Hot take: The switch from a 1/2-inch shank router to a 1-inch shank for my raised panel doors in the last 6 months has completely eliminated chatter.

I'm torn because the new setup with a Freud bit is rock solid, but my old router can't handle the collet, so is the smoother finish worth the $500 tool upgrade or should you just slow your feed rate way down?

2 comments

2 Comments

tylerw921mo ago

Wait, you spent $500 just for a bigger router bit shank? That's wild. I'd be trying every trick with the old router first, like you said, slowing way down. Seems like a crazy price for less chatter.

anthony1271mo ago

Slowing down the feed rate is just a band-aid fix. That bigger shank is way more rigid, it's basic physics. Chatter ruins the finish and can even damage the bit. A smooth cut right off the router saves hours of sanding later. Five hundred bucks is a lot, but it's buying real results, not just hoping an old tool works. Sometimes you just need the right tool for the job.