| Review by Shopsmithtom | posted 381 days ago | 1169 views | 2 times favorited | 9 comments |  |
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- Grizzly H6334 16 piece Forstner bit set
- Brand: Grizzly | Category: Drill-Driver Accessories
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I recently read (in Fine Woodworking Magazine # 197, April, 2008) a review of several brands of forstner bits and decided that my Harbor Freight 7 piece set (1/4” – 1”) bought on sale for $5.00 was obsolete. That set, by the way, served me well for the money spent…as anyone who has read anything I’ve added to this sight in the past may remember, I’m really cheap… but I really needed more larger bit sizes.
After reading the article, I noted that they picked this set as a best value with a 16 piece set ranging from 1/4” to 2 1/8” sizes. The set sells for around $30.00 which is less that 2 bucks a bit for you mathematically challenged lumberjocks. There are a lot of no-name brands out there that go for more money.
Now…on to the test. I wouldn’t expect you to simply take the word of Fine Woodworking Magazine, so I figured I’d try them out & pass along my results. I figured that trying every bit was overkill, so, in the interest of time, I picked 4 bits to test. I used a piece of hard maple as my wood.
The sizes I chose were, 1/4”, 3/4”, 1 1/4”, and 1 3/4”.
I drilled one hole with each bit, going through until the point came through the bottom, and then flipped the wood over and drilled from that side, so as not to have any tearout.
I measured the holes with a dial read caliper (garage sale, but a nice one…remember…cheap)The actual hole sizes were: 1/4’= .25”, 3/4”= .75”, 1 1/4”= 1.26”, 1 3/4”= 1.76”. That’s close enough for me.
While the bits seemed to run a little hot (I really don’t have a lot to compare to, so it’s just an impression and the wood did not burn) they cleared debris very well, and the hole sides were clean.
They come in a pretty nice wood case. These are made in China (so what’s new?) but I think for the money you simply can’t go wrong with this set.
-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you
9 comments so far
Dusty56
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3476 posts in 585 days
posted 380 days ago
Dude , that’s not Maple , it’s Pine !
-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .
8iowa
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592 posts in 658 days
posted 380 days ago
I just received the speed reducer accessory that will provide speeds in the 700 to 100 rpm range. This will allow drilling with forstner bits up to 3 1/2 inches.
-- "Heaven is North of the Bridge"
Scott Bryan
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20735 posts in 719 days
posted 380 days ago
Thanks for the review. I have a set that I am looking to replace. This has been helpful.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
SCOTSMAN
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2244 posts in 482 days
posted 379 days ago
There is unfortunately a lot of tool snobbery out there if it doesn’t have the correct brand name it is useless without trying it .I buy these drills and they are fine and also I stopped buying dewalt as I found it to be overpriced and not very well made I had a palm sander which used to heat up so much you couldn’t hold it after ten minutes I got a rain cheque on that one I now bnuy my stuff more carefully some things you are better to pay the money and get a good machine but not always.Alistair
-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease
Shopsmithtom
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408 posts in 1092 days
posted 379 days ago
Dusty, if that’s pine, I made a whole table out if the wrong wood. -SST
-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you
Zuki
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1230 posts in 974 days
posted 378 days ago
Tks for the review. Would never have tought of looking at these.
-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them
oldskoolmodder
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707 posts in 577 days
posted 376 days ago
My set of Forstner bits is 20 years old, but they look like new, even the case does. I paid at the time Near $100 for a no name. They serve me well, BUT, I shop at and even have a few “around the house” Harbor Freight tools, so I won’t “jock” them at all. Some of the things you see at the big box stores are available at Harbor Freight for far less. The problem is that they aren’t always close, unless you live in a big city setting in the U.S. I’m hard on tools, so I’d rather replace a $20 tool a few times, that would cost $150 if it had the Dewalt name on it.
-- Respect your shop tools and they will respect you - Ric
juniorjock
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790 posts in 662 days
posted 375 days ago
SST, I have the same set of bits and I agree that they get the job done. I’ve had mine for about two years and have had no problems. I very seldom have any tear out especially if I’m using a backer board.
-JJ
-- JJ...... I guess you could say I'm a 54 year old "juniorjock". — Make things with wood.
Jim Crockett
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325 posts in 630 days
posted 370 days ago
Thanks for the review. I need to replace my 8 bit set and this looks like a good choice at a very reasonable price.
Jim