4 5/8" forstner bit... scary?

[Joe Charles]

I'm working on a few projects where a big forstner bit would come in handy and just did a search on amazon and found this http://www.amazon.com/Steelex-D3654-8-Inch-Heavy-Forstner/dp/B003GUH4SC/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1338843679&sr=1-5
My question is, has anyone used one this size (or close)? I have a set that goes to 2 1/8 and the biggest one does work fine.
I dont want a thru hole so a hole saw won't work.... well, not as easily.
I'm just thinking that at that size, even at my drill press's slowest speed would be scary and might end up with a sloppy hole.:(
Thanks for any input

[Jeff Duncan]

Only reason you would get slop is if the bit was junk, the drill press was junk, or the piece moved while drilling. Clamp it down to the table and it will be fine.

JeffD

[Rod Sheridan]

I'm not sure a belt drive drill press could drive one.

How about a template and a router?

Regards, Rod.

[ray hampton]

using a 4 inch bit require a big hand-held drill or a brace if you got two good hands, what are the minimum speed for a drill bit that big

[Joe Charles]

I'm not sure a belt drive drill press could drive one.

How about a template and a router?

Regards, Rod.
AH, that's a good point. Mine's a 1 hp harbo freight. been good to me but this is a massive bit.
I haven't ordered it, just wanted to hear what you guys thought. the template and router sounds like a goos idea.
Cheaper too as I'd just have to make a template.... Thanks

[John Buzzurro]

I've used a 4-inch forstner on my drill press at 200rpm. Worked fine. Just took it real slow.

[Peter Quinn]

I've spun a rosette cutter that diameter on a good drill press without issue, but I'm guessing the HF DP may have a some what lesser build quality than the delta I'm thinking of? . The issue is the machine more than the tooling assuming the cutter is decent. If its only a few holes I like the router and template as a better option. If its a lot of holes, I'd try it with the forschner.

[david brum]

I've used a 4 1/2" forstner bit on my generic drill press. I don't think there's any safety concern, but you have to make the cut in tiny increments. The big bits can easily stall in the cut and cause the belt to slip on the pulleys. Just take it slow and make sure your bit is sharp.

[John McClanahan]

While it sounds quite possible, If I were doing it I would consider Rod's advise, and keep the $50+ in my pocket.

John

[ian maybury]

This guy from Lee Valleycuts large clean holes too, but is adjustable up to 6in. http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32275&cat=1,180,42316 The quality is not bad, the materials are decent but it probably could be a bit stronger.

My relatively basic Eastern made drill press handles it OK, but you do need to go carefully and make sure it's sharp and properly set up in advance.

ian

[Bill Huber]

How deep do you need the hole, if it is not to deep I like Rod's idea. You could use a bit with a bearing just like a bowl bit and if you needed the hole deeper just take the template off and use the hole itself for the guide.

[Rick Fisher]

Woodstock has endmills that are 5" long .. They are probably not that hard to find ..

[Thomas Canfield]

I use a 2 3/4" Forstner bit fairly often to get a flat spot for my screw/chuck when turning natural edge or uneven face material. That will load up a 3/4HP drill press and the maximum speed is 450 rpm posted for the bit. I also have a 3 1/4" bit but seldom use it. I do use the 2 3/4" in a heavy duty 1/2" electric drill with additional hand bar. I recently got the 2 3/4" sharpened and it made a big difference after all the dirty bark. I don't think that I would want to try a larger bit but would look at a guide and router if possible.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Chuck that baby in my Millwaulkie Hole Hawg and drill holes for sewer pipes all day. At least until arm becomes tired. That's a plumbers bit for 4" sewer pipe. Way quicker than a hole saw. Not designed for precession work, only to get a pipe through a joist / floor.

[Kenny Marjerrison]

Joe,

I have used a 4 5/8" extensively in our log home business for boring through log walls. Generally we use it in a hand held Milwaukee hole hog and I can tell you I would rather use a 4 5/8 Forstner all day than a 4" hole saw for 10 minutes! The Milwaukee forstners anyway, are excellent tools and cut exceptionally clean holes if used in the correct tools. A bench top drill press would have to be pretty powerful to turn it, my bench top press just spins the pressed in chuck out before stopping the motor but either way I always end up using the hole hog. If you get one with a self feed lead screw that really helps keep the jumping around to a minimum. As was said earlier, if used in a press clamp the material well! To answer your question they aren't scary at all when used correctly. good luck!

