Product Description
CMT 307.080.12 Dowel Drill 5/16" x 40 x 67mm Left-Hand by CMT is a precision carbide-tipped boring tool engineered for blind hole drilling in panel processing and furniture manufacturing applications. Designed with a left-hand rotation, this 5/16" diameter drill pairs with multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel processing centers to produce clean, flat-bottom dowel holes in solid wood, chipboard, MDF, and coated panels. The hardmetal (HW) cutting head, negatively ground spurs, and balanced centre point work together to deliver accurate, tear-free bores that meet the tight tolerances demanded in cabinet making and furniture assembly.
Key Features
- Super-strength steel body with HW cutting head - the hardmetal tip bonded to a super-strength steel shank handles the repetitive, high-cycle demands of production boring without premature wear, reducing downtime and tool replacement frequency.
- Precision balanced centre point - centres the drill accurately on the workpiece at entry, preventing walk or drift and ensuring hole placement is consistent across every panel in a production run.
- 2 HW precision ground cutting edges (Z2) - hardmetal cutting edges maintain sharpness over extended use, delivering consistently clean hole walls in chipboard, MDF, hardwood, softwood, and laminates.
- 2 negatively ground spurs (V2) - score the wood fibres ahead of the cutting edges, producing flat-bottom blind holes with smooth bore walls and no tearout or rough edges on the panel surface.
- Left-hand (LH) rotation - purpose-built for left-hand spindle positions on multi-spindle and CNC boring machines, ensuring correct chip evacuation and cutting geometry on the correct side of the machine head.
- 8 x 20mm parallel shank - a standardised shank geometry ensures secure seating and minimal runout in compatible machine chucks and boring heads, protecting hole accuracy across long production runs.
Why This Product
- The left-hand rotation designation makes this drill the correct choice for left-side spindle positions on multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel processing centers - using a right-hand drill in a left-hand spindle produces incorrect cutting geometry and poor results.
- The combination of a precision balanced centre point and negatively ground spurs addresses one of the most common quality issues in panel drilling - tearout and off-centre holes - by scoring fibres cleanly before the main cutting edges engage.
- With a 40mm cutting height on a 67mm overall length body, this drill reaches the boring depth required for panel furniture dowel connections without excessive tool overhang, maintaining rigidity and hole straightness.
- The hardmetal (HW) cutting head material is suited to abrasive engineered wood products like chipboard, MDF, and laminates that rapidly dull high-speed steel tooling, making this drill a practical choice for furniture and cabinet production environments.
Specifications
- Manufacturer Part Number: 307.080.12
- Brand: CMT Orange Tools
- Product Type: Dowel Drill
- Diameter: 5/16"
- Cutting Height: 40mm
- Total Length: 67mm
- Shank: 8 x 20mm
- Rotation: Left-Hand (LH)
- Number of Cutting Edges: 2 (Z2)
- Number of Spurs: 2 (V2)
- Spur Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
- Blade Material: Hardmetal (HW)
Approved Applications
- Blind hole drilling for dowel connections
- Panel drilling in furniture manufacturing
- Cabinet making and case goods production
- Boring in chipboard, MDF, HDF, hardwood, softwood, plywood, laminates, and coated panels
- Use on multi-spindle CNC boring machines and CNC boring centers
- Use on panel processing centers and boring machines with adapter or chuck
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this drill specifically designated left-hand rotation, and how do I know if I need it?
Left-hand (LH) rotation means the drill spins counter-clockwise when viewed from the shank end. Multi-spindle and CNC boring machines often have both left-hand and right-hand spindle positions in a single head. Using this drill in a left-hand spindle position ensures the cutting edges engage the material correctly and chip evacuation works as designed. If your machine spindle rotates counter-clockwise, this is the correct drill. Using a right-hand drill in a left-hand spindle will cause the cutting edges to rub rather than cut.
What is the difference between the cutting height (40mm) and the total length (67mm)?
The cutting height of 40mm refers to the usable length of the fluted, cutting portion of the drill - the depth to which it can bore into the workpiece. The total length of 67mm includes the full body of the drill from tip to the end of the shank. The shank itself is 8 x 20mm, which accounts for the non-cutting portion that seats in the machine chuck or adapter.
What does "negatively ground spurs" mean and why does it matter for panel drilling?
Negatively ground spurs are the outer scoring points on a dowel drill that are angled in a negative geometry. They score and sever the wood fibres at the perimeter of the hole before the main cutting edges clear the material from the centre. This is especially important when drilling laminates, coated panels, and veneered chipboard, where a positively ground or absent spur would cause chipping and tearout at the hole rim - a critical quality defect in visible furniture panels.
What material is the cutting head made from, and does it suit engineered wood products?
The cutting head is made from HW - hardmetal, also known as tungsten carbide. Hardmetal maintains its cutting edge significantly longer than high-speed steel when working with abrasive engineered wood materials such as chipboard, MDF, HDF, and laminates, which contain resins and abrasive particles that rapidly dull non-carbide tooling. This makes the HW construction well suited to the repetitive, high-volume boring typical of furniture panel production.
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