What's up with LV forstner bits?

wood_newbie · 2005-11-17T02:42:32+00:00

I thought the whole point of a forstner bit was that it would drill anon-through hole with a flat bottom? (Except for the brad point in themiddle.)I ordered a set of forstner bits from Lee Valley that came in today,and their chippers are about 10 - 12 degrees off of straight. My firstthought was that, hey, maybe (probably!) LV knows a lot more aboutdrilling angles than I do, and maybe somehow these will still drill aflat-bottomed hole.Not even close...the hole has the obvious brad point "divot," and thenthe bottom slopes downward towards the rim by about 10 - 12 degrees.Am I missing something here? Does anyone else have any experience withthese bits?Not only that, but the 1/2" bit didn't have a smooth rim...there was adecent-sized divot on it.These bits are made in China, which I didn't know in advance or Icertainly wouldn't have bought them. (Let's be fair...LV doesn't claimthey're of US or Canadian origin.)Lee Valley is a great outfit...I've bought enough of their products tosay that unequivocally. But can anyone enlighten me on why these bitsare "shaped" like this? Are anyone else's forstners shaped like this?Thanks in advance.

Nov 17, 2005 23 Replies

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bridger 20 years ago

hmm... didn't they morph into woodworker's source?

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AAvK 20 years ago

Yeah... Oldham gives a lifetime warrentee or guarentee, something goes wrong you send it in to them for a replacement. They have a free phone# to find out.

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