Martin L
Registered:1536788604 Posts: 34
Posted 1569659466
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#1
I have use forstner drill bits for a few years now. I have recently been asked to make several items in one of our native Australian hardwoods as I started to do the drilling I soon realised that the high speed steel ones in the set I have had for many years were not going to cope with the timber (Spotted Gum). So a trip over to Timbecon our tool supplier and machinery sales to purchase a newer type of forstner drill (38mm in dia.). They are Forstner Style Tungsten Boring Bit and are they good, I tell you they cut through the Spotted Gum like a knife through butter. All one needs is a piece of 16mm MDF on the drill table and drill straight through no stopping no going so far and then turn the piece over and drill again. I know what I will be replacing my bits with when the time comes. I did do several tests in different types of timber from soft woods through to hardwoods including Jarrah Red Gum.
kenneth smith
Toy Wizard at ToymakingPlans.com
Registered:1561740625 Posts: 80
Posted 1569708670
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#2
Great tip.
BadBob
Registered:1431169272 Posts: 1,471
Posted 1569813263
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#3
Could it be that your bits are dull? They can be sharpened.
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Martin L
Registered:1536788604 Posts: 34
Posted 1569829034
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#4
Hi Bob, yes I know that they can be sharpened but when you are drilling 150 38mm holes in some of the hardest of hardwoods. I did sharpen it several times after drilling 15 holes and then doing it again after another 15, It was easier to purchase a tungsten bit. Thanks for the thought much appreciated.
BadBob
Registered:1431169272 Posts: 1,471
Posted 1569843312
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#5
I did a test on Forstner bits sometime ago. The ones I had were not getting the job done. Eliminating anything that was not high-speed steel, I bought single bits to test. Without going into a lot of detail, the winner was Freud Precision Shear. I liked the Fisch bits and would have purchased those had they been readily available. At the time, they were only available to me through what I think of as boutique woodworking stores at crazy expensive prices. Today you can buy them on Amazon for about the same price as the Freud Precision Shear bits.
Note that Freud makes two kinds of forstner bits. The Freud Diablo bits are not anywhere near the quality of the Freud Precision Shear bits. According to a Freud salesman, the Diablo line is made primarily to sell in the big box stores at a price point.
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Rod T
Registered:1431775151 Posts: 649
Posted 1569888817
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#6
Great tip. If they will go through Spotted Gum then I am in. I have a set of Forstner bits that are called Wave Cutters, can't remember the brand. I think Fisch. These have been by go-to bits for large holes. Cut pretty smoothly through hardwoods etc. I think they are High Speed Steel, so will dull over time. Sounds like the Tungsten tipped ones might be the way to go when I need to replace them though. Cheers Rod T