What??? Dumb Forstner

[LCHIEN]

I hardly ever use the 1/4" Forstner, I usually use a 1/4" Brad point.
For some reason I was drilling a 1" Forstner and I picked the 1/4 up for the other hole.

If you look at it, the bit end measures .247", then the shank .293, then the larger chuck-holding shank .374".

the second diameter is only 0.5" from the tip of the bit meaning you can't drill a hole deeper than 0.5"

What kind of stupid design is that? Drill master set from HF, had it a long time.
My freud set has a narrow shank for at least 2-3 inches long deep holes and a 1/4" shank above that so you can drill quite deep.

I guess another question is why do they even bother with a 1/4" forstner? In theory you can steer the hole a little with a handdrill because the head diameter does not go beyond 1/4 to 1/2"... But I always use a drill press.

Here by contrast is the Freud version...
Cutter .2475", small shank .163, Chuck shank .2485"

[LCHIEN]

current HF website still shows Drill Master set with same 1/4" drill design.

[leehljp]

Well, sounds like the early HF stuff that we used to make fun of quite often.

I have seen a few crazy things like that. Back about 14 - 15 years ago, I posted a picture here of a triple bead router bit from LeeValley, only that the picture showed the triple bead in the center of a board about 5 or 6 inches wide. The bit wasn't anywhere near long enough for that, and would have certainly been dangerous to attempt that with an extension of that much. After posting it, there were quite a few guys from here clicking on the link to the point that the president of the company (LeeValley) came to our web site to see what the sudden interest in looking at LeeValley's triple bead bit.

So how do you use this in the center of a 1x6 down the length of it?
https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Flute-Medium-Molding-Router/dp/B00KZM2SN0/ref=sr_1_5?crid=64VQECS2XNWE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sk7y j1w3ijjd-FGyWEwCgmg04obFLAHF3PZ-n2K-FAW1XOvZfrsWGINF_6ytju5NnZpEvjylVGSESOVJCSADn6wKqX wSu2TaJqb8n8v8FW5Ec8n3Aom6aHfYBkdf1HG5JpYk8ETxJT_0 ZmvCBYD3S0BLxq7yJCi9Pm7kfyqK0Py2jN3ctkdTPbAOVK6sV9 Eo1Pui7q92DHwrRjsBeH9GvuBRS6Yz-X3akh1Xvy5iTgUHYxXHjFxugp2T7R3c52L4GyBuMOnOY84Hy6j Ua7fkalT2K4WvxbUkWSvgf86CZnQQDc15YdCy52WTmLqjVokOB h0sk-H8E75SU7wODMDAl8LCQh03lSp8MlBUf-d41wKCW5456BS4wW1DZSCpoVsnLw9IORVVLcxtt5LtC-JIvBlIaTbDlcDbLw-jIbdrRR5Rb7sDLWQ7i5jrARJ489EE.ZG7B1uRgLIhJBHwgUAvc J1Q_I-QEsMD0gnE1liWrdAg&dib_tag=se&keywords=triple%2Bflu te%2Brouter%2Bbit&qid=1735079159&sprefix=tripple%2 Bflut%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-5&th=1

Here is a picture of the triple bead that I put into a 2 1/2" vertical strip about 15 years ago. No way to do it on a 6" (5 1/2") wide board with a ROUTER.

[LCHIEN]

Not just early HF stuff, current product photo shows the same issue.

[LCHIEN]

You need a negative width collet.

[LCHIEN]

HValley (former MLCS)


Looks like theirs is OK
Rockler:
Looks OK

Random set from Amazon (weird that the cutting head appears tapered)


Looks OK.

Must just be HF

[Jim Frye]

Dang it Loring! Now I had to get up and go down to shop to see what mine was like. Thanks, I needed the stair exercise. Anyway, I have a Forstner set by GRIP (Grand Rapids Industrial Products). These products make Harbor Freight look like Marples by comparison. Actually, I've gotten pretty good performance from this set, albeit relatively light usage. And if I needed a 1/4" hole deeper than 1/2" , I reach for a bradpoint bit too. But I honestly can't recall ever boring a flat bottomed hole deeper than a 1/2" deep with a Forstner bit of any diameter.
OK, dimensions:
Cutting Diameter: .250
Relief Diameter: .155
Bit Shank Diameter: .295
Chuck Shank Diameter: .375
Cutting Depth:.5625

[LCHIEN]

So, your depth is limited too by the .295 bit shank diameter...