I wanted to counterbore several 3/4" holes about an eighth of an inch
deep in 3/4" plywood. I bought a set of Forstner bits at Lowe's,
chucked the 3/4" one in a corded 1/2" drill, and made a practice swipe
at a piece of pine. It was incredibly hard going. I really had to lean
on it. I did manage to get down to about an eighth of an inch, both in
the pine and eventually in the plywood, but I don't know what it would
have taken to drill all the way through. I tried several diameters and
they were all the same.

Did I get a crappy set of bits, or are they not meant to be used in a
hand drill? I don't have a drill press to make a comparison.

On Jun 20, 5:21*pm, Richard Evans wrote:
I wanted to counterbore several 3/4" holes about an eighth of an inch
deep in 3/4" plywood. I bought a set of Forstner bits at Lowe's,
chucked the 3/4" one in a corded 1/2" drill, and made a practice swipe
at a piece of pine. It was incredibly hard going. I really had to lean
on it. I did manage to get down to about an eighth of an inch, both in
the pine and eventually in the plywood, but I don't know what it would
have taken to drill all the way through. I tried several diameters and
they were all the same.

Did I get a crappy set of bits, or are they not meant to be used in a
hand drill? I don't have a drill press to make a comparison.

It's just about impossible to hold your hand drill at exactly straight
up and down anda forstner has to be absolutely straight to cut. I've
been able to do it by slightly altering the angle a little bit, all
the way around the compass.

With a hand drill it's a royal pain. You can get better results with
one of those hand drill guide jig things that essentially make your
hand drill into a little mobile drill press but it's still a royal
pain. Sometimes it's the only way, though.

And yes, those lowe's bits probably aren't all that sharp to begin
with. My sister gave me a set one Christmas. It's nice having all
those sizes but every time I have to drill a lot of holes I end up
burning out the bit and buying one that costs about as much as the
set.

Still, it really is nice to have all those sizes and they work if I
don't push them too hard. :-)

In article ,
says...

I wanted to counterbore several 3/4" holes about an eighth of an inch
deep in 3/4" plywood. I bought a set of Forstner bits at Lowe's,
chucked the 3/4" one in a corded 1/2" drill, and made a practice swipe
at a piece of pine. It was incredibly hard going. I really had to lean
on it. I did manage to get down to about an eighth of an inch, both in
the pine and eventually in the plywood, but I don't know what it would
have taken to drill all the way through. I tried several diameters and
they were all the same.

Did I get a crappy set of bits, or are they not meant to be used in a
hand drill? I don't have a drill press to make a comparison.


Get a self feeding bit, they have a small screw thread to pull the bit through.
I just bored some 2 1/2" holes through railroad ties, and it pulled through
faster than I wanted. I used my Harbor Freight copy of the Milwaukee Hole Hog,
one of the best HF tools I have bought. Terrific torque. I use self feeding
augers for boring holes for electrical wiring, using the HF sideways in between
studs, and you don't even have to press, just touch it to the wood and hold on.


--
Dennis

"Richard Evans" wrote in message
...
I bought a set of Forstner bits at Lowe's,
Did I get a crappy set of bits, or are they not meant to be used in a
hand drill?

I think you already know the answer since you typed the above. Even a cheap
set at Woodcraft is sharp enough for a few holes.

On Jun 20, 6:21*pm, Richard Evans wrote:
I wanted to counterbore several 3/4" holes about an eighth of an inch
deep in 3/4" plywood. I bought a set of Forstner bits at Lowe's,
chucked the 3/4" one in a corded 1/2" drill, and made a practice swipe
at a piece of pine. It was incredibly hard going. I really had to lean
on it. I did manage to get down to about an eighth of an inch, both in
the pine and eventually in the plywood, but I don't know what it would
have taken to drill all the way through. I tried several diameters and
they were all the same.

Did I get a crappy set of bits, or are they not meant to be used in a
hand drill? I don't have a drill press to make a comparison.

Was it turning in the right direction? Are you sure?

