Forstner & Brad Point Bit Set Where To Get.

[jason lambert]

Every time I need a Forstner bit I don't have the right size so I want ot got a big set. I looked at the peachtree set but they are china made and looked a little ruff the harbor freight set doesn't look bad but it is not big enought.

Where is a good place to get a set without spending a arm and a leg. If they are med quality that is ok I just don't want crap, I am a hobbiest and if I ware one out I can alwas replace it with a good bit.

I als need a big brad point set any idears there?

[Tom Walz]

Morris Wood Tool

www.morriswoodtool.com (http://www.morriswoodtool.com)

They'll have the quality.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I have a 16 piece set from Woodcraft that works just fine for me. It was a gift, but not terribly expensive, and I get good holes with it.

Doc

[jason lambert]

Morris wood is to expensive. I really want to get ser with everything up to 2.5"

[Glenn Clabo]

Rockler has a 22 pc set for 1/2 price...$49...right now. Can't say how good they are though.

[Jim O'Dell]

I think my set goes from 1/4" to 2 1/8" in 1/8" increments. It's the Hickory brand set and may have come from Peachtree. I got it at the Woodworking show 4 years ago. It was cheap, 35-40 bucks as I recall. It has worked very well for me. Seems I saw Rockler or Woodcraft with their set on sale for 1/2 off. Not where I can look at their emails at the moment. Maybe someone else will remember it and chime in. Jim.

[Jim O'Dell]

Well, I just looked on-line. It's Rockler. 22 piece, 1/4 to 2 1/8, 1/8 increments just like my Hickory set. Sale price of 49.99. See this link: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?Offerings_ID=17283&TabSelect=Details
They have a 16 piece set also on the related items links. Hope this helps! Jim.

[Rod Sheridan]

The Rockler set appears to be carbon steel, as opposed to High Speed Steel.

Larger bits, in good quality steel with accurate grinding are going to be in the $20 range each.

A standard 1/2" jobbers length twist drill is in the $10 range.

When you see a large set of bits in the $200 to $300 dollar range, you're purchasing a good item.

When you see them at $100, you are purchasing a low quality bit, that won't stand up to use in hardwoods.

The bit is where the cutting action happens, no point spending good money on a drill press, and then purchasing poor tooling.

I suggest that you purchase a high quality set, in the smaller sizes up to perhaps an inch in diameter, and then purchase the larger bits as required.

After 30 some years woodworking, I only own 3 bits larger than 1 inch, which were purchased for clocks and instruments as required.

Regards, Rod.

[Bill Huber]

I have the Rockler set and am happy with it up to about 3/4 of an inch. Above that they are really bad and don't want to cut anything but really soft wood.

I tried to use the 1 3/4 inch bit to cut a hole in some white oak, after awhile I gave up and got a hole saw and it cut it fine.

I know its a pain but I think Rod had the right idea, get good bits when you need them and don't get a full set. I think I will be starting to build a good set over the next few years as I need them.

[jason lambert]

Decided on the grizley set. They have a 31 pice set for $55 got good reviews on Amazon. Besides these cheep china sets are all the same most likely. Thanks for the input just wanted to make sure I wasn't making a big mistake going to cheap.

[terry hansen]

FWW (mar/apr 08) just did a review of forstner bits comparing 7 steel and 2 carbide versions. Grizzly came out fairly good.

[keith ouellette]

I have used several of the forstner bits from the set I bought at harbor freight and its one of the things I won't be bringing back. One in particular I have used
for about 20 holes and the cut is still good and does not require much down force.

[Bruce Haugen]

and FAMAG, sold by Woodcraft, came out on top, followed by Grizzly for the best value.

I got a set of the brad points sold by Lee Valley (the top of the line bits) and they are fabulous. I just wouldn't bother with cheap ones, and in pursuit of said policy, I gave away my previous set.

Bruce