# Forstner bit question.



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

I've never used a Forstner bit, but I have a couple of pending projects where I think one would work on, and save me some time. But don't feel like putting out the money for one, just to experiment. So, I'm thinking of getting one of the Chinese knockoffs, they're only around $7, including shipping, and see if it would work for me.
CNBTR 5.5cm Alloy Steel Forstner Drill Bit Red and Sliver | eBay
Then, if it worked out like I hope it would, I'd be willing to pop the extra $ for the genuine article.

My question is, has anyone here used one of the cheapo Chinese versions? And, if so, how did it work? I don't really want to pop for one, even at their low prices, unless they actually work. Don't even have to work long, just long enough to know they will do the job, and then it can disintegrate for all I care, because the plan is to then get the real thing.

I can actually do without one, by cutting out the pieces before they are put together. But that will take more time, and not be as neat work. 

I take back the part about disintegrating. Instead I will give it to my older son. He has been doing a bit of so-called 'yard art', basically welding together a few pieces of what is basically junk. And has found it quit easy to sell them for $40 each. Who would have thought?


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

It would help if you described what you are using it for also what kind of wood will you be drilling, and on a drill press or hand drill, and what diameter is the hole.
I use Forstner type bits all the time ,but not any like that one. Most of mine are chinese,but do have some better ones. I use mine mostly on a drill press . 
On very large holes I use a hole saw ,it is easier on the drill and easier for me to not tear up the back side where it exits.

The one you show is more what I would think of for plumbing or electrical wiring holes , these are more for rough work is my guess. I use the ones that have teeth around the perimeter, not the wing cutters you show. More like These:
HSS Forstner & Saw Tooth Bits - Lee Valley Tools

Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

> My question is, has anyone here used one of the *cheapo Chinese* versions?


yes...
short life..
dull out of the box...
elliptical...
point off center...
shank off center..
poor chip ejection...


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## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> yes...
> short life..
> dull out of the box...
> elliptical...
> ...


Good description Stick.I have a set of el cheapo Forstner bits & they are difficult to use with a power drill + what you said,a drill press is the only way to use them otherwise they could break your wrist(s)


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Here a 1" Chinese bit being used to drill a piece of cherry for the facing of a router edge guide. This is the same bit that I used to drill the door jamb when I was repairing the split. Have to double check, but think I ran the drill press at 800+ rpm, still giving a nice clean cut. The holes in the door jamb were done with a hand drill, don't remember any particular problem.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

All except the two un-boxed bits are very low cost Chinese ones and all are Carbide tipped and continue to give excellent performance despite the years that I've had them.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I have some cheap ones and also good ones. The best I have are from Lee Valley and work great, even in a hand drill. The cheap ones are okay in a DP but not much good hand held. For details see Stick's comments.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

I have a set from HF. They do a good job but I don't have a call for them a lot like some WWers. Beats the spade bits, though.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

Hole saws work extremely well on soft wood, or hard wood less than half inch thick. Hole saws struggle on deep wood because of heat build up and they will burn the wood in ring marks unless you are very careful, but you can get really big sizes at not much cost.
Forstner bits are the opposite in my experience, Mine tear out soft wood as they go in and as they come out. But a medium sized hole in thick hard wood is what they do best.


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

I have a set of the cheap bits they have worked great for my needs. I don't use them every day like some of the pros. I only use them in a drill press. They work great for drilling flat bottom blind holes.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

As you can see in this shot, these low cost Chinese Forstner style bits have Carbide scribers which prevent chip-out


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

to stop that tear out use a backer board...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

So, if the cheap bit is being used in a drill press, and the piece is replaceable if it tears out, what's to lose. For a short run, if it works OK then you're done. But if it's a one of a kind piece and not replaceable, or you don't have a drill press, buy a better bit. This string is a pretty good primer on forstner bits.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

I suspect the tear out I get might be because I dont have a pillar drill as such. I have a mains powered drill, held in a very old vertical stand. i think the drill speed might be a bit too fast for the forstner, but the drill has an electronic speed control and if I slow it down any further it has no torque whatsoever.
The forstners I have dont have a full width bar either.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Theo if you buy the cheap bit as a test you are only testing how well that cheap bit will cut. There are many different configurations on forstner bits, some are really ruff and some polished to the max. The material used in the bits also has a lot to do in how well they stand up to use and how quickly they dull. If you look at the description of the one you posted it says the tolerance for size could be off 2mm, I think that probably tells you what to expect from this bit. 