John Martin

FOstner bits are not made to be used a high RPM. Check the bit, it
should have some info about max rpm recommendations. I found this out
the hard way.

John Martin wrote:
On Jun 20, 6:21 pm, Richard Evans wrote:
I wanted to counterbore several 3/4" holes about an eighth of an inch
deep in 3/4" plywood. I bought a set of Forstner bits at Lowe's,
chucked the 3/4" one in a corded 1/2" drill, and made a practice swipe
at a piece of pine. It was incredibly hard going. I really had to lean
on it. I did manage to get down to about an eighth of an inch, both in
the pine and eventually in the plywood, but I don't know what it would
have taken to drill all the way through. I tried several diameters and
they were all the same.

Did I get a crappy set of bits, or are they not meant to be used in a
hand drill? I don't have a drill press to make a comparison.

Was it turning in the right direction? Are you sure?

John Martin

John Martin wrote:

On Jun 20, 6:21*pm, Richard Evans wrote:
I wanted to counterbore several 3/4" holes about an eighth of an inch
deep in 3/4" plywood. I bought a set of Forstner bits at Lowe's,
chucked the 3/4" one in a corded 1/2" drill, and made a practice swipe
at a piece of pine. It was incredibly hard going. I really had to lean
on it. I did manage to get down to about an eighth of an inch, both in
the pine and eventually in the plywood, but I don't know what it would
have taken to drill all the way through. I tried several diameters and
they were all the same.

Did I get a crappy set of bits, or are they not meant to be used in a
hand drill? I don't have a drill press to make a comparison.

Was it turning in the right direction? Are you sure?

Yes, and yes.

I found myself having to make a 1.5" to 2" adapter ring tonight, and
used a forstner bit and hole saw to do it, in a scrap piece of full 3/4"
birch ply. Since I had the forstner bit out and I remembered your post,
I chucked it up in my dewalt drill afterwards.

I clamped a scrap 2x4 stud cutoff to the bench, and in about 60 seconds
(and much swearing/trying to keep the bit perpendicular) I managed to
make just over a 1/8" impression.

By comparision, drilling completely through the ply took about 30
seconds at 580rpm on the drill press. (Probably could have done it
faster, but I just kept even pressure and backed out occasionally for
the waste.)

So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."

(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner bit.)


Jason Buckler
Marietta, GA

Richard Evans wrote:
John Martin wrote:

On Jun 20, 6:21 pm, Richard Evans wrote:
I wanted to counterbore several 3/4" holes about an eighth of an inch
deep in 3/4" plywood. I bought a set of Forstner bits at Lowe's,
chucked the 3/4" one in a corded 1/2" drill, and made a practice swipe
at a piece of pine. It was incredibly hard going. I really had to lean
on it. I did manage to get down to about an eighth of an inch, both in
the pine and eventually in the plywood, but I don't know what it would
have taken to drill all the way through. I tried several diameters and
they were all the same.

Did I get a crappy set of bits, or are they not meant to be used in a
hand drill? I don't have a drill press to make a comparison.
Was it turning in the right direction? Are you sure?

Yes, and yes.

Richard,

I don't wish to seem contrary to other posters here... but a forstner style
bit can easily be used in a hand drill. And I said "forstner style" because
there are a few configurations of bits on the market commonly referred to as
"forstner". My guess is that your bits are not sharp. I purchased a set of
Chiwanese made bits from Harbour Freight (24 bits in a wooden box for 20
bucks) that couldn't cut cheese. That is, until I sharpened every last one of
'em. You can sharpen them with a fine toothed round file and a fine grit
stone (for the circumference). Diamond hones and India slip stones work well
too. And lots of patience!!! (especially for the small ones). After
sharpening, they cut like butter. Except not for long. The steel is low
quality so they don't hold an edge very well. Also, use a slow speed to keep
friction to a minimum (variable speed drill) and try to stay as perpendicular
as possible.

To really appreciate how well a "forstner" bit can cut in a hand drill,
invest in a Freud bit. They're sharp right out'a the box.

But there's no denying that a drill press works best.

Cheers.

