Spare Brad-Point Bits for GMC Dowelling Machine?...

**Batpig** · 15th April 2011, 09:40 PM

Good Evening Chaps,

The quality of the standard drill-bits that were supplied with the GMC Dowelling Machine when they (and the rest of the brand...

) were being sold, were almost certainly that particular device's weakest aspect (They seem otherwise quite well built, accurate, and competent at their job). May I please enquire of those among you who own one (or more...

) of these Rare Birds, as to whether you have been able to track down suitable replacements for the said Brad-Point Bits that they use?

As can be seen from the photo below, they're not a very long Bit - courtesy of the requirement to spin around at about 16,500rpm no less!

And for the same reason, they'd obviously need to be Brad-Point rather than simple Twist-type (lest a high speed "wander"-induced calamity should occur...), and also made of VHSS (Very High Speed Steel, if there's such a thing...

). The flat-grind where the collet's grub-screws grips the Bit's shanks would also be very handy, although probably not too hard to replicate at home to the necessary degree of accuracy on a fully round shank, if that was all that was available.

Attachment 167229

Many Thanks,
Batpig.

**marker** · 15th April 2011, 10:47 PM

I have one of the GMC doweling machines and replaced the drills with Carbitool dowel drills.
http://www.carbitool.com.au/pdf's/PageR046.pdf
Mark

**malb** · 16th April 2011, 05:09 PM

The Carbitools might be the go, reccommended by someone with the machine who has used them for the job.

I was going to suggest CNC router drills as an alternative, depending on hole diameter and shank diameter. These are carbide tipped or solid carbide and very similar in structure to the item you pictured. Not sure if they come in stepped shank versions like your sample though, The ones I use at work are straight shanked and mount in ER collets using interchangable adaptors sized to suit the bit.

If you have the bits you want but they have blunted, you should be able to get the inserts reground for about $10 a bit at a saw doctor or tooling specialist.

**Batpig** · 16th April 2011, 08:36 PM

Mark - Thanks for the good steer. It turns out that Carbatec sell CMT-brand equivalents of those Carb-i-Tool bits that you have suggested, but if my memory serves me correctly, I think I've heard it said around here that Carb-i-Tool seems to hold its edge better than CMT in most categories of tool. I think TradeTools can lay their hands on Carb-i-Tool if prompted.

Malb - I don't think they're blunt, because I've usually reached for the Biscuit Joiner instead, whenever there's been something that needs joining. This has primarily been due to the hard yakka that the said Dowelling Bits seem to have to go through whenever the machine is put to the test. I'm better off trying the new Bits. I think the original ones are maybe just a bit krapola...

Thanks Muchly to both of you,
Batpig.

**metester** · 17th April 2011, 09:17 AM

You can contact Carbitool direct at CARB-I-TOOL. They might be able to send them to you direct. The same owners also sell good quality bandsaw blades that I purchased from them recently. I will be trying them as well as I have the same joiner however, it is the Triton branded. I always wondered what I would do if a bit became blunt or broke etc. Many thanks!

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