# Are woodcradt forstner bits any good?



## Marine04 (Sep 4, 2013)

I'm finding myself needing a 1 5/8" forstner bit. I typically buy the diablo bits at HD and have really been satisfied with them. Unfortunately I can't find one in that size at HD so I tried lowes for a PC and they don't carry that size unless you buy a 50 dollar set. I could order a wood owl bit and pick it up at lowes in a few days but I need it now and have never used wood owl bits either. I did see that woodcraft carries a couple one being a boremax for 50 which I can't afford at this time and I think the other which is 12 bucks is like woodcrafts brand or whatever. Has anyone used their forstner bits? If so how do they perform compared to the diablo bits? I will be using it regularly to drill holes for candle holders which I will be selling so I do need a decently clean hole. I will be drilling red oak which is fairly hard and later will be drilling cherry and walnut so it has to be able to cut through hard wood and keep a clean accurate hole. Any ideas on the performance of these bits and opinions on how long it will last before i need to replace it?


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I can't speak to their forestner bits....but their router bits that I've used have been of acceptable quality.


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## Marine04 (Sep 4, 2013)

ryan50hrl said:



> I can't speak to their forestner bits....but their router bits that I've used have been of acceptable quality.


Cool I'll definitely consider them then. I plan to head up there when my daughter wakes up from nap. I thought they would carry Freud bits but I didn't see them on the website. If I can get one of those for around 20 I'll do that but all I saw was their brand they carry and boremax which is way too much


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## Masterjer (Nov 6, 2012)

I just picked up their set of forstner bits. They're on sale (reg $97, sale price $47) for the 16 piece set. I've used 2 of them and they worked great.


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## Marine04 (Sep 4, 2013)

Masterjer said:


> I just picked up their set of forstner bits. They're on sale (reg $97, sale price $47) for the 16 piece set. I've used 2 of them and they worked great.


Nice! I may just get a set then. Never know when I'll need other sizes and that's a heck of a deal


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

If you want to stick to Freud, it is on Amazon, although it won't cost you much less than that PC set at Lowes.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

There are some tricks to sharpening Forstner bits. Big ones should be easier to get at than little ones. Leonard Lee explains the how-to-do-it in his book: The Complete Guide To Sharpening." Not what I expected but he's correct, as usual. LL is the grand old man of Lee Valley.


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## Marine04 (Sep 4, 2013)

Robson Valley said:


> There are some tricks to sharpening Forstner bits. Big ones should be easier to get at than little ones. Leonard Lee explains the how-to-do-it in his book: The Complete Guide To Sharpening." Not what I expected but he's correct, as usual. LL is the grand old man of Lee Valley.


Awesome! Guess I can buy any brand and just re sharpen when they dull. I'll definitely check that out. I've never thought about sharpening bits, I've always just replaced them


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## Marine04 (Sep 4, 2013)

Gilgaron said:


> If you want to stick to Freud, it is on Video Link: http://www.amazon.com/Freud-FC-012-8-Inch-Carbide-Forstner/dp/B00004RK5G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380731445&sr=8-1&keywords=1+5%2F8%22+forstner+bit, although it won't cost you much less than that PC set at Lowes.


Dang man! Didn't realize Freud cost so much. Figured they would be about the same as the diablos. Think I'll stick to diablos and woodcraft stuff for now


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