As Herb said "It would help if you described what you are using it for also what kind of wood will you be drilling, and on a drill press or hand drill, and what diameter is the hole." This would give us a better idea of what bits to suggest.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Yeah, I know I should have said what size and what I wanted them for, but just wasn't thinking about that when I posted.

OK, what I am looking for is preferably a 2 1/2" bit, but the sizes I have been finding are 2 1/8" to 2 9/16", any of which will do. I am planning on making my smallest pig and truck banks into a spare change holder, or whatever you call it, for putting in your pocket change in when you undress at night. These will be my usual, layers of 1/2" plywood glued together, running up. I figure a hold 2 1/2" wide (or reasonably close), and about 2" to 2 3/4" deep will do the job. Drill press only. I'll not be making thousands, likely not even hundreds, but it's one more use for small pieces I would probably toss otherwise.

I've been looking some more on evilbay and Amazon, for toothed bits, and figure I can get a decent bit, in the size area, I want for around $20, or even a bit less. Definitely staying away from those really cheap, as in cheap made, Chinese bits.

Thanks guys, been a huge help.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

As was mentioned above, if drilling in 1/2" plywood you should be OK - but use a backer board to eliminate tear-out on exit.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Theo...check Ryobi's sets...Homedepot and other places...even Rockler...

Don't know if they sell individual bits.

If you want real cheapo and little quality, check Harbor Freight...but beware...

Whatever you buy, look for it to have wings to start the cut cleanly...otherwise you can throw the wood out with the bit...

Good luck...


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Theo

If you're making "spare change holders", wouldn't you want more of a dish shape so you can scoop/slide the change out? The forstner bit will create a flat-sided hole which means you'll have to actually pick the change out or tip the holder over and it'll be more difficult. I would think a dish cutting router bit would be more suitable for this operation, if you have one.


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## greasyfingers (Sep 26, 2016)

Up until a month ago I've never used a forstner bit. Now that I have, I'm hooked. I picked up a 1" diablo from HD and was a little hesitant. I was suprised with the finish and tight tolerance. Drilling through 3/4" birch ply with a hand drill gave me a 1.002" hole. I had a sacrificial board under my material and had no blowout. Before this I drilled over 50 7/16" holes with a standard wood drill bit. The holes are rough and have a ton of tear out. I really wish I did them with a forstner.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Forstner type bits have a lot going for them besides drilling holes. They are good also for removing material over large areas to a determined depth, you can use them to fix a buggered hole by drilling thru a scrap for a guide, then clamping that over the bad hole ,drilling it out larger,then glueing a plug or dowel into the new hole and then redrilling the hole the right size again. It is nice they don't self feed, y


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## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

I bought a set from Lowes for $80 a couple years ago, I think Porter Cable has their name on them. Not the sharpest or highest quality bits but I use them all the time by hand and drill press. I often prefer them over holesaw because they do a better job at clearing away chips and provide a cleaner cut. The set I have includes 1/4" - 2-1/4". I used the 1/4" bit on Thursday to bore holes for shelf pins.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Everend said:


> I bought a set from Lowes for $80 a couple years ago, I think Porter Cable has their name on them. Not the sharpest or highest quality bits but I use them all the time by hand and drill press. I often prefer them over holesaw because they do a better job at clearing away chips and provide a cleaner cut. The set I have includes 1/4" - 2-1/4". I used the 1/4" bit on Thursday to bore holes for shelf pins.


I have a similar set and use them a lot. For the smaller hole tho I prefer the brad pints for the deeper holes ,the small forstners plug up easily. 
If I have a lot of holes the same size like butt hinges and shelf pins I use the vix style bits with a drill tamplate
Herb


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## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> ...the small forstners plug up easily.
> Herb


true



Herb Stoops said:


> If I have a lot of holes the same size like butt hinges and shelf pins I use the vix style bits with a drill tamplate
> Herb


I have one of those bits sized specifically for door hinge screws. I didn't realize it was a thing for other sized drill bits too.

