Tools & Materials
Expanded Results from the Forstner Bit Tool Test
View the complete findings from our test of 18 brands
Forstner bits have been helping woodworkers cut clean holes with precision since they were developed a century ago. Today, Forstner bits come in a variety of designs. To find out which ones are best, I tested 18 brands. The top nine brands are listed in an article in FWW #197.
Download the PDF to see the results for the remaining nine bits from CMT, Lee Valley, Promax, Woodtek, and Eagle American.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
JessEm Mite-R Excel II Miter Gauge
The gauge has a quick and easy method for fitting the guide bar precisely to your tablesaw’s miter slot. This means the gauge can be recalibrated if necessary for continued accuracy. The face of the protractor head can be adjusted square to the table and also square to the guide bar. This ensures accurate cuts, and it, too, can be readjusted if the need arises. The protractor head has stainless-steel knobs and fittings and high-contrast, easy-to-read white numbers and increments.
DeWalt 735X Planer
At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy.
Grizzly G0495X Industrial Helical Cutterhead 8-in. Jointer
Regardless of the board’s grain, this jointer produced excellent results. Its fence was totally flat, worked smoothly, and locked well, staying in place even after jointing multiple edges. Getting the fence to 90° was very easy, but the 90° stop was a little tricky to set and the fence did not go back to square when using it. For those who would use it, there is also a digital depth-of-cut scale.
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