The Infinity Tongue and Groove Bit Set makes this joint easy to make. Click image to enlarge

Infinity Tongue & Groove Bit Set #61-502

Adjustable versatility

Text & Photos by Tom Hintz

Note: Because of the large diameter of these bits, they must be used in a router table, not a hand-held router! Maximum speed for this set is listed as 18,000 RPM in the Infinity catalog. 

  The tongue and groove joint has been used for decades to form self-aligning glue joints and to produce paneling with a myriad of uses in woodworking. While a tongue and groove joint can be made with many tools, a dedicated router bit set makes the process fast, accurate and repeatable.

   The Infinity Tools #61-502 Tongue and Groove Bit Set brings additional flexibility to forming this joint by adding adjustability to the tongue-cutting bit. Being able to custom size the tongue allows the woodworker to create close fitting joints with ease.

Initial Impressions

   As with all of the Infinity Tools router bits NewWoodworker.com has reviewed, the Tongue and Groove Bit Set appears very well made with top-notch machining and materials throughout. All of the grinding from the shanks to the carbide cutting edges is precisely done producing a fine finish and very sharp edges.

Simple Fence Alignment

Setting the fence flush with the front edge of the bearings insures the tongue and groove fitting properly. Click image to enlarge

   Both of the Infinity Tongue and Groove Bit Set comes with factory-installed bearings that limit the depth of cut. When setting the fence for either bit, simply align the fence with the front edge of the bearing. This simplicity of setting cut depth means the resulting joints will fit as intended without modification.

In The Shop

   Regardless of how good router bits look, it's how they perform when cutting wood that really counts. Once again, Infinity Tongue and Groove Bit Set impressed me on all counts.

   Setting the bits up is very straight forward, made easier by the adjustable tongue cutter. The groove bit can be centered on the thickness of the material by eye and then two cuts made, flipping the board over between them to perfectly center the groove.

Infinity supplies washers with which to adjust the tongue dimension to fit the groove precisely Click image to enlarge

   The adjustable tongue-cutting bit makes fitting the tongue to the groove simple and fast.

   For more complete setup info, see the companion story - Setting Up Adjustable Tongue and Groove Bits.

   As is my habit, I ran both bits slightly below (between 16,500 and 17,000 RPM) the listed maximum of 18,000 RPM, though they ran vibration free at full speed. The cuts were consistently smooth and the router motors (Porter Cable 890 and Bosch 1617 were both tried) never protested even when cutting tongue and groove profiles in a piece of very dense maple I had sitting around because nothing else wanted to cut it very well.

   In all cases, the quality of cut left by the infinity Tongue and Groove Bit Set was first rate and ready to be used with no sanding or trimming required. The tongue depth consistently fit the groove correctly and the joints fit precisely over their entire length.

Conclusions

I stained the tongue side of this joint because the line was hard to see otherwise. Click image to enlarge

   The Infinity Tongue and Groove Bit Set performs flawlessly and sets up easily. While the concept is simple, the use of fine materials and workmanship insure these bits will perform at a very high level for a long time to come.

   Whether making your own tongue and groove material for flooring, paneling or the backs of projects, the Infinity Tools Tongue and Groove Bit Set #61-502 is a very good choice if quality and performance are important to you.

   Check the Infinity website for current pricing. I think you will be surprised at how economical this quality set of bits can be!

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