Router Bits for Woodworking Dummies

straight router bit

The staff of the Antisocial Network would much rather be able to point to a specific name (or pseudonym) when it comes time to award our DotDs, mostly because it's just not very satisfying to point to some anonymous drone as the source of internet stupidification. Once in a while, however, we come across content so mind-numbingly dumb that we just can't resist... So, meet the Anonymous HowStuffWorks.com contributor who inflicted "Are there router bits for a drill?" on the 'net.

According to anonymous (no name is associated with this dreck in any archived version of the post),

"It's possible to use a straight router bit for drilling because it can be used on a variety of projects and materials."

In point of fact, anonymous is full of hooey: with the exception of "up-spiral" straight bits designed for use in plunge routers, straight bits cannot cut downward like a drill bit. The end of a typical straight bit is flat or almost flat (see image above), so it would be more likely to burn a hole in the "variety of... materials" than to drill one. Simply put, most router bits are designed to cut sideways, not downward.

Anonymous went on to explain that, "In addition to being able to cut flutes in molding and create rabbets and mortises, straight router bits can also be used for drilling projects." Anonymous' apparent fondness for the word "projects" notwithstanding, the first half of the sentence is true while the second half is bullshit. Once s/he'd gotten that out of the way, anonymous went on to attempt to explain how to use a router bit in your drill: "...make sure that your piece of wood is firmly clamped; this will prevent it from moving as you drill into it using your router..." Wait, what? We thought you were using a drill? And then there's this sage bit of advice, "In addition, be sure to set the depth of the bit before you begin drilling."

Here, our "expert" was apparently trying to introduce cutting blind dadoes, etc., with a plunge router. Well, we think that's what anonymous was doing, although only a complete moron would attempt to cut a blind dado with a straight router bit in a drill... consider the source¹?
In short, the answer to the original question is "No, with some qualifications." Anonymous blew that completely, mostly because Anonymous A) apparently had no idea what the question meant, B) was unaware that there us such a thing as a plunge router, and therefore C) is our Dumbass of the Day.

¹ Anonymous attempted to reword a DoItYourself.com post about drilling with a router to "answer" this question, as is evidenced by the line about "cut flutes in molding." Anonymous was clearly confused about the difference between a drill and a router...

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