Michael

--
Message posted via CraftKB.com
http://www.craftkb.com/Uwe/Forums.as...rking/200806/1

On Jun 25, 11:06*pm, Jason wrote:

So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."

(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner bit.)

Jason Buckler

They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.

It shouldn't take any great amount of force to get them to cut.

I presume you're referring to a steel bit as opposed to a "carbide"
one.

John Martin

"Jason" wrote

birch ply. Since I had the forstner bit out and I remembered your post,
I chucked it up in my dewalt drill afterwards.


So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."


Sharpen the one you have, or buy yourself a better bit.

I routinely use forstner bits in hand drills with no problem ... everything
from drilling holes in kitchen cabinets for electrical/plumbing pathways
during installation, to more delicate jobs like drilling depressions for
figure 8 fasteners in the edge of table aprons.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"John Martin" wrote

So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."

(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner bit.)

Jason Buckler

They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.

Then your not talking about a "Forstner" bit ... proper Forstner bits indeed
have a point, which is called the "gimlet point", as named by the man who
invented the bit.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

John Martin wrote:
On Jun 25, 11:06 pm, Jason wrote:
So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."

(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner bit.)

Jason Buckler

They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.

It shouldn't take any great amount of force to get them to cut.

I presume you're referring to a steel bit as opposed to a "carbide"
one.


Yes, exactly right on both counts. I ment carbide, and yes, my problem
was keeping the bit from skating around.

As I said originally, I stopped after a minute. However, once I got
past the 1/8th inch mark I had enough of a "go" to where I could have
continued on, since the bit was sharp enough. I didn't though, since I
was already "job done" on the drill press.

Jason Buckler
Marietta, GA

I bought some High Speed Steel wood bits from an online vendor of some
repute (the name of which escapes me) and was impressed when removing
the plastic coating each tip had been dipped in as I sliced my finger
on the bit as I removed the coating.

They worked wonders in the wood, too!

I bought HFT "Forstner" bits and another set from one of those mobile
vendor "Tool Sales" and one from Bosch (at Lowes). The Bosch was more
expensive (35mm?) than was the first set of six from HFT and the
larger set (to 2.5") from the mobile vendor.

I use a drill press - mostly, But I have used them in "electric
drills" from time to time with decent results - certainly nothing to
complain about.

Having said that, I wonder if anyone has any experience with a HSS set
from Hartville Tools, or another vendor as I would love to buy a set
as sharp as the bits first referenced, above, in the Forstner style.

PS, the Irwin Auger Bits with Three (3) flutes are a joy to use. In my
14.4VDC Sears drill *shorter than my 19.2VDC model, with less torque/
power" I was easily able to "punch" holes through the floor joits to
run my wiring "out of the way." They have that screw starter point
and pull themselves through leaving a nice clean hole, If you hit a
nail enroute, however, they suffer significantly!

On Jun 26, 7:08*am, "Swingman" wrote:
"John Martin" *wrote



So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."

(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner bit.)

Jason Buckler
They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. *If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.

Then your not talking about a "Forstner" bit ... proper Forstner bits indeed
have a point, which is called the "gimlet point", as named by *the man who
invented the bit.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Oh, I most definitely am. The Forstners I use are almost all by
Connecticut Valley, BGI or PM - companies that have been making them
for well over 100 years. Machine shanks and bit brace shanks. Some
have small points that extend below the rim, some don't. On none of
them does the center point extend more than about 1/16" below the
rim. Of those that don't, some never did - it's not a re-sharpening
mistake. The Forstner bits are meant to be guided by their rims, not
their center points.

I even checked a couple of really big Forstners I have - 2-5/8" and
2-3/4", 3/4" shanks, about a foot long. Conn Valley, but they don't
show them in their product list anymore. Original factory grinds.
Each has a central point, but it's flat-topped and about 1/4" wide -
it's certainly not intended to guide the bit.

With the brace bits, one trick is to turn them backward at first to
get the rim to dig in slightly before you start to cut.

