Thread: Best dowelling drill bit

Originally Posted by Hermit

...I have a set of 12" long brad point bits that go down to 1/8". I couldn't imagine using the 1/8" without breaking. When held horizontally, it flops like a piece of spaghetti. The thicker ones are good, though.

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That's absurd!! Just sounds like an excuse to put more bits into a set to make more dough, not caring whether they perform or not.

I have a Suttons Long Series 3mm (and 4,5,6), but they have a different spec which allows the bits to flex without breaking (hence a higher price). I think they are 150mm long.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

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That's absurd!! Just sounds like an excuse to put more bits into a set to make more dough, not caring whether they perform or not.

I have a Suttons Long Series 3mm (and 4,5,6), but they have a different spec which allows the bits to flex without breaking (hence a higher price). I think they are 150mm long.

This does flex without breaking, but boy does it flex! You can't put it in a drill and start it without already being in contact with the workpiece.
I only bought them for the thicker ones. 12" is way too long for thin bits.

Originally Posted by Hermit

This does flex without breaking, but boy does it flex! You can't put it in a drill and start it without already being in contact with the workpiece.
I only bought them for the thicker ones. 12" is way too long for thin bits.

Drill a pilot hole as deep as you with an ordinary length drill as a guide.
Regards

Originally Posted by Astrodog

The Colt bits are great, I have some Sutton brad points which are nice too.... at the end of the day though you need a really good doweling jig and good technique to be successful with dowels, more so than a great drill bit.... 'tis why I use biscuits!

The Ozy Jig. You just have to have your wits about you an sus out how you are going to use it on the job in hand. Can even be used to keep the drill square in the middle of a sheet.
Regards

Originally Posted by A Duke

Drill a pilot hole as deep as you with an ordinary length drill as a guide.
Regards

That should work. Still, I don't envisage needing a 1/8" x 12" hole in the near future.

My new bandsaw and OSS just arrived. I'm off to play.....

Originally Posted by Hermit

That should work. Still, I don't envisage needing a 1/8" x 12" hole in the near future.

My new bandsaw and OSS just arrived. I'm off to play.....

Have fun.

Originally Posted by A Duke

The Ozy Jig.

Gawd Blimey! For $410 it would want to be good!

I don't agree with their marketing strategy at all. To get the jig (that is, the thing that you want) you have to buy 4 DVDs and 200 dowells as well). And just exactly how many of us want a $50 DVD on making Plantation Shutters?

It'd be interesting to see how sales are going (not). Judging by the agricultural state of the website, it doesn't look like there's a whole bunch of money floating around.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Gawd Blimey! For $410 it would want to be good!

I don't agree with their marketing strategy at all. To get the jig (that is, the thing that you want) you have to buy 4 DVDs and 200 dowells as well). And just exactly how many of us want a $50 DVD on making Plantation Shutters?

It'd be interesting to see how sales are going (not). Judging by the agricultural state of the website, it doesn't look like there's a whole bunch of money floating around.

May be I was lucky I got mine before they added all that, at a demo he did at our club after the WWW show a few of years ago for about $140 (still not cheap) and bought the 45o adaptor at an other year's WWW after it was introduced. As i say very versatile.
Regards

Originally Posted by Hermit

No worries. When I posted, I almost added that you were right on top of it.

In NZ perhaps. Actually, you're nearer than you think - I don't a huge distance to go to see P&N.
Cheers,
Jim

For edge joining I tend to use a self-centering jig I got from Carbatec many years ago.
Back then P&N did a 9.5mm brad point which is very close to 3/8" whereas a 10mm is a bit sloppy. (I had a load of 3/8" dowel to use up)
Cheers,
Jim

Originally Posted by A Duke

May be I was lucky I got mine before they added all that....

I had a feeling you were going to say exactly that Hugh. At $140 you prolly paid about $70 for the actual retail cost of the tool, and $70 for the unique idea (and there's nothing wrong with that....within reason). But $410 for a tool with a mostly useless bunch of very expensive DVDs is ridiculous.

I'm still using the 'TRITON' brad point set I bought 10 years ago for drilling dowels, I just touch them up occasionally with a diamond stick.
There is a vid floating about ...somewear, of Roger Gifkin demonstrating how to sharpen a brad point bit

The Triton bits were made in Germany, I don't think GMC got around to having them made in china.

Interesting Hugh. I wonder if it was Horst Miebach (now Colt) that made them. Next time I'm speaking to Juergen (soon) I'll ask him. I would say it's quite likely, because there are not very many German Drill manufacturers at all, and that would be why they have lasted so long.