Product Description
CMT 309.160.11 Dowel Drill 16 x 43 x 70mm RH is a precision-engineered, right-hand rotation boring tool designed for clean, accurate dowel hole drilling in solid wood, chipboard, MDF, laminates, and coated panels. Built around a tungsten carbide (HW) cutting head mounted on a super-strength steel body, this 16mm diameter drill delivers flat-bottom blind holes with smooth bore walls - making it a reliable choice for furniture manufacturing, cabinet making, and panel processing operations where tight tolerances and consistent results are required. The PTFE-coated cutter portion resists pitch and glue buildup, keeping the tool performing cleanly across long production runs.
Key Features
- HW (Tungsten Carbide) Cutting Head - delivers lasting edge retention and clean cutting performance across dense materials like MDF, chipboard, and hardwood, reducing regrind frequency in high-volume boring operations.
- 2 Precision-Ground HW Cutting Edges (Z2) - produces flat-bottom blind holes with consistent depth and diameter, critical for tight-fitting dowel joints in furniture and cabinet assembly.
- 2 Negatively Ground Spurs (V2) - scores the material cleanly ahead of the cutting edges, minimizing tearout and splintering at the entry point for a clean bore wall in both face grain and cross-grain drilling.
- 4 Spiral Flutes - efficiently evacuates chips and dust from the bore during drilling, reducing heat buildup and helping maintain hole quality throughout continuous use.
- Black or Orange PTFE Cutter Coating - non-stick surface prevents resin, pitch, and adhesive buildup on the cutter, extending tool life and reducing cleaning downtime between operations.
- Precision-Balanced Centre Point - ensures the drill engages the workpiece accurately at the start of each bore, reducing wander and improving positional accuracy across multi-row panel drilling applications.
- Parallel Shank with Driving Flat and Length Adjusting Screw - provides secure, repeatable seating in multi-spindle CNC boring machines and boring centers, with the adjusting screw allowing fine depth calibration without removing the tool.
- 10 x 20mm Shank - compatible with standard boring machine chucks and adapters used in panel processing and furniture production environments.
- 43mm Cutting Height in a 70mm Overall Length - the extended length accommodates thicker panel stock and allows for deeper blind holes where standard-length drills cannot reach required depth.
- Right-Hand (RH) Rotation - matches the standard spindle direction of the vast majority of CNC boring centers and multi-spindle boring machines, ensuring immediate drop-in compatibility.
Why This Product
- The 43mm cutting height within a 70mm overall length makes this drill well suited for thicker panel stock where a standard-length dowel drill would fall short of the required blind hole depth - no adapter extensions or special fixtures needed.
- The combination of 2 negatively ground spurs and 2 precision-ground HW cutting edges addresses one of the most common challenges in panel boring: tearout and rough bore walls that compromise joint quality in visible or laminated surfaces.
- PTFE coating on the cutter portion directly reduces adhesive and resin adhesion during drilling - a practical advantage when working with glued panels, pre-laminated boards, or resin-heavy composite materials.
- The parallel shank with driving flat and integrated length adjusting screw simplifies tool setup and depth repeatability on multi-spindle boring machines, reducing setup time and the risk of depth variation across a production run.
Specifications
- Manufacturer Part Number: 309.160.11
- Brand: CMT Orange Tools
- Diameter: 16mm
- Cutting Height: 43mm
- Total Length: 70mm
- Shank: 10 x 20mm parallel shank with driving flat and length adjusting screw
- Number of Cutting Edges: 2
- Number of Spurs: 2
- Number of Flutes: 4
- Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
- Blade Material: HW (Tungsten Carbide)
- Rotation: Right-hand (RH)
Approved Applications
- Blind hole drilling for dowel connections
- Panel drilling in furniture manufacturing
- Cabinet making and case goods production
- Multi-spindle CNC boring machine operations
- CNC boring center panel processing
- Boring with adapter or chuck on compatible machines
- Drilling in chipboard, MDF, HDF, hardwood, softwood, plywood, laminates, and coated panels
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the cutting height and the total length of this drill?
The cutting height of 43mm refers to the usable boring depth - the length of the cutter portion that actively removes material. The total length of 70mm includes the shank section. When setting boring depth on your machine, use the 43mm cutting height as your reference for maximum blind hole depth.
Why does this drill have negatively ground spurs?
Negatively ground spurs are angled to score the material fibers ahead of the main cutting edges, which helps produce a clean entry point and smooth bore walls. This reduces tearout and chipping, particularly important when drilling laminates, coated panels, and veneered surfaces where surface quality at the bore edge is critical.
What does the PTFE coating on the cutter portion do?
The black or orange PTFE coating creates a non-stick surface on the cutter, which resists the buildup of pitch, resin, and adhesive during drilling. This keeps the flutes clear, reduces friction-related heat, and helps maintain cutting performance over longer production runs without frequent cleaning.
Is the length adjusting screw on the shank a standard feature of this drill?
Yes. The parallel shank on this drill includes both a driving flat and a length adjusting screw as standard. The driving flat prevents the tool from rotating in the chuck under load, while the length adjusting screw allows fine-tuning of the drill's position in the spindle for precise, repeatable boring depth without fully removing and repositioning the tool.
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