I'm replacing scratched and worn sill caps in one room and need to borrow a router to shape and finish the ends of the caps. What size router bit do I need?

 

Hand routers use either 1/4" or 1/2" shank bits....it depends on the router and some have an interchangeable collet for both. This is the diameter of the bit shaft. The other thing you need to know is what pattern of bit you want, and THAT is a multiple choice question......depends on what pattern of cut you want to put in the wood or what pattern you're trying to match or what you can even buy that will match or come close....

Most sills I've seen use a ogee pattern in combination with a round over pattern for the edge.....of course, they were run on a commercial moulding machine that had both cuts built into one cutter head, something you're not likely to find in a hand router bit.