Soft Plastic Cutters | McMaster-Carr

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76 Products

Ball-End Router Bits

For smooth contour carving in wood, plastic, and aluminum, these bits have a ball-nose design. All are made of solid carbide for a long tool life and fast cutting speeds. The extreme hardness of carbide bits means they are brittle, so they're not recommended for use with hand tools. A highly rigid setup, such as a CNC machine, is necessary to prevent the bit from breaking. The spiral flutes pull chips up from the workpiece while making cuts; securely clamp your material before routing to prevent lifting.

Uncoated Carbide

Ball Cut Style

	Overall Lg.	No. of Flutes	For Tool Type	For Use On		Each
Ball Cut Style







	Spiral Flutes with Upward Chip Removal

	1/8"	1/2"	1/4"	2"	2	CNC Machine	Wood, Particleboard, Plywood, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Aluminum	0000000	000000


	3/16"	3/4"	1/4"	2"	2	CNC Machine	Wood, Particleboard, Plywood, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Aluminum	0000000	00000
	1/4"	7/8"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Wood, Particleboard, Plywood, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Aluminum	0000000	00000
	3/8"	1 1/8"	3/8"	3"	2	CNC Machine	Wood, Particleboard, Plywood, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Aluminum	0000000	00000
	1/2"	1 1/8"	1/2"	3"	2	CNC Machine	Wood, Particleboard, Plywood, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Aluminum	0000000	000000

Straight and Spiral Router Bits for Plastic

The smooth flutes and sharp cutting edges on these router bits cleanly cut square slots, pockets, and edges in most plastics, including polyethylene, polycarbonate, and vinyl. They do not have a pilot, so guide your router along a straight edge when hand routing to make accurate cuts.

Uncoated High-Speed Steel


Square Cut Style	Straight Flute

High-speed steel bits are for general purpose use. They can be used with hand tools, router tables, and CNC machines.

Straight Flutes—Bits with straight flutes are for general purpose use. They quickly remove material, leaving a rough finish.

1 Flute—Choose a bit with one flute for a faster cut; bits with more flutes produce a smoother finish.

	Overall Lg.	No. of Flutes	For Tool Type	For Use On		Each
Square Cut Style







	Straight Flutes

	1/8"	1/2"	1/4"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	000000


	3/16"	5/8"	1/4"	2"	2	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000
	1/4"	3/4"	1/4"	2 1/8"	2	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000
	1/4"	1"	1/4"	2 3/8"	2	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000
	1/4"	2"	1/4"	3 1/4"	2	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
	3/8"	1"	3/8"	2 1/2"	2	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000
	1/2"	1 1/4"	1/2"	2 3/4"	2	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000

Uncoated Carbide


Square Cut Style	Square Cut Style—Plunge-Cut


Straight Flute	Square Cut Style Spiral Flute

Square Cut Style—Plunge-Cut, Spiral Flute

Use carbide bits for longer tool life and faster cutting speeds than high-speed steel.

Plunge Cut—Bits with a plunge cut type let you cut directly into the workpiece from above. Other bits are best for operations where the peripheral teeth do most of the work such as trimming, contouring, and finishing.

Straight Flutes—Bits with straight flutes are for general purpose use. They quickly remove material, leaving a rough finish.

Spiral Flute—Bits with spiral flutes leave a smoother finish than straight-flute bits.

Downward Chip Removal—Bits with downward chip removal push chips down for applications that require a smooth finish on the cut's top edge.

Upward Chip Removal—Bits with upward chip removal lift chips up for applications that require a smooth finish on the bottom edge of the cut. Securely clamp the workpiece before routing to prevent lifting.

1 Flute—Choose a bit with one flute for a faster cut; bits with more flutes produce a smoother finish.

	Lg. of Cut	Shank Dia.	Overall Lg.	No. of Flutes	For Tool Type	For Use On		Each
Square Cut Style







			Straight Flutes

			1/8"	1/2"	1/4"	2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	000000


			3/16"	5/8"	1/4"	2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000
			1/4"	3/4"	1/4"	2 1/2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000
			1/4"	1"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000
			3/8"	7/8"	3/8"	2 1/2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000
			1/2"	1"	1/2"	3"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	00000000	00000




					Spiral Flutes with Upward Chip Removal

					1/8"	1/2"	1/8"	2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000


					1/8"	1/2"	1/8"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/8"	1/2"	1/4"	2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/8"	3/4"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					3/16"	5/8"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/4"	3/8"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/4"	3/8"	1/4"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/4"	3/4"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/4"	7/8"	1/4"	3"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/4"	7/8"	1/4"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/4"	1"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000


					1/4"	1 1/4"	1/4"	3"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					3/8"	5/8"	3/8"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					3/8"	1 1/8"	3/8"	3"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/2"	1 1/8"	1/2"	3 1/2"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000




							Spiral Flutes with Downward Chip Removal

							1/8"	1/2"	1/8"	2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000


							1/8"	1/2"	1/8"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
							1/8"	1/2"	1/4"	2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
							1/4"	3/8"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
							1/4"	3/8"	1/4"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
							1/4"	3/4"	1/4"	2 1/2"	2	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
							1/4"	7/8"	1/4"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
							3/8"	5/8"	3/8"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
							1/2"	1 1/8"	1/2"	3 1/2"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000


