In article ,
"Fred" wrote:

I purchased a new set of Costco Mastergrip Titanium Forstner bits sizes form
1/4" to 2 1/8". This set looks very nice until I pullout a small 3/8" bit,
put it in my hand drill and proceeded to drill. I need to go through a
laminate flooring (about 1/4" thick) and 1/2" particle board below it. After
one minute I just got through the top skin of the laminate then it won't go
beyond the particle board. I put all my 180 pounds on the drill and nothing.
I then took out my high speed twist bit and drill through like butter and
then rim out with the Forstner. The Titanium on the cutting surface is gone
from the friction. I've drilled through laminates with my hole saw before
without any problems. I had other Fostner bits, not Mastergrip, on the drill
press and its slow going but it does the job. Tell me Forstner bits are not
efficient but not like this.

Forstner bit in a hand drill?

The compound on the first layer of quality laminate flooring is
unbelievably hard. Your forstner bit was not match. NO forstner bits ,
unless carbide, will work there. Sometimes a small ring will form under
the bit when it finally cuts through the phenolic (second layer) and all
you get after that is smoke.
That's job for sharp carbide. Forstners work better in regular wood,
rather than new-fangled tough stuff.