hmmm. My pattern flush trim bit cuts from the bottom, maybe you are thinking of something different? You could use a straight but isnt the pattern flush trim bit a straight bit with a bearing at the top.
FWIW, a "flush cut" bit has a bearing on the bottom and only cuts from the side. They were originally designed to cut laminate countertops flush with the sides of the counter.
A "pattern bit" has a bearing on the top, and may or may not have cutters on the bottom. In common usage the pattern is placed on top of the workpiece and the router is pulled tight against it, which doesn't require cutters on the bottom.
Straight bits often have cutters on the bottom, though I've seen some cheap ones that didn't. In any event, a straight bit isn't designed to be plunged into the work and isn't designed to clear chips from the cut. This
may be a problem when creating a joystick recess, depending on how you setup the cut.
A spiral bit is almost like a drill bit. It has cutters on the bottom, that spiral up or down the sides of the cutter. It will cut while being plunged into the work and also clear the chips away from the cut.
The way I'd create a recess for a joystick is to create a template that ran along the
outside of the area to be occupied by the joystick. I'd used a straight or spiral bit, along with a bushing/collar, and route out everything inside the template. This process is pretty well explained in the stickied thread by Timoe at the top of the forum.
BTW, I've never heard of a "pattern flush trim" bit. From the description, I'd expect it to have a bearing at the top and bottom and a cutter in the middle!
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Topic: What router bits do I need for cabinet making? (Read 3075 times)
