custom made flooring for 2 landings. After a short period of adjusting the router table, each board came out as close to perfect as I could hope for. A little sanding and perfection. All that I could ask for. As for shipping problems that others have encountered, mine arrived undamaged, but one of the pieces was loose inside the factory packaging.

I must admit that I am not an amateur woodworker and I use my skill to suppliment my income. That being said, These bits need to be adjusted then the test pieces need to be dry fitted for a perfect almost tight fit. It may more then likely mean that you may have to remove more shims than the instructions say.

The easiest way to me is to make all of your grooves first then cut test tongues until u get the fit you want, then continue with your cuts once the setting is right.

I have made many doors with these bits and I am still very pleased today.

The item was shipped in a used box with no packing material - none whatsoever. The box was visibly and severely crumpled and the hard plastic packaging used by Freud to hold the router bits in place had come open. As a consequence, the router bits were damaged (the carbide tip was chipped). I followed the procedure for the return policy, which provided an email directly to Turtle Tools. I sent two emails, however, neither email received a response. I also called the phone number, however, the voice mail box was full. As the return policy is 15 days from receipt of the item, I decided to return the item to Turtletools using the address on the original shipping box. I'm out $10 for the cost of shipping the return. Although the Turtletools return policy states that a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) must be included, they don't tell you where you can find one. So I made one up that included all pertinent information. The most disappointing aspect of this whole ordeal is that Amazon does not actively seek feedback on rogue vendors. How can they maintain the public trust if there is no accountability for bad vendors? There should be a link on their site to report incidents like this. Not only do they not have a link, they don't even provide you with a telephone number to report problems. I'm still waiting to see if either Turtletools or Amazon will step up and resolve the situation.

Yep mine arrived chipped as well. One day they might get the message. All they would need to do is tape the packaging shut

Incredible! I read all these reviews about how Amazon handles shipment of this router bit set and thought that these allegations from buyers about bad packaging is probably not common. Just a few bad packagings in the thousands of router bits that Amazon shipped. It wouldn't happen to me, so I thought. These reviews about chipped carbides and bits falling out and contacting each other are true! My shipment came in today. Just as mentioned in these reviews, the two pieces of routers bits I received today were not in their plastic package. They were free inside the box and probably hit each other many times during the shipping process. Luckily, I could not see any damage. I couldn't imagine how many people got their router bits trashed. Just to warn people. Inspect your router bits carefully. Shame on Amazon or Freud or whoever shipped this router bit set for not paying attention to this issue. Many people here complained already, myself included.

Pay attention to the reviews before you order -- the packaging on these bits is terrible. It would appear that Amazon ignores the reviews because customers have had problems with this product for several years. I read the reviews and decided to try my luck. Sure enough, I lose. The bits arrived with chips on the cutters because of the poor packaging. The plastic was open (as if it had been returned and then shipped right back out) and it was in a lightly padded paper mailing envelope with no invoice or receipt included. The bits were loose and rattling about.

They look like Freud seconds. They do not have the customary Freud red on them. One was manufactured in 11/09 and the other in 12/09, according to the stamping on the shanks.

The price was good -- other dealers sell the set for almost $30 more --but because of this careless shipping my project is delayed. I live in an area where all of these kind of things have to be ordered or i have to make a two-hour roundtrip to the nearest dealer. I can't comment on the cutting quality except to say the single bit is sharp enough and strong enough to chip the cutters on the other bit.

Amazon's great return policy will get my money refunded but they can't refund my lost time. I'll order elsewhere and pay the full price.

This my fifth Freud router bits and I agree with all the reviews about how clean and smooth the cuts are. The quality of these bit is excellent! This is also the only tongue and groove set I found that doesn't have slanted blades to make a more traditional door.

Each router bit is a stack consisting of a bearing, shims, washers and 2 cutting blades. The right combination of shims and washers determine the width of the groove or thickness of the tongue. If you use the adjustable stack router bits as it come from the factory, you get joints that are too loose and bias toward one side. If you rout twice by flipping the wood over, the groove end up too large and/or the tongue is too thin.

I had to use the exact combination of shims and washers so the width of the groove or tongue will be exactly 1/3 of the 3/4" hardwood stock. The shims are not labeled reguiring you to mic them to get the right combination of shims for an exact fit. The other problem is that the thickness of the shims are not exact and are off by .2-.4 mm so I had to select the best combinations to closely match the chart for the correct width. I had to do a lot of trial and error fitting. Good thing I only have to do this once as I planned on grooving only 3/4" hardwood.

The other problem is the depth of the groove or tongue is not exactly 1/2". It's 7/16". It makes measuring and cutting wooden frame needlessly more complicated.

The only other improvement to this router set is to lengthen one shaft so when I drop either bit into my router, I don't have to readjust the height. Right now I have to adjust my router up or down to get the groove and tongue to match. I would like to drop the other bit in and know the tongue will match the groove. Otherwise it is a very good purchase.