Steelex D1001 1/4" Forstner Bit

I read the many reviews of this forstner bit before purchasing, most negative comments concerned the Chinese manufacture and the steel makeup being prone to burning during use. I generally do not purchase tools made in outside of Europe or the USA, but decided to try this sized bit. I believe that most people who buy this product operate their router or drill press above the recommended operating RPM speed. If you operate below 700 RPM's the bit works fine. I used mine on very old growth and very hard oak boards and I had no problems. I tested the bit at higher than recommended RPM speeds and the cheaper steel used in the manufacture of this bit will burn. So please be aware of this.

I don't know anyone that buys a tool as a single use throw away item, otherwise how would Harbor Freight made it in business? The worst of the worst there would get me through several projects.So I read the reviews and gave it a try even though many of the reviews were bad...and the reviews are correct.Out of the box the flat bottom cutting edge was jagged - yes really.I gave it a test run a 1x3 pine board - nice and soft.My cut? 3/8" deep in total, doing this with a hand drill on high speed high torque.The first 1/8th cut nice and easy, I pulled out, cleaned the hole and inspected - look pretty good.On the second 1/8th cut the bit grabbed and would not cut cleanly, I had to pull out a little and get the speed of the drill up and apply very light pressure for the cut to happen. I stopped at 2/8th total depth +- again cleaned the hole. More or less a flat bottom hole but a little rough for a forstner bit.As I started cutting the last 1/8th I again started high with no pressure and as I applied little pressure the bit was no longer cutting. I had to start applying more and more pressure in order to complete the cut. I figured that by the time I was done with this whole I would see a burn mark.That didn't happen, but I have 8 holes I have to cut and I can't see this bit making it through 8 holes.Mine you this was really soft cheap pine board, there is no way this bit is going to work on hardwood if that your material.I suppose you can go old school and break out the metal files and sharpen the flat bottom edge, but its hard to think that's the way to go with modern tools.I didn't bother with pictures since others have them already - so believe what's already here.Last thought - if you have one or two holes on soft wood or don't mind burning out a hole because your going to pain the wood etc. then you probably could get a few holes on softwood and I would think one hold on hard wood.A good 30mm Forstner bit is hard to come by and is going to cost you around $50-60 after tax and shipping from a specialty store.

Forstner bits are designed to slowly make really nicely finished holes, not tear through lumber. They are designed to be turned at several hundred rpm, not thousands, and not to be forced - other reviews complaining that the bit “Burned up”, or dulled quickly, are not using the bit correctly. I just finished doing 174 holes through 1/2” MDF with a 2 1/8” bit, and I cannot see any difference between the first hole and the last one. I used a drill press, at 620rpm, and didn’t rush - I probably took 15-20 seconds for each hole. No burning, great holes, and the bit is still nice and sharp. Is this the Rolex of bits? No. The cutting edge had some small imperfections on it from the factory, but it spins true in my drill press, and the holes were very nice. I gave it 4 stars for longevity as I would have liked to try one with a better, carbide cutting edge, and would probably spend a little more money for that if I was to do this again, but used carefully, I have no doubt the bit will last me years. If you need to cut holes quick, buy a self-feed bit - they’re designed to blast through wood and take abuse.

I thought this was a great drill bit. Came packaged in an awesome wood box! I needed it for making boards for beer tasting flights for a party I was hosting. I drilled well over one hundred holes and my last was as good as my first. And the flights looked AMAZING! Including pics of the finished product and the process.

I purchased this bit to countersink the underside of an American black cherry butcher block countertop (janka hardness rating 950) at the faucet holes. I made three cuts 3/4" deep, and the bit performed extremely well. I started cutting counterclockwise to score the face and then proceeded to make the clockwise cut. The bit cut smoothly with no tear-out, burning, wobbling, or other issues I expected since the bit is cheaper in price. The cutting action wasn't too aggressive, which was nice since I was doing more precision work than boring through framing lumber. The bottom of the bores finished nicely. After making the three cuts, I find no visual sign that the bit has dulled, overheated, etc.Cons: The only issue I had was the wood slats inside the storage box that the bit rests on were broken, but a little wood glue fixed that. I was surprised it came in a wooden storage box to begin with.Conclusion: If this bit can cut that smoothly and cleanly through American black cherry, I think it should do well and last long in softwoods--especially if you're using it to bore through Doug fir or larch.

I got what I paid for and maybe more, time will tell. I bought this 1 5/16" forstner bit because I had a specific project that required this somewhat unusual size. It served that purpose perfectly. The bit is sharp, true and exactly the correct size. I have used it to drill 10 3/4" deep holes in poplar so far ant it worked perfectly creating a very clean flat bottom hole just as a forstner bit is designed to create. I cannot vouch for longevity, but, like me, most users are not likely to need this size very often so economy not longevity is the primary concern. Based on some of the reviews I have read there is a lot of ignorants surrounding the use of a forstner bit. Specifically this type of bit is NOT designed to be used freehand with a hand drill , especially in this size range. It is best used in a drill press. The toque required to turn it exceeds the power of many hand drills and or the strength of many drill operators.

Easily the worst quality Forster type bit I have ever encountered, even by Chinese standards......Yes, it’s Chinese.

Acurate and excellent quality

Nothing that an hour of sharpening cannot fix but one should not have to remedy the deficiencies of a new product out of the box. Once sharpened, it does the job. A Hex Shaft would be an improvement. Purchased two (2) other similar products at about the same price and preferred them over this one.

Bought this to use in a drill press to drill out holes in pressure treated 2x4 lumber to make a railing for my deck. The drill bet made short work of drilling in to the lumber, and unlike a spade bit, cave a nice flat bottom, without a deep pointy hole in the center of it. I probably drilled around 400 holes, and the bit still looks like new.

Needed this to drill this specific size hole when mounting a woodworking vise. Did the job well -- nice clean cut, no burning, ripping or anything. Can't comment on longevity since I've only used it once but seems like a well made bit that I'll be able to count on when I need it again.