CMT 306.120.12 Dowel Drill - 12 x 30 x 55.5mm Left-Hand Rotation is a precision carbide-tipped boring tool engineered for fast, clean blind-hole drilling in panel processing and furniture manufacturing environments. Built by CMT with a hard metal (HW) cutting head and a super-strength steel body, this left-hand rotating dowel drill is purpose-built for high-speed CNC boring machines and multi-spindle panel processing centers where accuracy, surface quality, and tool longevity are non-negotiable. Whether you are drilling dowel pocket holes in chipboard, MDF, hardwood, or coated laminates, this 12mm diameter drill delivers repeatable flat-bottom bores with clean, chip-free entry walls cycle after cycle.

Key Features

• HW (Hard Metal) Cutting Head on Super-Strength Steel Body - the carbide-tipped construction provides exceptional wear resistance so the drill maintains sharp cutting performance over extended production runs, reducing downtime for tool changes.
• Precision Balanced Centre Point - keeps the drill on target at the moment of entry, preventing bit wander and ensuring each bore is positioned with repeatable accuracy across high-volume panel runs.
• 2 HW Precision-Ground Cutting Edges (Z2) - two hard metal cutting lips shear through material cleanly and efficiently, reducing heat buildup and extending the usable life of each cutting edge.
• 2 Negatively Ground Spurs (V2) - the negative grind geometry scores the material perimeter ahead of the cutting edges, producing clean bore walls and crisp, tear-out-free entry points in chipboard, MDF, and laminated panels.
• Left-Hand (LH) Rotation - matches the spindle direction of left-hand boring stations on multi-spindle CNC machines and boring centers, allowing the drill to be dropped directly into the correct station without adaptation.
• 8 x 20mm Parallel Shank - a standardized shank size compatible with CNC boring chucks and adapter systems used across panel processing centers, ensuring secure clamping and minimal runout.
• 30mm Cutting Height - provides sufficient depth capacity for standard dowel pocket drilling in furniture panel thicknesses, covering typical shelf pin, hinge, and dowel joint applications.
• Resharpenable Design - the HW head can be precision reground multiple times, allowing the tool to be restored to factory-sharp condition rather than replaced, reducing long-term tooling costs.

Why This Product

• Matched to Left-Hand Spindle Stations - CNC boring machines use both right-hand and left-hand spindle positions simultaneously. This LH drill is specifically made to run in left-hand stations without improvised workarounds, maintaining proper cutting geometry and surface quality.
• Clean Results in Laminated and Coated Panels - the negatively ground spurs score the surface before the cutting edges lift material, which is critical when drilling through decorative foil, melamine, or high-pressure laminate where surface tear-out is unacceptable.
• Built to Withstand High CNC Production Speeds - the hard metal cutting head and super-strength steel body are designed to hold their edge and maintain dimensional accuracy under the continuous duty cycle demands of automated panel processing lines.
• Multiple Resharpenings Extend Value - unlike throwaway carbide inserts, this drill can be returned to a sharp cutting condition through precision regrinding, making it a cost-effective choice for shops that run high volumes of dowel boring operations.

Specifications

• Manufacturer Part Number: 306.120.12
• Brand: CMT Orange Tools
• Description: DOWEL DRILL 12x30x55.5mm LH
• Diameter: 12mm
• Cutting Height: 30mm
• Total Length: 55.5mm
• Shank: 8x20mm
• Rotation: LH (Left-Hand)
• Number of Cutting Edges: 2 (Z2)
• Number of Spurs: 2 (V2)
• Spur Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
• Blade Material: HW (Hard Metal / Carbide-Tipped)
• Body Material: Super-strength steel
• Product Type: Dowel Drill

Approved Applications

• Blind hole drilling for dowel connections in furniture panels
• Panel drilling on multi-spindle CNC boring machines
• Boring operations on CNC boring centers and panel processing centers
• Drilling in solid wood, hardwood, and softwood
• Boring in chipboard and particle board
• Drilling in MDF and HDF
• Blind hole boring in laminated panels, coated panels, and melamine-faced boards
• Cabinet making and furniture manufacturing production lines
• Use with boring machine adapters or chucks where left-hand rotation is required