I've got no idea what was in Benjamin Forstner's original patents -
all I know is that the companies that have been making them from the
beginning have been making them without center points large enough to
significantly guide them. They do help in getting them on the center
mark, but that's about it. If you had a gimlet point, you wouldn't
get a flat-bottomed hole, would you?

John Martin

"John Martin" wrote in message
...
On Jun 26, 7:08 am, "Swingman" wrote:
"John Martin" wrote



So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."

(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner
bit.)

Jason Buckler
They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.

Then your not talking about a "Forstner" bit ... proper Forstner bits
indeed
have a point, which is called the "gimlet point", as named by the man who
invented the bit.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Oh, I most definitely am. The Forstners I use are almost all by

Don't be so naive. Just because someone calls/sells a bit as a "forstner",
does not make it so.

Once again, a true "Forstner" bit, BY DESIGN, has a point to guide the
center of the initial drilling. This is an inarguable FACT, deal with it.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Swingman wrote:
"John Martin" wrote in message
...
On Jun 26, 7:08 am, "Swingman" wrote:
"John Martin" wrote



So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."
(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner
bit.)
Jason Buckler
They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.
Then your not talking about a "Forstner" bit ... proper Forstner bits
indeed
have a point, which is called the "gimlet point", as named by the man who
invented the bit.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Oh, I most definitely am. The Forstners I use are almost all by

Don't be so naive. Just because someone calls/sells a bit as a "forstner",
does not make it so.

Once again, a true "Forstner" bit, BY DESIGN, has a point to guide the
center of the initial drilling. This is an inarguable FACT, deal with it.


Not in the original patent, but others dated later do have the point.
Ben sure liked drill bits!

(I hope the link works)

http://www.google.com/patents?id=FtRDAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP1&dq=BENJAMIN+FORSTNE R&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=0_1#PPP1,M1

MikeB

On Jun 27, 11:50*am, "Swingman" wrote:
"John Martin" wrote in message

...
On Jun 26, 7:08 am, "Swingman" wrote:





"John Martin" wrote

So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."

(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner
bit.)

Jason Buckler
They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.

Then your not talking about a "Forstner" bit ... proper Forstner bits
indeed
have a point, which is called the "gimlet point", as named by the man who
invented the bit.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)
Oh, I most definitely am. *The Forstners I use are almost all by

Don't be so naive. *Just because someone calls/sells a bit as a "forstner",
does not make it so.

Once again, a true "Forstner" bit, BY DESIGN, has a point to guide the
center of the initial drilling. This is an inarguable FACT, deal with it.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

"Just because someone calls/sells a bit as a "forstner", does not make
it so." I agree, but then I am so naive. If you bother re-reading my
post, however, you'll see that the companies I mentioned were making
Forstner bits well over 100 years ago, under license from Benjamin
Forstner - the inventor. That's not a Forstner bit?

Someone else has already posted a link to Benjamin Forstner's patent -
# 115148, dated August 15, 1874. Rather than make you search for it,
though, here is a quote from it:

"The circular band serves to guide the bit accurately in its movement,
and also give the hole that is bored a smooth and perfect finish. By
its employment the gimlet-point may be dispensed with, and as the
cutting lips do not project beyond its horizontal plane, it follows
that the wood is not cut beyond the line operated upon by the circular
cutting-edge of the band."

And that, Swingman, is an inarguable FACT, with which you must deal.

John Martin

"John Martin" wrote

"Just because someone calls/sells a bit as a "forstner", does not make
it so." I agree, but then I am so naive. If you bother re-reading my
post, however, you'll see that the companies I mentioned were making
Forstner bits well over 100 years ago, under license from Benjamin
Forstner - the inventor. That's not a Forstner bit?


I stand corrected ... mea culpa.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"bq340" wrote

Not in the original patent, but others dated later do have the point.
Ben sure liked drill bits!

