Who makes good Forstner bits?

[Mike Henderson]

Who makes good Forstner bits? I have a Freud set which is great but I want to add the 16's in between (such as 5/16", 7/16", 9/16", 11/16", 13/16", etc.). I bought those bits from Lee Valley a while back but they're not close to the Freud - they clog and don't cut easily (and yes, I did sharpen them). I'd like to buy more Freud bits but I can't find them in 16ths.

Who do you recommend that makes Forstner bits in 16ths? (and not carbide, just HSS or even regular steel - I don't use them that much)

Mike

[glenn bradley]

Famag won the FWW tests with Grizzly rated best value. Rockler has a couple sets on sale right now. Don't know their quality over time but I have some of theirs that have done OK. They're not like my Freuds but at 22 pieces for $60, they're OK.

[Mike Henderson]

Thanks, Glenn. I went and looked up the Famag but they don't seem to make the Forstner's in 16ths, only in 8th's.

All I want is the 16ths between the bits in my Freud set.

Woodcraft has some no-name Forstner bits in 16ths. Anyone use them?

Mike

[Dewey Torres]

Thanks, Glenn. I went and looked up the Famag but they don't seem to make the Forstner's in 16ths, only in 8th's.

All I want is the 16ths between the bits in my Freud set.

Woodcraft has some no-name Forstner bits in 16ths. Anyone use them?

Mike

Not sure but Bormax makes some darn good bits... not a total solution you you but:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1917

I own one 13/16 and it is better (by a small margin) than the Freud which say a lot!

Down side... price

[Curt Harms]

Set #9159. They're no gems but work okay for occasional use.

[Jerome Hanby]

I bought a set that Woodcraft had on Sale a few years back. I'm no expert but they seem to cut okay. Of course they are the only Forstners in my shop, so no way to compare...

Thanks, Glenn. I went and looked up the Famag but they don't seem to make the Forstner's in 16ths, only in 8th's.

All I want is the 16ths between the bits in my Freud set.

Woodcraft has some no-name Forstner bits in 16ths. Anyone use them?

Mike

[Larry Edgerton]

I have some I have had for close to thirty years that are German I believe, and they say "Schlagring" or something close on them. Several of the set have hit nails and are beyond sharpening so I have had it in mind to search myself. I too have Freuds, but they are not as concise as the Schlagring steel bits.

I will look and let you know if I find them, and will watch this thread.....

[Paul Steiner]

+1 Freud bits

[Mark Koury]

Mike,

Try this for FAMAG in the 16th sizes:

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com...th/269_270_296

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops...es/forset1.htm

All sizes and the best part: "high quality steel"

Which, I suspect, is just whatever tool steel the factory has in house the day they are made.

[Mike Cutler]

Mike

WL Fuller in Warwick RI. They only make cutting bits and tools.
Small company, family owned, and the person that answers the phone knows drill bits.

http://www.wlfuller.com/

[Bill Huber]

I am not sure which to tell you to get but I do know that I can say DON'T get the Rockler.

I got a set and they are junk IMO. I have replace 3 of them just because the center was so far off when I put them in the drill press they would make a circle in the wood trying to find center. Plus they don't cut that great.

There was a thread awhile back about Forstner bits but I can't remember who came out as the best.

[Mike Henderson]

Mike,

Try this for FAMAG in the 16th sizes:

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com...th/269_270_296

Thanks everyone for your information and suggestions. I'm going to order the Famag 16ths from traditional woodworker. I'd prefer to buy once and get a good set. Those should last me for my lifetime.

Mike

[Ellen Benkin]

If you got a defective set of Rockler drill bits, why didn't you return them? I've had a set of Rocklers for years. I don't know if they are close to the best bits on the market, but for my uses they work fine.

[Charles McCracken]

Mike,

Freud now offers the Precision Shear Forstner bits in increments of 1/16" from 5/16" up to 15/16". Item numbers are:

PB-0015 - 5/16"
PB-0025 - 7/16"
PB-0035 - 9/16"
PB-0045 - 11/16"
PB-0055 - 13/16"
PB-0065 - 15/16"