PS. Be careful if you google search that phrase. I'd never heard them called vix style bits before. Apparently vix style is also a bikini line. Good thing I didn't also try to search for butt hinges, I may have really got some wild search results.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

I don't plan on drilling thru anything with it, so won't need a backer board. I use a backerboard with my holesaws, so know what one is. I'm just planning on drilling a hole straight down, then stop when there is a 1/4" or so bottom. After all, it is meant to hold coins. And a flatbottom is fine, if people want to scoop coins out, more power to them, but the intent is to pick it up then dump the coins, keys, whatever, into the other hand.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

JOAT said:


> I don't plan on drilling thru anything with it, so won't need a backer board. I use a backerboard with my holesaws, so know what one is. I'm just planning on drilling a hole straight down, then stop when there is a 1/4" or so bottom. After all, it is meant to hold coins. And a flatbottom is fine, if people want to scoop coins out, more power to them, but the intent is to pick it up then dump the coins, keys, whatever, into the other hand.


If the center spur makes a dimple you don't like you could file or grind the spur away since you are using a drill press. We use to have 3 or 4 modified bits in the shop so the hole bottom was flat without the spur mark.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

MEBCWD said:


> If the center spur makes a dimple you don't like you could file or grind the spur away since you are using a drill press. We use to have 3 or 4 modified bits in the shop so the hole bottom was flat without the spur mark.


I don't think I will mind about any dimples, but I'm thinking I will keep the spur as is, regardless. I will be measuring across, and mark the center, and would pretty much require the spur to hit the mark. Still, one never knows. Thanks.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

vchiarelli said:


> Theo
> 
> If you're making "spare change holders", wouldn't you want more of a dish shape so you can scoop/slide the change out? The forstner bit will create a flat-sided hole which means you'll have to actually pick the change out or tip the holder over and it'll be more difficult. I would think a dish cutting router bit would be more suitable for this operation, if you have one.


Here is another way to make a coin tray and it's an excellent way to become proficient at routing.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Everend said:


> true
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Self Centering Drill Bit | eBay

https://www.burnstools.com/46016-1-4-snappy-vix-shelf-pin-guide


Self-Centering Bits-Self Centering Bits | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Nice change holder Harry. But I'm afraid it made me think of making coasters. Truthfully, I like my idea of picking up my change holder, then dumping the change in the other hand. They will be a pig, and a truck, so I think that is much more practical then picking the change out, faster too. 

If I wanted a change holder I could scoop the change out, I would do the same thing I did in the Army. I'd get a nice thick (and heavy) square glass ashtray, with a rounded bottom. But scooping change out is not my thing. As is, now I dump my change into a small plastic tub, then when there is a couple of cups or so of change, dump it into a coin sorter, and sort it out. Then the coins go into different plastic tubs for the different values, along with coin wrappers. Then when the mood hits, I use a coin counter, and wrap them. Then they go into a small wooden box I made many years ago, until I decide to take them to the bank and turn them in. I usually turn them in once a month, and usually have from $50 to $80 to turn in.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I don't carry change, it all goes into jars. One for pennies, the other for "silver". When the silver won't hold any more coins, I count them out, wrap them and turn them in. Last time I did that I have almost $400. Went toward my band saw.

But back to your post. Even if you drill through with the guide on the forstner bit, you could line the bottom and inside with felt, which would cover the hole. I do agree on not enjoying scooping out coins.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

DesertRatTom said:


> Even if you drill through with the guide on the forstner bit, you could line the bottom and inside with felt, which would cover the hole. I do agree on not enjoying scooping out coins.


Thought of felt. Then unthought it. This is to be purely a K.I.S.S. project. As long as they've got at least a 1/4" thick bottom I'm good.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Here is an example of a Vix bit and it's main use, drilling a screw hole central in a hinge


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## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

harrysin said:


> All except the two un-boxed bits are very low cost Chinese ones and all are Carbide tipped and continue to give excellent performance despite the years that I've had them.


Hi, guys.
As Mr. Harry, I have a bunch of those in the red plastic boxes in one millimeter increments. They have performed an excellent job in my woodworking projects.


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