router cutters for 2D/3D

[Boyan Silyavski]

To cover the basic necessities You would like to have:

2D jobs:

- 3mm/ 1/8" and 6mm/1/4" 2 flute square end or fish tail , for general profiling. Fish tail is better for wood, 30 degree spiral upcut.

- ~20mm for pockets and surfacing , 2 flute square end

- 3mm/1/8" and 6mm/1/4" 45 / 60 degree V cutter or engraver for Signs and letters. 60 degrees is better, 90 degrees is for bigger signs and bigger size like 1/2".

3mm/1/8" 30 degrees is best for small details, molds from plastic and so, but breaks very easily, so better option is to be engraver/flat tipped/.

V cutter is not the same as engraving bit.


For smallish details you would need 1-2mm 2 flutes, and for deeper jobs you may need extended shank or long reach.

Its up to you but i prefer to have 2 types of each before mentioned.
One type is stub length, means 6mm shank and 6mm LOC , other is maximum LOC, 1/4 shank -1"LOC


Generally the best is to arm yourself at first with 3mm /1/8" solid carbide bits and cheap 6mm HSS



3D jobs:

-big cleaning bit
-1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 6mm, ball nose , dep[ends on the size and resolution of job. The bigger the shank, the better, same for the above list.