[Joe Charles]

Hey thanks for all the advice! I have to do a bunch of these but they will be rather shallow holes in hardwood, I think I'll go with Rod's advice with the template and will be trying to rig that up tomorrow. but I was thinking this bit would leave a nice clean bottomed hole. getting that with my router might be a bit of a pain, sanding smooth in the bottom. do ya think the forstner would leave a cleaner cut at the base? I also wonder if my drill press can handle it, if i decide to throw down the $50 I will update you all to let ya know if it works.
Thanks all
'

[Van Huskey]

For a shallow hole I would use a circle cutter like the one Lee Valley sales. My problem with "huge" forstners is they are hard if not impossible to find in high quality. I think my largest Bormax or Maxicut is 2 1/2" and they run over $50 each. Unless you are making a hole only a forstner will make (there are a lot of them where a circle cutter or router would be useless) I would go with one or the other, again for that size hope I would use a circle cutter.

[Joe Charles]

My problem with "huge" forstners is they are hard if not impossible to find in high quality.
Herein lies my problem! $50 is a chunk of change for a bit that I probably wont be satisfied with. I need a nice clean shallow hole and the steelex bit is probably a good plumbers tool for hawging a hole through floor joists and whatnot... probably should go with a router and template on these projects. oh well just thought it would make life easier... might still try it but, again, thanks for all the responses!

[Van Huskey]

Herein lies my problem! $50 is a chunk of change for a bit that I probably wont be satisfied with.

If Colt made a 4+" Maxicut I bet it would be close to if not over $100, even the "cheapy" ones that size are a lot of money unless you NEED a forstner (angled drilling, edge drilling etc).

[phil harold]

By a complex drill machine / mill

works like a charm

[John McClanahan]

Another thing to consider, it the drill press isn't set up to EXACTLY 90 deg. both side to side and front to back, it will show with that big bit. With the template and router, that will be a non-issue.

John

[Rich Engelhardt]

I think I'll go with Rod's advice with the template and will be trying to rig that up tomorrow. but I was thinking this bit would leave a nice clean bottomed hole. getting that with my router might be a bit of a pain, sanding smooth in the bottom. do ya think the forstner would leave a cleaner cut at the base?Pick up a bottom cleanout bit.
It's made for that type of thing.
Get a decent one that you can use down the road for anything that requires a nice level flush surface.<--door hinges, surface jointing, etc.
Worth their weight in gold.....

[Prashun Patel]

+1 on a router with a bearing-guided bottom cleaning bit and a hardboard template. I've planed entire slabs with such an animal, and it leaves a great surface.

Don't most forstners have a center spur that will leave a dimple anyway?

[Jeff Duncan]

do ya think the forstner would leave a cleaner cut at the base? I also wonder if my drill press can handle it, if i decide to throw down the $50 I will update you all to let ya know if it works.
Thanks all
'

Remember the forstner bit will leave a point in the middle of the hole! Not sure exactly how clean you need these to be? If you don't want the point I think using the router will get you where you want to be. To get the cleanest holes just make sure you have everything set firmly. You may even want to take the time to make a larger base for your router to make sure it has plenty of stability while crossing back and forth over the hole.

good luck,
JeffD

[Matt McColley]

Chuck that baby in my Millwaulkie Hole Hawg and drill holes for sewer pipes all day

Just be carefull.... as in VERY carefull.... especially wrt your grip on the hawg, the cheeter bar and your footing....

We had a guy at work standing on an array of 6x6 timbers, up on saw horses, using a hawg to counter bore and through drill for 3/4" hardware and the bit hit a knot, bound up and though he had a good tight grip on the hawg, his footing was precarious and the hawg literally threw him across the floor.

I've cut a lot of 2" mortices in Pine and 1-1/2" mortices in Oak, using the drill and chisel method, and have come close to breaking my wrist with a 7 amp Dewalt spade handle drill (short cheater bar) more than once.

6 and 7 amp drills and hawgs develope a LOT of tourque, and if the bit binds.... somethings going to give.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Don't most forstners have a center spur that will leave a dimple anyway?
Some don't have that spur.
I can't think of the oname brand off the top of my head - but - IIRC, the one that has little teeth like a seratted knife blade doesn't have a center spur.

[curtis rosche]

i use a 3 inch forstner bit in my hf drill press,,, it goes slow and i almost never clamp it, i use it to make a reccess for attaching a chuck for the lathe