Wise Buys: Forstner Bit Sets

 

Woodline USA #WL-FR2000

20 bits: 1/4" to 1" in 1/16" increments; 1-1/8" to 2" in 1/8" increments

Editor test-drive:
In the past, I've bought Forstner bits like router bits: One at a time, as needed. But for the price of a half-dozen individual bits, I got Woodline's China-made 20-piece set. The 12 bits smaller than 1" feature smooth cutting rims, while the larger ones have a sawtooth design. Both types cut cleanly with no tear-out as I bored holes in pine, birch plywood, white oak, and even tough-as-nails hickory. As a bonus, the titanium-nitride coating helps reduce dulling from heat buildup. They also have hex-tipped shanks for a no-slip grip in the chuck, with the recommended speed printed on the shank.

--Tested by Bob Wilson, Techniques Editor

To learn more:
800-472-6950; woodline.com

Blades, Bits, and Supplies