He called it a "gimlet point" and it was added specifically to aid in
centering the bit for drilling.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Swingman wrote:
"John Martin" wrote in message
...
On Jun 26, 7:08 am, "Swingman" wrote:
"John Martin" wrote



So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."
(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner
bit.)
Jason Buckler
They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.
Then your not talking about a "Forstner" bit ... proper Forstner bits
indeed
have a point, which is called the "gimlet point", as named by the man who
invented the bit.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Oh, I most definitely am. The Forstners I use are almost all by

Don't be so naive. Just because someone calls/sells a bit as a "forstner",
does not make it so.

Once again, a true "Forstner" bit, BY DESIGN, has a point to guide the
center of the initial drilling. This is an inarguable FACT, deal with it.



I'm quite certain I'm talking about a Forstner bit, and even with the
center point, I still had skate issues.

These are the ones I was using, straight from the Rockler store in Sandy
Springs, GA:
http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?O...Select=Details

They have they point. They are forstner bits.

Yet, I had skate issues when the main body dug in, all probably due to
RPM speed. My Dewalt doesn't have a lot of inbetween (14.4V 1/2" chuck,
older model. It's either not enough, or too much.)

That was my experience. I'll stick to using them in a drill press.. OR
using them in a different drill.

Jason Buckler
Marietta, GA

On Jun 27, 12:53*pm, "Swingman" wrote:
"John Martin" wrote

"Just because someone calls/sells a bit as a "forstner", does not make
it so." *I agree, but then I am so naive. *If you bother re-reading my
post, however, you'll see that the companies I mentioned were making
Forstner bits well over 100 years ago, under license from Benjamin
Forstner - the inventor. *That's not a Forstner bit?

I stand corrected ... mea culpa.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Takes a man to say that, Swingman. Pax.

I'll admit myself that I didn't know of Ben Forstner's later idea of a
center point. I've never seen a Forstner with one large enough to
keep it on center. I have sawtooth bits with large center points, but
I wouldn't call those Forstners.

Of the Forstners that I have that do have the center points, they are
handy in visually centering a spinning bit on a mark, but that's about
it.

John Martin

"Jason" wrote

They have they point. They are forstner bits.

Yet, I had skate issues when the main body dug in, all probably due to
RPM speed. My Dewalt doesn't have a lot of inbetween (14.4V 1/2" chuck,
older model. It's either not enough, or too much.)

That was my experience. I'll stick to using them in a drill press.. OR
using them in a different drill.

If they skate on you out of the box, what you're experiencing is mostly the
result of poor quality. Not surprising as Rockler's hardware quality seems
to have suffered since the advent of importing.

Next time you need a good Forstner of modern design (with the center spur),
try the "Bormax" or "Famag" brands (you can now get both from WoodCraft):

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=1917

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=778

The "Bormax" are a bit pricier (no pun intended) but have served me and I've
used a ton of forstner bits, particularly the 35mm variety for drilling
cabinet door hinges. The one I have now has drilled a couple of hundred
cabinet doors and will still cut you when handling it.

Famag was best of breed in a fairly recent FWW review.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

I may be over-simplifying but I think the center point is there to provide a
small reference pilot for true center if you need to extend a smaller
diameter bit through for a bolt or dowel; at least that is what I have used
it for over the last 40 years or so.

As a kid and while going to colege, I worked in a production shop that did a
lot of turnings, they used forster bits to set up the ends of the stock for
the tail piece.

I have always planned machining operations around that when working with
wood. Not so often but also with plastics.

I think that a couple of the operations even used modified bits to trip the
top of legs outer diameter to uniform sizes so they would fit into the
corresponding hole that was bored to receive it.

BTW - new here since Verizon took away alt binaries pictures woodworking

Thanks for having me

Jay


"John Martin" wrote in message
...
On Jun 26, 7:08 am, "Swingman" wrote:
"John Martin" wrote



So.. my answer is "No, they ain't ment to be used in a drill."

(For reference, I was using a Rockler steel - not carbon - forstner
bit.)

Jason Buckler
They're not meant to be used in a hand-held drill only because there
is no central point to locate the bit. If you don't hold them
perfectly straight - and sometimes even if you do - they can skate all
over the workpiece.

