Product Description
CMT Dowel Drill 3 x 18 x 57.5mm Left-Hand Rotation is a solid carbide boring bit engineered for high-precision blind hole drilling in furniture manufacturing, cabinet making, and panel processing applications. Built entirely from premium super-micrograin carbide sourced from Ceratizit in Luxembourg, this 3mm diameter dowel drill delivers consistently clean bores with no rough edges - making it a dependable choice for high-speed boring units and CNC routers alike. Its left-hand (LH) rotation is matched to spindle configurations where conventional right-hand bits cannot be used, and its 57.5mm overall length keeps it rigid and accurate through demanding production runs.
Key Features
- Solid super-micrograin carbide construction (HWM) - provides exceptional wear resistance and supports an almost infinite number of resharpenings, reducing long-term tooling costs in continuous production environments.
- Curved, negatively ground spurs (2 spurs, V2) - produce exceptionally clean bore walls and flat-bottom holes with no rough edges or tearout, which is critical for furniture joinery and veneered panel work.
- Plunge edge extending to the centre of the bit - reduces drilling resistance and increases production speed, meaning fewer pauses and greater throughput on multi-spindle boring machines and CNC centers.
- Balanced centre point - ensures accurate bit registration at the start of each bore, minimising wander and delivering consistent hole placement across repeated operations.
- 2 cutting edges and 2 spiral flutes (Z2) - efficient chip evacuation keeps the cutting zone clear, reducing heat buildup and maintaining bore quality even in dense materials like particle board and MDF.
- 10 x 25mm parallel shank with driving flat - provides secure, slip-free seating in compatible boring machine chucks and CNC tool holders, maintaining concentricity under load.
- Left-hand (LH) rotation - designed for specific spindle positions on multi-spindle boring heads where LH tooling is required, enabling full-machine operation without spindle compromise.
- Extreme sharpening grade - the solid carbide body can be resharpened repeatedly, offering a longer effective service life compared to tipped or coated alternatives.
- 18mm cutting height - sufficient depth for standard dowel pocket boring in solid hardwood, MDF, HDF, particle board, and coated panel stock.
Why This Product
- Suited for the most demanding composites and hardwoods - solid carbide construction with negatively ground spurs handles particle board, MDF, veneered panels, and hardwood without degrading bore quality, making it a practical solution where HSS bits wear too quickly.
- Designed for CNC and high-speed boring unit compatibility - the parallel shank with driving flat and balanced centre point geometry are matched to the precision and speed demands of CNC boring centers and multi-spindle industrial machines.
- Left-hand rotation fills a specific production gap - in multi-spindle boring heads, certain spindle positions require LH tooling; this bit allows those positions to operate at full capacity without substituting inferior tools.
- Long service life with resharpening support - because the bit is a single solid carbide unit rather than a tipped design, it can be resharpened at the extreme grade many times over, reducing replacement frequency and overall cost per bore.
Specifications
- Manufacturer Part Number: 310.030.22
- Brand: CMT Orange Tools
- Diameter: 3mm
- Cutting Height: 18mm
- Total Length: 57.5mm
- Shank: 10 x 25mm (parallel shank with driving flat)
- Rotation: Left-Hand (LH)
- Number of Cutting Edges: 2
- Number of Spiral Flutes: 2
- Number of Spurs: 2
- Blade Material: HWM solid super-micrograin carbide
- Sharpening Grade: Extreme
Approved Applications
- Blind hole drilling for dowel connections and panel joinery
- Furniture manufacturing and cabinet making
- Panel processing and drilling on CNC boring centers
- Multi-spindle boring machine operations requiring left-hand rotation
- Drilling in solid hardwood and softwood
- Drilling in particle board, MDF, and HDF
- Boring in veneered panels and coated sheet materials
- Difficult composites requiring carbide-grade tooling
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this dowel drill use left-hand (LH) rotation instead of the more common right-hand direction?
Multi-spindle boring heads used in furniture and panel production have spindles positioned on both left and right sides of the head. Spindles on certain positions rotate in the left-hand direction, so LH tooling is required to match that rotation. Using this LH bit in the correct spindle position ensures the cutting edges engage the material properly, producing clean bores with full cutting efficiency.
What materials is this 3mm carbide boring bit compatible with?
This solid carbide dowel drill is designed for use in hardwood, particle board, MDF, and veneered wood, as well as other difficult composites. Its curved, negatively ground spurs and solid HWM carbide construction are particularly well suited to abrasive engineered materials like particle board and MDF that would rapidly wear conventional HSS bits.
How many times can this bit be resharpened, and what does the "Extreme" sharpening grade mean?
Because this bit is a single solid unit of super-micrograin carbide rather than a carbide-tipped steel body, it can be resharpened an almost indefinite number of times - each resharpening removes a small amount of the solid carbide, exposing fresh cutting geometry. The "Extreme" sharpening grade indicates this bit is rated for the highest level of resharpening service, making it one of the most economical choices for long-term production tooling.
What machines is this dowel drill compatible with?
This bit is designed for use on high-speed boring units and CNC routers, as well as multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel processing centers. The 10 x 25mm parallel shank with driving flat provides secure retention in boring machine chucks and CNC tool holders compatible with that shank size. Always confirm your machine's spindle size and rotation direction before fitting this LH bit.
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