Low to Mid Price Forstner Set?

[Matt Meiser]

Can anyone recommend a good mid price 16 piece Forstner bit set? I see sets at Rockler and Woodcraft for <$100 and Holbren has a CMT set for just over $100. I've had a HF set for almost 10 years now but several of the bits are pretty well trashed. I figure I'll get something a little better now and maybe make it 15 this time.

[David Christopher]

Matt, Ive had a set from grizzly for a few years now, and would buy them again

[Shawn Christ]

I'm happy with the Porter Cable 14-piece set I picked up from Lowe's last year for $50.

[Kev Godwin]

Matt,
A low price set I've had a few years that has performed well above it's price range is a brand called Hickory. That 16 bit set model # is FBS-1016.

I don't remember what parent company owns that brand but I thought it may have been Irwin or Oldham (not sure). It has been very good for the sale price from Menards for $42. None of the bits have any detectable run-out and cut fairly well too. Just not quite as fast or good as my Freud set.
Kev

[Matt Meiser]

I've got the sister set of brad point bits to that set Kev. I could have gotten the Forstner set at the time but passed on it. Did you buy yours recently at Menards? A quick online search leads me to believe its no longer available.

[Shawn Christ]

A low price set I've had a few years that has performed well above it's price range is a brand called Hickory.

Yes, also a good suggestion. I have a Hickory 1/4" router bit set (and Tool Shop roundovers too, which have been surprisingly decent, but I digress...).

[Kev Godwin]

Matt and Shawn,
I've had that Hickory forstner set for about 3-1/2 years and has some really heavy use and is still going strong. I haven't seen them at Menards or other outlet since. I kick myself for not getting another set.

Also bought the 24 piece Hickory 1/2 inch router bit set (RBK-1031) at the same time. I can't believe Menards was selling this set for $24. Although it is made in China (like a lot of stuff), what an incredible deal! (That router bit set cuts just as good as any of my Freuds.)

I hate it when I'm faced with a good deal and I'm too cautious for some reason. That would have been much better than any deal I could have got at HF for sure.:mad: Only $1. per bit - I was an idiot on that day....
Kev

[Russell Smallwood]

I'm happy with the Porter Cable 14-piece set I picked up from Lowe's last year for $50.

Same here.

[Lance Norris]

I'm happy with the Porter Cable 14-piece set I picked up from Lowe's last year for $50.

+2. They also have hex shanks which I think is a bonus...

[jared herbert]

I have a set of the woodcraft forstners. They often have them on a big markdown. They are ok. They do require maintainance though. They are dull when you get them, get a file and they are not that hard to sharpen. You can drill several holes before they have to be resharpened. Probably well worth the money for the variety of sizes and if you dont drill holes all day long. Jared

[Gary Max]

Take the time to check out Lee Valley---they designed theirs---if I remember right it even won a few awards for quality.

[Van Huskey]

Take the time to check out Lee Valley---they designed theirs---if I remember right it even won a few awards for quality.


Lee Valley's are a good deal over his budget and closest to Famag and Colt bits to not bother if you are spending that level of money.

For the price I would probably get the CMT or Freud, I like the Freud for a mid-priced set but 16 may be over what you want to spend. The price on the CMTs is pretty good.

[Greg Portland]

Freud sells a non-carbide set that does a good job. You can find a smaller set of their carbide bits in your price range.


Lee Valley's are a good deal over his budget and closest to Famag and Colt bits to not bother if you are spending that level of money.Lee Valley's 13 piece set is $89 and is a great medium-quality set. Their maxi-cut line is the high-end $$$ option bit is not available in all sizes and looks very similar to the Colt bits; both are made in Germany. Most people rarely use the very large bits so I would suggest buying a good quality set for the popular sizes and add-as-needed the larger sizes.

If you are building cabinets then get a 35mm bit and a decent 13 piece set (1/4" to 1" in 1/16" steps). IMO that's more than enough for most people. Personally, I use 5/8", 3/4", and 35mm most of the time so I have carbide versions of those bits and cheap bits in the other sizes.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

+4 on the PC bits from the BORG. I think I got mine on sale for 36 bucks. Can't beat that. Even at regular price, I think its a good deal.

[glenn bradley]

For budget Forstners I generally grab what's on sale. Rocklers 22 piece is $50 right now:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17283&filter=forstner

I've paid that much for just a couple bits so it seems like a good deal.

[Van Huskey]

Freud sells a non-carbide set that does a good job. You can find a smaller set of their carbide bits in your price range.

Lee Valley's 13 piece set is $89 and is a great medium-quality set.


I assumed by 16pc set he wanted a "standard" 1/4- 2 1/8" by 1/8" interval set, in that case the Lee Valley is quite a bit over his budget.

"Thier" Maxi-Cut set IS the Colt Maxi-cut line.

[Matt Meiser]

Yes, looking for a 1/4" to 2-1/8" set. The Rockler has the 16th's which might be nice. The CMT is very intriguing since their stuff is generally good quality and if so, that's a great price. But I can't find any reviews on them.

[Van Huskey]

Yes, looking for a 1/4" to 2-1/8" set. The Rockler has the 16th's which might be nice. The CMT is very intriguing since their stuff is generally good quality and if so, that's a great price. But I can't find any reviews on them.


I had one CMT (a 35mm) I got it on closeout from somewhere maybe Woodcraft a while back. I would say they are about the same quality as the Freud Diablo bits. A solid step up from the lower end but still an equal amount below the Colt and Famag high end bits.

[Dan Karachio]

I'm happy with the Porter Cable 14-piece set I picked up from Lowe's last year for $50.

Me too. Got a similar deal and have used them often for almost two years now.

[Jon Endres]

I have a set I bought at Canadian Tire a number of years ago (on a business trip) and they have been moderately useful, seems like they're the same thing as the typical HF set or any similar TiN-coated set.

After a while I realized my use for sets of anything was rather limited (judging from the dust my forstner set, router bit sets and chisel sets collect) and started buying individual tools. I went with the Freud forstner bits, one at a time. I think a 1/2" bit was about $7, and 3/4" was around $11. Yes, it adds up, but I really didn't have a need for odd sizes. I do nearly every bit of woodworking with five bits - 1/2". 5/8", 3/4", 1", 1-1/2". If I need another size, it's easy to spend less than $15 to get one bit. They drill very clean holes and last a long time. The wavy rim is a little weird but I can't imagine needing to sharpen the rim anyway.

I do the same with router bits, after the abysmal quality of MLCS sets. I but what I need, not caring much about the brand or color. I like Bosch, Freud and Woodline bits but have about ten different brands in the box.

[Lee Ludden]

I started with the set from Grizzly, then added the 'filler' set later. I now have 1/4 - 2 1/4 by sixteenths. I've been quite pleased with them.