Diablo (Freud) Router Bits on clearance at Home Depot $3.33-$7.53 YMMV

By | August 29, 2017 10:55 pm EST

Home Depot is clearing out several of their Diablo brand router bits. These are quality router bits made by Freud in Italy.
These are woodworking router bits, used to make stuff, unrelated to networking. If you came here to bore us with obvious puns, please go find something productive to do.
Here is what I have found in the Dallas-Ft Worth area stores. Note that this could be regional, as Home Depot clearance pricing often is. Links for reference only. If someone knows how to check inventory without going to the store, please speak up.
1/4" Cove bit $7.53
Sku 403-896
The cove profile is one of my favorites.
Beading bits $7.53
1/8" Sku 734-364
3/16" Sku 402-002
1/2" Sku 402-232
These should be easily converted into roundover bits by swapping out the bearing for a larger size or mounting in a router table. The 1/8" roundover is especially useful for braking the sharp edges of wood projects. It can save a lot of sanding. The beading profile is pretty simple and another one I like.
3/4" 90 degree grooving bit $7.53
These are good for making signs, chamfering, and breaking edges. It’s also a size style CNC routers can use to mill just about anything.
1/4" Panel Pilot $3.33
Sku 718-178
I have no idea what I am going to use this thing for, but the price was right. Maybe mount it in a RotoZip? It’s kind of like a flush trim bit with a pokey end.
1/2"x13/16" Dovetail bit $5.83
Sku 716-891
If I ever get my Incra Jig set up, I guess I can use this bit to make fancy Dovetail joints. May never happen. That Kreg Jig is just so fast and easy.
A note for those of you who see those big sets of cheap bits and wonder how $8 router bits are a deal: quality router bits are a waste of money for people who love sanding.
If you get a kick out of router bits that tear up the edges of your project, leave chatter marks, and burn the surface, let me recommend the Chinese made bits Sears sells under the Craftsman name. You don’t have to worry about them being like the old Italian made Craftsman bits they used to sell (also rebranded Freud) that deprived of your precious sanding time. Buy those cheap bits and you can enjoy hours of following up every pass with lots of elbow grease.
If on the other hand, you prefer to route an edge that doesn’t burn, tear, or chatter, these Diablo bits should take pretty good care of you.
Also be aware that MDF, plastic, and other fake-wood-like materials will wear out your cutting tools MUCH faster than cutting real wood. If you do have a set of cheap Ryobi bits lying around, you might want to spare the good ones the abuse when forced to mess with MDF. It’s common to dull a bit on those materials and then have problems cutting real wood. Try not to get too disappointed in the durability of cutting tools being less than you expected if you go to town on laminate flooring.
Note that these are 1/4" shafts (except the V-groove one). Many people prefer 1/2" shafts. The 1/2" beading bit is a size that might merit the larger size. With the others the small shaft is unlikely to make any real difference.
The last thing to note is that HD does have these under lock and key, sort of. Not really. You might think you need to track down someone in an orange apron to unlock the display for you. But at least in the stores I’ve been to, it’s a decoy. Just lift gently up on the metal cover and it swings free of the cheesy padlock and you can get to the router bits.

Category: Uncategorized

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.