							Square Cut Style—Plunge-Cut







	Spiral Flutes with Upward Chip Removal

	1/16"	1/4"							1/4"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000


	3/32"	1/4"							1/8"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
	5/32"	9/16"							1/4"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
	3/16"	5/8"							1/4"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
	7/32"	3/4"							1/4"	2 1/2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
	3/8"	5/8"							3/8"	2 1/2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
	1/2"	1 1/4"							1/2"	3"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000




			Spiral Flutes with Downward Chip Removal

			1/16"	1/4"					1/8"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000


			5/32"	9/16"					1/4"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
			3/16"	5/8"					1/4"	2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000

Ceramic-Coated Carbide

Straight Flute

Square Cut Style

Spiral Flute

Ceramic-coated carbide bits have a coating that increases the hardness of the bits and protects them from high heat, making them last about 2.5 times longer than uncoated bits. Use carbide bits for longer tool life and faster cutting speeds than high-speed steel.

Straight Flutes—Bits with straight flutes are for general purpose use. They quickly remove material, leaving a rough finish.

Spiral Flute—Bits with spiral flutes leave a smoother finish than straight-flute bits.

Downward Chip Removal—Bits with downward chip removal push chips down for applications that require a smooth finish on the cut's top edge.

1 Flute—Choose a bit with one flute for a faster cut; bits with more flutes produce a smoother finish.

	Overall Lg.	No. of Flutes	For Tool Type	For Use On		Each
Square Cut Style







	Straight Flutes

	1/8"	1/2"	1/4"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000


	3/16"	5/8"	1/4"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000




			Spiral Flutes with Upward Chip Removal

			1/16"	1/4"	1/8"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000


			1/8"	1/4"	1/4"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
			1/8"	3/4"	1/8"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
			1/4"	3/8"	1/4"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
			1/4"	7/8"	1/4"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
			1/4"	1"	1/4"	3"	2	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
			3/8"	1 1/8"	3/8"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000
			1/2"	1 1/8"	1/2"	3 1/2"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000
			1/2"	1 5/8"	1/2"	4"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000




					Spiral Flutes with Downward Chip Removal

					1/16"	1/4"	1/8"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000


					1/8"	1/2"	1/4"	2"	1	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/4"	7/8"	1/4"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					1/4"	1"	1/4"	3"	2	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
					3/8"	1 1/8"	3/8"	3"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000
					1/2"	1 1/8"	1/2"	3 1/2"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000
					1/2"	1 5/8"	1/2"	4"	3	Hand Router, Router Table, CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000

Corner-Rounding Router Bits

Choose from bits that form a variety of shapes along the edges of your workpiece.

Uncoated Carbide

Rounded Corner Style

Use solid carbide bits to round off sharp edges on plastic sheets. Their extreme hardness makes them brittle, so they’re not recommended for use with hand tools. A highly rigid setup, such as a CNC machine, is necessary to prevent the bit from breaking.

	Shank Dia.	Overall Lg.	No. of Flutes	For Tool Type	For Use On		Each
Rounded Corner Style







	Straight Flutes

	1/4"	1/8"	3/8"	1/4"	2 1/2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	000000


	1/4"	3/16"	3/8"	1/4"	2 1/2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000
	1/4"	1/4"	3/8"	1/4"	2 1/2"	1	CNC Machine	Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic	0000000	00000

Trimming Router Bits

Cut layers of material flush to one another or make cuts along a template.

Uncoated Carbide


Flush-Trimming Cut Style (Bottom Pilot)	Flush-Trimming Cut Style (Bottom Pilot), Spiral Flutes

Use carbide bits for longer tool life and faster cutting speeds than high-speed steel.

Bottom Pilot—Bottom-pilot bits trim material from an upper layer of the workpiece so that it is flush with the layer below. In addition to flush trimming, they can be used to cut along a template placed below the workpiece.

Spiral Flutes—Bits with spiral flutes leave a smoother finish than straight-flute bits and make plunge cuts more easily (for plunge-cutting bits).

Ball Bearing—Ball-bearing pilots guide the bit for accurate cuts and produce less friction than solid pilots for smoother operation.

Pilot Location—Pilot location describes the position of the pilot when the bit is used for hand routing. The pilot location is reversed when using the bit with a router table.

	Overall Lg.	Router Bit Pilot Type	Ball Bearing Pilot Dia.	No. of Flutes	For Tool Type	For Use On		Each
Flush-Trimming Cut Style (Bottom Pilot)







	Spiral Flutes

	1/4"	5/8"	1/4"	2 3/8"	Ball Bearing	1/4"	2	Hand Router, Router Table	Wood, Particleboard, Plywood, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Aluminum, Laminate, Foam, Composite	0000000	000000


	1/4"	3/4"	1/4"	3"	Ball Bearing	1/4"	2	Hand Router, Router Table	Wood, Particleboard, Plywood, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Laminate, Foam, Composite	0000000	00000
	1/2"	1 1/8"	1/2"	4"	Ball Bearing	1/2"	2	Hand Router, Router Table	Wood, Particleboard, Plywood, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Laminate, Foam, Composite	0000000	000000