Forstner bit sets

[nicer20]

Wife wants me to make some tea-light candle holders and I realized I need a 1-1/2" Forstner bit. As Murphy's law holds - my Forstner bit set that I bought years ago from local Woodcraft store only goes up to 1". It also turns out not the sharpest one around.

I am wondering if it is a good idea to just buy a 1-1/2" bit or go for a decent larger set?

Also which brand do you guys recommend?

I don't want the cheapest one as I have experienced the Woodcraft brand not being all that good one. But I am also not in a mood to spend like $300 for a Fisch brand set either.

[LCHIEN]

Personally I have had pretty great satisfaction with HF drillmaster brand. I think I have the 16-piece set that goes to 2 inches by 1/8ths and then I bought the 1/16ths fill-in set.

I drill a lot of holes to fit items and generally like to be able to find one in my box rather than have to order one and wait.

I find them handy to have.
my only wish sometimes is that I wish I had the hex shank versions... won't slip in the chuck at large diameters.

[Jim Frye]

I have a set by GRIP and they are good for the occasional use I need, If I needed a size I don't have, I'd buy it rather than a whole new set. I think I replaced one of the set bits with a higher quality one when the original set bit got dull and difficult to sharpen. I'm lucky, there's a HF about two miles from my house and a Woodcraft about three miles away. Lowes and HD are four miles away, but there is a tool store about four miles away that caters to tradesmen, so their stuff is a bit higher quality (and price, too). For stuff I'm likely to use often, I'll go there, especially power tools. Oddly enough, that's the name of the store, Power Tools of Toledo.

[cwsmith]

Several years ago I bought the Warrior 16 pc set at Harbor Freight , item 39812. Sizes are 1/4- to 2-1/4-inches in 1/8th increments. It has held up quite well for occasional use. I originally purchased it to repair a friend's gun case, when the barrel locking bar broke and I made him a replacement. I've only used these a few times since, but they have held up well. Price was around $60- $70 with a nice wood case.

I see a similar set on the HF web site for $42.99. Now it come in a blow-molded plastic storage case. I can't speak for today's quality, but it might be worth investigating. https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-...ece-57476.html

I hope this helps,

CWS

[twistsol]

I picked up a set of 5 or 6 many years ago and never have the size I need. Go for a full set.

[leehljp]

I use Forstner bits of different sizes off and on, and have for 40 years or so. My first set, I don't remember where I purchased them but they were similar to HF. I bought two sets of HF in the 1990's. Gave the first set to first son-in-law and bought me a new set.

None of these were excellent but did "fairly" good. But I always seemed to have to "push" them to make the cut beyond the 3rd or 4th hole in 3/4 in boards or plywood. About 15 years ago, I bought a set of Freud for about $150.00, (now about $200) more than 3 times the price of the HF ones. That was the Best Buy of Forstner bits I have ever had. Sharp! Keeps the edge, stays sharp. Although I use forstner bits off and on as mentioned, Fighting with the HF ones when needing to make 10 or 15 holes really made me put off using them the next time; However with the Freud, I don't have any regrets for the extra money I spent on those! To me, it was night and day difference between the Freud vs HF type.

https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Precision-Serrated-Forstner-PB-100/dp/B0002TUFYK/ref=sr_1_49?crid=AJ0Z4DAQQHNF&keywords=Forstner+bi t+set&qid=1686799716&sprefix=forstner+bit+set%2Cap s%2C132&sr=8-49

Just found a Diablo set for about $160.00

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000225ZN/ref=sspa_dk_detail_6?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0000225ZNp13 NParams&smid=A1BHSMIW6A86AG&s=hi&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0Tm FtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM&th=1

[LCHIEN]

Ever since you wrote this I am thinking about buying a set. The HF ones have worked and drilled clean accurate holes but the promise of super sharpness is tempting to try!
Maybe I should buy a single Freud forstner bit to tell if its really worth it to plunk down $200 for a set!

[nicer20]

I use Forstner bits of different sizes off and on, and have for 40 years or so. My first set, I don't remember where I purchased them but they were similar to HF. I bought two sets of HF in the 1990's. Gave the first set to first son-in-law and bought me a new set.

None of these were excellent but did "fairly" good. But I always seemed to have to "push" them to make the cut beyond the 3rd or 4th hole in 3/4 in boards or plywood. About 15 years ago, I bought a set of Freud for about $150.00, (now about $200) more than 3 times the price of the HF ones. That was the Best Buy of Forstner bits I have ever had. Sharp! Keeps the edge, stays sharp. Although I use forstner bits off and on as mentioned, Fighting with the HF ones when needing to make 10 or 15 holes really made me put off using them the next time; However with the Freud, I don't have any regrets for the extra money I spent on those! To me, it was night and day difference between the Freud vs HF type.

https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Precision-Serrated-Forstner-PB-100/dp/B0002TUFYK/ref=sr_1_49?crid=AJ0Z4DAQQHNF&keywords=Forstner+bi t+set&qid=1686799716&sprefix=forstner+bit+set%2Cap s%2C132&sr=8-49

Just found a Diablo set for about $160.00

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000225ZN/ref=sspa_dk_detail_6?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0000225ZNp13 NParams&smid=A1BHSMIW6A86AG&s=hi&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0Tm FtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM&th=1

Hmmm, you got me thinking towards Freud. Diablo is also by Freud but seems to have 1 year warranty vs. Freud says lifetime warranty. So possibly the Freud is a better grade version. I am in general very happy with Diablo brand for my saw blades and sandpaper products.

