Cutting phenolic

[Rick Potter]

Anybody tried drilling phenolic with a 1 1/2" Forstner bit?? I would like to do it, but don't want to ruin my bit.

[Sam Puhalovich]

Rick ... you'll minimize the wear on the bit by first coring-out with a hole saw.

[Doug Hepler]

Rick I think phenolic works OK. See http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?49523-Question-about-Cutting-Phenolic
If you start with a hole saw you will lose the guidance provided by the center spur of your Forstner bit,
Do you have a carbide Forstner bit? If not, consider just cutting it with a 1 1/2" hole saw

Doug

[John TenEyck]

For holes larger than a twist drill, I use a template and router with and a straight carbide bit.

John

[Bradley Gray]

For holes larger than a twist drill, I use a template and router with and a straight carbide bit.

+1 on this. Use your good Forstner to make the template.

[Bill Adamsen]

For holes larger than a twist drill, I use a template and router with and a straight carbide bit.

John

+1 on this. Use your good Forstner to make the template.

+1 on using the router with a template

[Ted Phillips]

How thick is your phenolic? I've successfully drilled lots of holes with Forstner bits in relatively thin phenolic/micarta - but most of the stock I use is no more than 0.50". If the phenolic is actually a glass fiber base (like G10), then I would definitely go with the router. The glass is a lot harder on bits than the cotton substrate in phenolic.

Also, make sure to take care of dust collection and wear a mask and faceshield. The dust generated by composites like this is really nasty.

[Rick Potter]

Thanks guys, I will try the router route.