The CMT 311.050.12 Dowel Drill - 5 x 35 x 70mm Left-Hand is a precision-engineered 2-flute boring tool built for professional furniture manufacturing, cabinet making, and panel processing. Designed for left-hand rotation, this long-series dowel drill delivers clean, flat-bottomed blind holes in solid wood, chipboard, MDF, and laminated panels. Its tungsten carbide (HW) cutting head, PTFE-coated spiral, and negatively ground spurs combine to produce consistent, tearout-free bores suited to high-volume CNC boring centers and multi-spindle machines alike.

Key Features

• Tungsten Carbide (HW) Cutting Head with 2 Precision-Ground Cutting Edges - the hard carbide material maintains a sharp edge through repeated use in abrasive panel materials such as chipboard, MDF, and laminates, reducing downtime for tool changes.
• PTFE-Coated Spiral Portion - the orange or black P.T.F.E. coating prevents pitch and glue buildup on the flutes, keeping chips evacuating freely and extending the working life of the drill in production environments.
• 2 Negatively Ground Spurs (V2 Sharpening) - the negatively set spur geometry scores the material cleanly at the bore perimeter before the cutting edges engage, producing smooth hole walls and flat bottoms with no chipping or tearout on coated or laminated surfaces.
• Precision-Balanced Centre Point - the HW centre point self-locates accurately on the workpiece, reducing wandering at the start of the cut and ensuring repeatable hole placement critical to dowel-joint alignment in furniture assembly.
• 2 Spiral Flutes - dual flutes provide efficient chip clearance throughout the 35mm cutting depth, preventing clogging during deep blind-hole boring and supporting cleaner hole geometry.
• Super-Strength Steel Body - the robust steel shank and body resist deflection and vibration at high boring speeds, contributing to dimensional accuracy across large panel runs.
• 10 x 30mm Parallel Shank with Driving Flat and Length-Adjusting Screw - the standardized shank seats securely in multi-spindle heads and CNC boring units, while the driving flat prevents slipping under load and the length-adjusting screw allows precise depth calibration without additional tooling.
• Left-Hand (LH) Rotation - matched to left-hand spindle positions on multi-spindle boring machines, this drill completes mirrored boring patterns in a single machine pass, eliminating the need to reposition panels.
• 35mm Cutting Height in a 70mm Overall Length (Long Series) - the extended reach allows deeper blind holes than standard-length dowel drills, supporting thicker panel constructions and alternative joinery depths.

Why This Product

• Left-hand rotation is a specific requirement for left-side spindle positions on multi-spindle CNC boring machines - using a right-hand drill in that position causes tool pullout and poor hole quality, making this LH designation a functional necessity rather than a preference.
• The combination of negatively ground spurs and a carbide cutting head makes this drill effective across a wide range of engineered and solid wood panel materials - from raw chipboard and MDF to high-pressure laminates and coated panels - without requiring a separate tool for each substrate.
• The PTFE-coated spiral reduces friction and adhesive buildup during glue-joint boring operations, where resin-laden materials would otherwise foul uncoated flutes and degrade hole quality mid-run.
• At 5mm diameter with a 10 x 30mm parallel shank, this drill fits standard boring machine chucks and adapters used in furniture panel processing lines, making it a direct-fit replacement for worn tooling without machine modification.

Specifications

• Manufacturer Part Number: 311.050.12
• Brand: CMT Orange Tools
• Diameter: 5mm
• Cutting Height: 35mm
• Total Length: 70mm
• Shank: 10 x 30mm parallel shank with driving flat and length adjusting screw
• Rotation: Left-Hand (LH)
• Number of Flutes: 2
• Number of Spurs: 2
• Spur Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
• Blade Material: HW (Tungsten Carbide)
• Product Type: Dowel Drill - Long Series

Approved Applications

• Blind hole drilling for dowel joint connections
• Panel drilling in furniture manufacturing
• Cabinet making and case construction
• Boring in chipboard, MDF, HDF, hardwood, softwood, plywood, laminates, and coated panels
• Left-hand spindle positions on multi-spindle CNC boring machines
• CNC boring centers and panel processing centers
• Boring machines fitted with a compatible adapter or chuck