A sharper focus

Being around this business of woodworking for any amount of time and you might think that the world of wood cutting tools hasn’t really changed. But there are quite a few new ideas these days from suppliers, so follow along as we explore what manufacturers have been up to.

Let’s begin with drill bits for CNC machines. Drill banks aside, there are no real options for straight drilling of holes using the main spindle without burning the tool, material or both. Many router bits have plunging capabilities but are designed with a focus on general routing. Whiteside Machine Tools(whitesiderouterbits.com) offers the Brad Point Drill Bits, engineered specifically for drilling holes using a standard 1/4” collet. Manufactured from solid carbide for additional strength and durability, these drill bits quickly eject chips from deep holes without the burning that plunge router bits can cause. 

The brad-point design prevents the bit from ‘walking’ as it enters the material while the outer spurs eliminate fraying. Although designed only for plunging, not routing, these bits can also be used on any boring machine that accepts a 1/4" round shank. Whiteside’s selection includes diameters of 5/32”, 3/16”, 5mm, and 1/4", with all sizes having a maximum cut depth of 1”. Used with standard toolholders, these can greatly speed the drilling of common hole sizes on machines that do not have drill banks onboard.

Forstner bits have been the standard for drilling splinter-free, true-to-size blind holes for a long time. Fisch Tools (fisch-tools.com) keeps improving the breed with its Black Shark Forstner bits. Fisch has optimized the cutting edges to allow the bits to be turned at higher RPM in softwoods and hardwoods, resulting in faster and cleaner cuts.

Reversible glue joint bits have been around for some time and yet MicroJig (microjig.com) has created a new version that is easier to set up, uses less material per joint, and makes a pleasing wave profile where the ends of the joints are visible. 

The Wave Reversible Glue Joint Bit uses a 2.5mm wave pattern rather than the traditional tongue-and-groove design to provide the alignment and extra glue surface in a form that is decorative. The wave cut only removes 2.5mm from each half of the joint,making the overall material loss 5mm per joint to save waste. The bit features MicroJig’s patented Center Platform that works with its FitFinder 1/2" Gauge to set the proper bit height the first time, making setup fast and accurate. Specifically designed for cutting boards and serving trays, the Wave bit comes in two sizes to handle stock from 1/4" to 1-1/4” thick. Curved part up to 3/4" thick can be made using templates.

Amana Tool's online catalog (amanatool.com) features hundreds of CNC tools with ZrN coating. The gold-colored zirconium nitride treatment is a ceramic material applied through physical vapor deposition (PVD) to reduce heat and friction. Several of Amana's newest ZrN-coated tools feature a reduced shank design — a smaller-diameter shaft between the cutter and the standard-diameter base that locks into the toolholder. These router bits use the extra-long reduced shank for deeper reach and improved chip clearance.

Quadra-Cut from Freud America (freudtools.com) is a system for profile router bits that includes four cutting faces — two up-shear and two down-shear. It’s designed to avoid fuzz, splinters and extra work, and minimize tear-out. The reviews by woodworkers are very positive. And the familiar Black I.C.E. coating from Feud is featured on its new 77-604 mortising bit, among others. The company notes that this coating facilitates “a cool cutting edge and superior chip evacuation.”

Vexor Custom Woodworking Tools (vexorcwt.com) is introducing a line of carbide-tipped groovers for demanding woodworking applications. Available in hard-to-find widths from 1/2 inch to 1 1/4 inches, these tools come in 4-, 6- and 8-inch diameters with six, eight and 12 wing configurations.

Each groover is manufactured in Denver using CNC technology, including 5-axis profile grinding, according to the company. Tools are precision-balanced to 2.5 grams or less. Vexor also makes custom cutters.

While shaper heads with replaceable knives are common, Infinity Tools(infinitytools.com) offers multiple knives that work with a single head. Its Insert-Pro system comes in Joinery and Door, General Purpose and Master Molding sets.

All three sets include a 40mm head and 13 pairs of knives, allowing 37 different knife profiles. The knives and gibs locate on alignment posts and lock with an Allen key.

The Insert-Pro head has a 1 1/4-inch bore and can use reducing bushings and rub collars from Infinity.

As carbide prices rise, diamond tooling may become more cost-effective.

Vortex Tool Co. (vortextool.com) offers Laser Edge Diamond PCD insert tooling designed for longer life and consistent finishes, according to the company.

The laser-cut diamond edges extend tool life, while the geometry promotes smooth chip flow and overall cut qulaity. Insert changes are quick and straightforward, reducing downtime. The PCD profiles are compatible with select Vortex insert tool bodies, allowing shops to integrate the tooling into existing inventory.

Charles G.G. Schmidt & Co. (cggschmidt.com), marking its 100th anniversary, hasintroduced multi-profile tools with corrugated backer plates and carbide inserts for shapers, molders and routers. The tools work with larger CNC spindles. The company has invested more than $1 million in new equipment.

Leitz Tooling (leitz.org), celebrating its 150^th anniversary in 2026, has developed the DFC (Dust Flow Control) Turbine to direct chips and dust from the machining area toward extraction systems.

The tool reduces dust exposure for operators and equipment while extending tool life by reducing double cutting, according to the company. The DFC Turbine mounts to the company's ThermoGrip shrink fit chuck and removes up to 90 percent of chips and dust during cutting, the company says.

Find tooling suppliers through our online Resource Guide at woodshopnews.com.

Originally published in the July 2026 issue of Woodshop News.