Product Description
CMT 308.080.12 Dowel Drill - 5/16" x 30 x 57.5mm Left-Hand Rotation by CMT is a precision-engineered left-hand (LH) boring tool built for high-volume furniture production, cabinet making, and panel processing. This short-series dowel drill features a tungsten carbide (HW) cutting head with 2 precision-ground cutting edges and 2 negatively ground spurs, delivering clean flat-bottom blind holes in solid wood, chipboard, MDF, laminates, and coated panels. Its 4-spiral-flute design and PTFE-coated cutter body make it a reliable choice for multi-spindle CNC boring machines and CNC boring centers where consistent, tearout-free dowel holes are required.
Key Features
- HW (tungsten carbide) cutting head with 2 precision-ground cutting edges (Z2) - delivers long-lasting sharpness and repeatable hole quality in demanding production environments, reducing downtime for tool changes.
- 2 negatively ground spurs (V2) - shear the wood fibers cleanly at the perimeter of the bore, producing smooth, flat-bottom blind holes with minimal tearout on chipboard, laminates, and coated panels.
- PTFE coating on the cutter portion - prevents pitch and glue buildup on the tool body during continuous drilling, extending tool life and maintaining cutting performance across long production runs.
- 4 spiral flutes - efficiently clear waste material from the bore, reducing heat buildup and keeping the cutting zone clean for accurate, consistent hole depth.
- Precision balanced centre point - locates the drill accurately on the workpiece without walking, ensuring precise dowel hole placement critical for furniture joinery and panel alignment.
- Parallel shank with driving flat and length adjusting screw (10 x 20mm shank) - provides secure, slip-free seating in multi-spindle boring machine heads and CNC boring centers, with the adjusting screw allowing fine depth calibration.
- Left-hand (LH) rotation - designed specifically for LH spindle positions on multi-spindle boring machines, ensuring the cutting geometry engages correctly and spurs cut in the proper direction for clean results.
- Super-strength steel body - supports the carbide head under the high-cycle loads typical of automated panel processing centers, maintaining structural integrity run after run.
Why This Product
- Purpose-built for left-hand spindle positions - if your multi-spindle boring machine requires LH-rotation bits for specific spindle banks, this drill is geometrically correct where a standard RH drill would produce poor cuts or fail entirely.
- Short-series length (57.5mm overall) with 30mm cutting depth - the compact profile minimizes vibration and deflection at high cycle rates, making it well-suited for tight spindle spacing on CNC boring centers and panel processing equipment.
- Negatively ground spurs paired with a carbide head - this combination addresses one of the most common challenges in panel drilling: clean entry on laminates and coated surfaces without chipping or delamination at the bore edge.
- PTFE-coated flutes in a 5/16" fractional diameter - fills the need for a fractional-inch dowel drill size with anti-buildup protection, useful in operations that work with both metric and inch-standard dowel hardware on the same line.
Specifications
- Manufacturer Part Number: 308.080.12
- Brand: CMT Orange Tools
- Diameter: 5/16"
- Cutting Height: 30mm
- Total Length: 57.5mm
- Shank: 10 x 20mm (parallel shank with driving flat and length adjusting screw)
- Rotation: Left-Hand (LH)
- Number of Teeth: 2
- Number of Spurs: 2
- Spur Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
- Blade Material: HW (tungsten carbide)
- Coating: Black or orange PTFE on cutter portion
- Flutes: 4 spiral flutes
- Product Type: 4 Flute Dowel Drill
- Series: Short Series (57.5mm)
Approved Applications
- Blind hole drilling for dowel connections in furniture manufacturing
- Cabinet making and panel joinery
- Panel drilling on chipboard, MDF, HDF, and laminates
- Drilling coated and veneered panels where clean bore entry is required
- Hardwood and softwood blind hole drilling
- Plywood panel processing
Frequently Asked Questions
What machines is this dowel drill compatible with?
This drill is designed for use in multi-spindle CNC boring machines, CNC boring centers, and panel processing centers. It can also be used on a boring machine equipped with a suitable adapter or chuck that accepts a 10 x 20mm parallel shank with a driving flat.
Why does rotation direction matter, and how do I know if I need a left-hand drill?
On multi-spindle boring machines, individual spindles rotate in different directions depending on their position in the head. A left-hand (LH) drill is required for spindles that turn counter-clockwise (when viewed from the tip). Using a right-hand drill in an LH spindle position will cause the spurs and cutting edges to engage the material in reverse, producing rough holes and rapid tool wear. Check your machine's spindle rotation specifications before selecting drill rotation.
What does "negatively ground spurs" mean for hole quality?
Negatively ground spurs are oriented to shear wood fibers from the outside inward as the drill enters the workpiece. This geometry produces a clean, defined bore perimeter with flat walls and a flat bottom, which is especially important when drilling chipboard, laminates, MDF, and coated panels where edge chipping or delamination at the hole entrance is a concern.
What is the purpose of the PTFE coating on this drill?
The PTFE coating applied to the cutter portion reduces friction and prevents pitch and adhesive residue from bonding to the tool surface during continuous drilling. This keeps the flutes clear, maintains cutting efficiency, and extends the service life of the drill in production settings where glued or resin-coated panels are processed frequently.
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