Forstner Bits

Forstner Bits, flat-bottomed to drill holes in wood materials, they can cut on the edge of a block of wood, and can cut overlapping holes; for such applications they are normally used in drill presses or lathes rather than in hand-held electric drills. Because of the flat bottom of the hole, they are useful for drilling through veneer already glued to add an inlay.

The bit includes a center point which guides it throughout the cut (and incidentally spoils the otherwise flat bottom of the hole). The cylindrical cutter around the perimeter shears the wood fibers at the edge of the bore, and also helps guide the bit into the material more precisely.

Forstner bits have radial cutting edges to plane off the material at the bottom of the hole. The bits shown in the images have two radial edges; other designs may have more. Forstner bits have no mechanism to clear chips from the hole, and therefore must be pulled out periodically.