If Festool Made Drill Bits, I Got 'em!

[-MIKE-]

As I stated in another reply, the jury is actually still out on this one. I got caught up in all the controversy, hype, and all that I forgot why I wanted these in the first place-- to drill through porcelain and granite, because I was spending a small fortune on tile bits and the drilling took too long.

My initial tests have been positive. I'm going to do a "simulated install" scenario using the same bit to drill about 18-20 holes through a porcelain tile which it not uncommon on a job installing grab bars in one bathroom. I'll time the first hole, and the last and see how they hold up.

It is not uncommon for me to go through 2-3 expensive store bought bits to do this. Only the most expensive diamond "hole saw" bits are worth their salt and even those take a LONG time to drill through porcelain, because of all the surface area actually being cut. (Think of the geometry of them.)

So back to my original intent for buying these... to have bits that are good at cutting through extremely hard materials, which will be replaced for free when dulled. That was my single motivation for buying these.

I'll do the testing and go from there. Right now my gut tells me I'll probably be getting a refund, but I'm trying to keep an open mind.

[Puckdropper]

" [e-mail]" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Let's take a look at this from the average person's point of view. They learned steel exists in school, maybe Bessemer was somehow associated with it, and they know from pickup trucks that steel is Ford Tough. You show them an ad of a knife cutting through a bolt, and they might just try it. To a person interested in this kind of stuff, the ad says "the edge doesn't fail under this abuse". To the average person, the ad says "look what it can do!"

Stupid? Sad? Maybe. Understandable?

Puckdropper

[Leon]

I know that porcelain tiles are harder than ceramic. But that said, porcelain is normally used of floors. Anyway I found that I could easily drill through these ceramic bathroom bub tiles with a common masonry bit IF I started a 1/8" pilot hole, which I started with a carbide Dremel bit. Once I was through the outer/surface I cold easily enlarge.

I truly hope they work out for you.

[-MIKE-]

That's interesting and mirrors my recent experience with installing grab bars. I don't have the Dremel but I, too, was using a smaller bit to "go through" then follwing up with the bigger, correct sized bit. The process seemed to be faster than going all the way through with the bigger bit.

You and me, both. :-)

[Brewster]

I use the cheap ($2-$3) diamond dust tipped hole saws all the time to cut holes in glass/tile/ceramic (usually 1/2" to 1" diameter).

Never a problem, always goes fast. Of course I have the object submerged in a pan of water and use my drill press. Even after 100's of holes, the bits still cut fine.

When I did have to drill holes for a faucet on a finished shower, i held a soaked sponge above the hole to keep the area flooded. It took longer since I had to refill the sponge several times, but still the bit cut cleanly and quick. For smaller holes (

[-MIKE-]

Porcelain tiles are a much different animal. Your typical white ceramic bathroom tile pretty much be cut through with a bi-metal drill bit. :-)

[-MIKE-]

The jury is in and they ruled in my favor for a full refund for these bits. :-) I did a LOT of testing with these bits and I determined there is nothing special about them and in actually they perform worse than other brand name bits that are less expensive in the long run.

So live and learn. It was a good experiment and hopefully anyone looking at these bits can look in here and learn from my experience and full testing of the product.

Bottom line: the company gave me a full refund so there's no fraud involved, but buyer beware-- there's no magic involved with these bits. They are just run-of-the-mill bits that work great for a couple holes, then they dull and are pretty useless.

[Artemus]

A while ago Lee Valley had enough of california's BS and put a disclaimer in one of their catalogs to the effect of (I'm paraphrasing here) "everything we sell is known to cause cancer in the state of california". A beautiful response IMHO. Art

[Leon]

Yeaaaaaaa!

I think Chinese manufacturers consider them poor quality.

I don't know, it seems the bits you see being demo'd at the show are several grades better than what they hand you. That might be considered fraud. Certainly a good smoke and mirror act.

Anyway it is good their that you got your money back.

O