Has anyone used the Miller Dowel system?  I used the 1X for a project last week and got absolutely horrible tear out.  I tried drilling fast, slow, controlling the entry (difficult to do), etc.  The best results were from stopping the bit short of the last step, reaming out the hole with a 3/8″ drill bit (the Miller drill bit measured ~0.40″ on my dial calipers), and then finishing with the Miller bit.

I spoke with a Miller rep by phone half way through drilling my 16 holes as my blood pressure was spiking.  They said that the 1st generation bits had a tear out problem and that they had re-engineered the bits to eliminate it.  Perhaps I had a 1st generation bit they asked.  Turns out I did not.  They replaced the bit at no charge anyway.  I tested the new bit on cherry, maple, walnut, pine, and birch veneer plywood.  The new bit is the same – same tearout, and I mean bad.

I love the idea they created, but the implementation is so far lacking.  Has anyone else had a similar experience?  Any ideas to eliminate the tear out?