Then your not talking about a "Forstner" bit ... proper Forstner bits
indeed
have a point, which is called the "gimlet point", as named by the man who
invented the bit.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Oh, I most definitely am. The Forstners I use are almost all by
Connecticut Valley, BGI or PM - companies that have been making them
for well over 100 years. Machine shanks and bit brace shanks. Some
have small points that extend below the rim, some don't. On none of
them does the center point extend more than about 1/16" below the
rim. Of those that don't, some never did - it's not a re-sharpening
mistake. The Forstner bits are meant to be guided by their rims, not
their center points.

I even checked a couple of really big Forstners I have - 2-5/8" and
2-3/4", 3/4" shanks, about a foot long. Conn Valley, but they don't
show them in their product list anymore. Original factory grinds.
Each has a central point, but it's flat-topped and about 1/4" wide -
it's certainly not intended to guide the bit.

With the brace bits, one trick is to turn them backward at first to
get the rim to dig in slightly before you start to cut.

I've got no idea what was in Benjamin Forstner's original patents -
all I know is that the companies that have been making them from the
beginning have been making them without center points large enough to
significantly guide them. They do help in getting them on the center
mark, but that's about it. If you had a gimlet point, you wouldn't
get a flat-bottomed hole, would you?

John Martin

Swingman wrote:
"Jason" wrote

Yet, I had skate issues when the main body dug in, all probably due to
RPM speed. My Dewalt doesn't have a lot of inbetween (14.4V 1/2" chuck,
older model. It's either not enough, or too much.)

That was my experience. I'll stick to using them in a drill press.. OR
using them in a different drill.

If they skate on you out of the box, what you're experiencing is mostly the
result of poor quality. Not surprising as Rockler's hardware quality seems
to have suffered since the advent of importing.

Next time you need a good Forstner of modern design (with the center spur),
try the "Bormax" or "Famag" brands (you can now get both from WoodCraft):

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=1917

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=778

Cool, appreciate that info. I don't often find myself needing forstners
(I'm just getting back into the swing of things, as it were), but the
next time I need to do a bunch I'll invest in a couple of those.

Thanks!

Jason Buckler
Marietta, GA

On Jun 27, 5:34 pm, "Swingman" wrote:
"Jason" wrote

They have they point. They are forstner bits.

Yet, I had skate issues when the main body dug in, all probably due to
RPM speed. My Dewalt doesn't have a lot of inbetween (14.4V 1/2" chuck,
older model. It's either not enough, or too much.)

That was my experience. I'll stick to using them in a drill press.. OR
using them in a different drill.

If they skate on you out of the box, what you're experiencing is mostly the
result of poor quality. Not surprising as Rockler's hardware quality seems
to have suffered since the advent of importing.

Next time you need a good Forstner of modern design (with the center spur),
try the "Bormax" or "Famag" brands (you can now get both from WoodCraft):

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=1917

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=778

The "Bormax" are a bit pricier (no pun intended) but have served me and I've
used a ton of forstner bits, particularly the 35mm variety for drilling
cabinet door hinges. The one I have now has drilled a couple of hundred
cabinet doors and will still cut you when handling it.

Famag was best of breed in a fairly recent FWW review.


Skating seems to be a probelm with many brands of cheap Forstner bits.
Oddly enough, this is one area where price really does seem to follow
quality. Connecticut Valley, Famag and a couple of others have pretty
much traditional patterns, but don't skate--if they're kept sharp.
Some who wants to pay 30 or 40 bucks for a 16 bit set, should expect
poor to fair (if they're lucky) out-of-the-box performance that
improves with sharpening, but never equals, or even comes close, to
the performance of the high end bits.

Famag is new to me, but ConVaCo bits have been around since I started
messing with wood back in the early '50s. Jeez. No wonder the kids
seem to be aging.

"Charlie Self" wrote

Famag is new to me, but ConVaCo bits have been around since I started
messing with wood back in the early '50s.

IIRC, Famag is Austrian/German ... same inventive European engineering that
is responsible for 99% of civilization's technological advances in the past
few centuries.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Swingman wrote:
If they skate on you out of the box, what you're experiencing is
mostly the
result of poor quality. Not surprising as Rockler's hardware quality seems
to have suffered since the advent of importing.