May be one of those Buy once Cry once decisions

[Pappy]

Several of my HF bits were getting dull so I bought a set of Irwin bits from Lowe's. My initial reaction is great but I can't speak to longevity.

[LCHIEN]

Hank, Ever since you wrote this glowing review I am thinking about buying a set. The HF ones have worked and drilled clean accurate holes but the promise of super sharpness is so tempting to try! I love drilling with Forstner bits.

Maybe I should buy a single Freud forstner bit to tell if its really worth it to plunk down $200 for a set!

Does that sound like a good idea? Maybe a 1" or 1-1/8" $15.

[leehljp]

To me it is more than just sharpness alone. The quality and feel is different in that it seems like a slightly higher quality metal. While not directly related - since I got my CBN wheels for sharpening my chisels, both hand and lathe chisels, I have noticed something different in the quality of metal in the cheaper ones vs quality ones. The CBN wheels sharpen both equally well, but there is a difference that I cannot scientifically attest to in the metals of the HSS. THAT SAID, There seems to be a difference in quality of the steel in the Freud vs HF ones. But, as one fellow pointed out years ago on the PenTurning forum, "Tactile Feel" can be deceiving. Just something to think about. And Loring, buying one to test seems like a good idea.

[LCHIEN]

I'm not at all unhappy with my HF set I've had for 20 years, but if there is another tier of performance and drilling bliss above that, I'd hate to have missed it in my lifetime as much as I enjoy using the drill press.
So I ordered a 1" Freud Forstner to try in comparison. $15 bucks hardly buys dinner anymore.

[LCHIEN]

So I have a 1-1/8" Freud bit. Was the same price as the 1" so I figured larger was better.

What's a good comparative test?

[leehljp]

3/4" plywood for me!

[LCHIEN]

I ran a quick comparison test...
1-1/8" Freud brand new vs my Drill Master (Harbor Freight) set's 1-1/8" bit that's maybe 20 years old.



I just did a real quick test in a piece of scrap pine, two holes with each. Shown above.

I can't really see any difference in the holes quality wise, in the bottom or the side or the entry. I did not check for splintering on the exit which I should have.
The middle two holes are the Freud which you can really only tell by the sharper corner left by the spurs. The Drill Master actually leaves a flatter bottom as its spurs dont' cut so deep. I am impressed that the quality of the holes is pretty close. Maybe the longer spurs prevent tearout on exit.

What is a big difference is the cutting effort. Applying what I thought was a reasonable and similar amount of pressure on the quill handles, the Freud cut the hole in about 6 seconds while the Drill Master took about 16 seconds! That's a major difference in sharpness!

Is it because the Freud is brand new and the Drill Master 20 years old and well used? I mean the set gets used a lot but not like hundreds of holes off each individual bit.

But just the fact that the Freud cuts so much better makes me think its time for a new set..

[nicer20]

What if you try a piece of hardwood next. Of course, there is still that brand-new vs. 20 year old factor in the mix.

I am not suggesting you do this but I guess one may need to try making a series of N holes (say N = 25-30) in a row and then check what happens for the N+1 hole. Also in order to apply constant pressure one may need to attach weight instead of using hands to apply the force on the drill. Then TIME to drill a hole could be a comparable metric.

Just some thoughts.

[LCHIEN]

Oh, wow.
As I expected the slightly deeper spurs of the Freud make the exit holes very clean.
I had been used to tearout on the exit of my old forstners, I would cut until the center point exited the bottom, then flip and enter the hole from the bottom using the center point to align and get better exit holes.

Here is the Freud forstner and the piece it separates using the spurs.


And here is the exit side of a piece of plywood with the Freud:.



Side by side comparison exit side tearout on the same piece of Pine wood:



Left: Tearout from Freud,
Right: Tearout from Drill master (HF)

All holes are at 990 RPM using Drill press and a backup piece of wood.


Yeah, I'm definitely going to treat myself to a set.
Faster cutting (sharper) and no tearout on exit.

[LCHIEN]

Darn, I swear that the Freud PB-100 set was under $200 a week or two ago. Today its at $212 on Amazon.

[nicer20]

Darn, I swear that the Freud PB-100 set was under $200 a week or two ago. Today its at $212 on Amazon.

I think it does fluctuate in price. I would wait a few days if you are not in any particular hurry.
Also look at Diablo by Freud at $160 - Not sure what the difference is between these two, as both are made in Austria by Freud