Next time you need a good Forstner of modern design (with the center spur),
try the "Bormax" or "Famag" brands (you can now get both from WoodCraft):

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=1917

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=778

The "Bormax" are a bit pricier (no pun intended) but have served me and I've
used a ton of forstner bits, particularly the 35mm variety for drilling
cabinet door hinges. The one I have now has drilled a couple of hundred
cabinet doors and will still cut you when handling it.

Famag was best of breed in a fairly recent FWW review.

I picked up these Grizzly bits ($30 for 16 pc. set) after a magazine
review. It may have been FWW but I can't remember.

I've no complaints about their performance, and the price is very
reasonable.

http://grizzly.com/products/Forstner-Bit-16-pc-Set-Ground-Tips/H6334

"Woodie" wrote in message
Next time you need a good Forstner of modern design (with the center
spur),
try the "Bormax" or "Famag" brands (you can now get both from WoodCraft):

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=1917

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyId=778

The "Bormax" are a bit pricier (no pun intended) but have served me and
I've
used a ton of forstner bits, particularly the 35mm variety for drilling
cabinet door hinges. The one I have now has drilled a couple of hundred
cabinet doors and will still cut you when handling it.

Famag was best of breed in a fairly recent FWW review.

I picked up these Grizzly bits ($30 for 16 pc. set) after a magazine
review. It may have been FWW but I can't remember.

I've no complaints about their performance, and the price is very
reasonable.

http://grizzly.com/products/Forstner-Bit-16-pc-Set-Ground-Tips/H6334

I have a similar cheap set. For the sizes that you only drill with one or
three hoes a year, they are good and it is handy to have those sizes around
"just in case". But the 3/8" and 3/4" that I use a lot have long been
replaced with better ones that hold up longer.

John Martin wrote:

Someone else has already posted a link to Benjamin Forstner's patent -
# 115148, dated August 15, 1874. Rather than make you search for it,
though, here is a quote from it:

The link is to an Feb 26 1886 patent which Benjamin Forstner clearly
felt was an improvement and DOES include a cutting-point. A quote is
under. So you are both right

In the manufacture of in improved auger the slots b are formed by
milling, thus facilitating the manufacture and lessening the expense
which necessarily attended the manufacture of the bit made under my
formerpatent. 1. In an auger, a circular peripheral cutting-edge formed
of two parts, a a', each provided with a cutting-edge, e, inclined slots
d, formed in opposite sides of the cutter, cutting-lips b,formed along
the inclined slots, and a central cutting-point, e, joining the
cutting-lips b, substantially as herein specified
--
replace spamblock with my family name to e-mail me
Pics at http://www.meekings.net/diving/index.shtml
and http://www.meekings.net/photo-groups/nui/index.shtml

Jason wrote:

(snipping lots of priors)

I wrote:
These are the ones I was using, straight from the Rockler store in Sandy
Springs, GA:
http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?O...Select=Details

They have they point. They are forstner bits.

Yet, I had skate issues when the main body dug in, all probably due to
RPM speed. My Dewalt doesn't have a lot of inbetween (14.4V 1/2" chuck,
older model. It's either not enough, or too much.)

That was my experience. I'll stick to using them in a drill press.. OR
using them in a different drill.

Um... Heh.. I made a booboo blunder.

Was working on something else this morning and had reason to drill a few
holes. Chucked a bit in the dewalt and commenced drilling... and
realized it was drilling quite well - and fast.

Turns out I had somehow changed the top speed switch from "1" to "2" and
didn't notice. Hmm, I wonder. Fetched the aforementioned forstner bit,
chucked it up, grabbed my scrap piece, and set the switch to "1".

Guess what? More speed control, and I was able to drill in quite well
and with only a little effort I was halfway through the scrap. More
importantly - no skating!

Morale of the story: user error on my part. So for precision holes
freehand, I'll use a forstner in the drill (spade bits otherwise), but
still prefer the drill press for 'em.

Jason Buckler
(typing with horked thumb in splint is fun!)
Marietta, GA

I have these:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...ilter=forstner

they work great for me, and are opn sale right now for 60$ (The other
set here is 70

shelly

" wrote:


It's just about impossible to hold your hand drill at exactly straight
up and down anda forstner has to be absolutely straight to cut.

Eh? No. I drill angled holes with forstners all the time.
-- Doug

"Douglas Johnson" wrote in message
...
" wrote:


It's just about impossible to hold your hand drill at exactly straight
up and down anda forstner has to be absolutely straight to cut.

Eh? No. I drill angled holes with forstners all the time.
-- Doug

It depends on your skill level and experience.

Many years ago I made rustic furniture. It was all made of planks held
together with lag screws and large bolts. All had to have the pilot holes
drilled and the head set beneath the surface.

I drilled hundreds of holes with a hand drill almost every day. I got very
good at drilling straight holes. So good, I used to make a little drinking
money betting people I could drill holes as straight as they could with all
their fancy guides. (And I did it much faster too.)

I am certain that I lost some of that ability, but I can drill a pretty
straight hole to this day. But I had lots and lots of practice. I ain't no
woodworking natural or athlete. Just worked at it awhile. Like anything, if
you do it enough, it looks easy and/or natural.

wrote:
....
... anda forstner has to be absolutely straight to cut. ...

No, that's one of the advantages of a Forstner--it is guided by the rim
and can do things like angle cuts, one side off the edge of the
material, etc., etc., that others can't do.

It does take a good quality bit which is both sharp and primarily runs
perfectly true, however, and many of the inexpensive ones simply aren't
finished well enough to do so...

--

dpb wrote:
wrote:
....
... anda forstner has to be absolutely straight to cut. ...

No, that's one of the advantages of a Forstner--it is guided by the rim
and can do things like angle cuts, one side off the edge of the
material, etc., etc., that others can't do.


It does take a good quality bit which is both sharp and primarily runs
perfectly true, however, and many of the inexpensive ones simply aren't
finished well enough to do so...

--

I second that and what Lee Michaels said in a previous post. I built a
platerack last winter that used 60 1/2" holes for dowels. I don't own a
drill press but used a Freud Forstner that drilled the holes nicely. As
Lee said, it takes a bit of skill which needs to be developed, but once
you do that, the holes came out as well as I wanted.

Tanus

On Jun 30, 12:28 am, Searcher7 wrote:
On Jun 29, 11:56 pm, wrote:

I have these:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...ilter=forstner

they work great for me, and are opn sale right now for 60$ (The other
set here is 70

shelly

Wouldn't carbide be better than those for hardwoods?

these are!

On Jun 30, 1:07*pm, Douglas Johnson wrote:
" wrote:
It's just about impossible to hold your hand drill at exactly straight
up and down anda forstner has to be absolutely straight to cut.

Eh? *No. *I drill angled holes with forstners all the time.
-- Doug

It doesn't have to be straight to cut, as it will cut at any angle.
And it will cut less than a full circle.

It will do both of those nicely in a drill press. In a hand-held
drill, if the bit is not perpendicular to the work, and if the bit
lacks a substantial center point as most Forstners do, it is
susceptible to skating. The rim contacts the work on one side, and
the bit tries to walk away on the rim. Once the hole is started, it's
fine.

John Martin

On Jun 30, 11:58*pm, wrote:
On Jun 30, 12:28 am, Searcher7 wrote: On Jun 29, 11:56 pm, wrote:

I have these:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...ilter=forstner

they work great for me, and are opn sale right now *for 60$ (The other
set here is 70

shelly

Wouldn't carbide be better than those for hardwoods?

these are!

Not according to the post: "Pre-sharpened high carbon steel bits".

I was going to pick some up.(They are not on sale anymore anyway).

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

not sure.... I thought that is the same thing....

In any event, this set works fine for me. - and I have all the sizes
In need. If I ever burn one up, I'll get a
freud.

shelly