Product Description
CMT 311.055.12 Dowel Drill 7/32" x 35 x 70mm Left-Hand by CMT is a precision-engineered, carbide-tipped boring tool built for clean, accurate blind-hole drilling in panel processing and furniture manufacturing applications. Designed with a left-hand (LH) rotation, this 7/32" diameter dowel drill is a purpose-built solution for multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel boring centers where right-hand and left-hand spindles work together to complete a full row of holes in a single pass. The super-strength steel body, PTFE-coated spiral flutes, and tungsten carbide (HW) cutting head make this drill a dependable choice for production-level work in chipboard, MDF, hardwood, softwood, plywood, laminates, and coated panels.
Key Features
- Carbide (HW) cutting head with precision-balanced centre point - the tungsten carbide tip stays sharp through high-volume production runs, delivering consistent hole depth and location accuracy across every bore.
- 2 precision-ground cutting edges (HW) - dual carbide edges distribute cutting load evenly, reducing vibration and producing flat-bottomed blind holes with smooth interior walls ideal for dowel insertion.
- 2 negatively ground spurs - the negatively sharpened spurs score the panel surface cleanly before the cutting edges engage, preventing tear-out and splintering on laminates, coated panels, and veneered boards.
- 2 spiral flutes with PTFE coating - the orange or black PTFE-coated spiral actively clears chips from the bore while resisting pitch and adhesive buildup, keeping the tool running clean and extending service life between sharpenings.
- Left-hand (LH) rotation - matches the left-hand spindle positions found on multi-spindle boring machines and CNC boring centers, allowing simultaneous left- and right-hand drilling without repositioning the workpiece.
- Parallel shank 10x30mm with driving flat and length adjusting screw - the flat-sided shank seats securely in the spindle chuck, preventing rotation slip under load, while the adjusting screw allows fine-tuning of boring depth for consistent blind-hole production.
- Super-strength steel body - the robust steel construction resists deflection under the lateral forces present in multi-spindle boring operations, maintaining precise hole positioning even in dense panel materials.
- 35mm cutting height with 70mm total length - the long-series 70mm body provides the reach needed for deeper panel thicknesses and stacked-component boring setups without sacrificing rigidity.
Why This Product
- Left-hand rotation makes this drill a direct drop-in for the LH spindle positions on multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel processing centers - no adapters or workarounds needed to complete a full row of dowel holes in a single machine cycle.
- The combination of negatively ground spurs and carbide cutting edges produces clean, splinter-free entry holes on laminates and coated panels - protecting finished surfaces that would be visible in the final furniture assembly.
- PTFE-coated spiral flutes resist glue and resin adhesion, making this drill well suited for production environments where panels may carry adhesive residue or where cycle times leave little opportunity for frequent tool cleaning.
- With a 35mm cutting height on a 70mm long body, this tool handles the boring depth required for standard furniture dowel connections while the length adjusting screw on the parallel shank enables repeatable depth setting across every spindle in the machine.
Specifications
- Manufacturer Part Number: 311.055.12
- Brand: CMT Orange Tools
- Diameter: 7/32"
- Cutting Height: 35mm
- Total Length: 70mm
- Shank: 10x30mm parallel shank with driving flat and length adjusting screw
- Number of Flutes: 2
- Number of Spurs: 2
- Number of Cutting Edges: 2
- Spur Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
- Blade Material: HW (Tungsten Carbide)
- Rotation: Left-Hand (LH)
- Spiral Coating: Orange or Black PTFE
Approved Applications
- Blind hole drilling for dowel joint connections in panel furniture
- Cabinet making and casework panel drilling
- Furniture manufacturing on multi-spindle boring machines
- CNC boring center panel processing
- Chipboard, MDF, HDF, and coated panel boring
- Hardwood, softwood, and plywood drilling
- Laminate and veneered panel blind-hole production
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this dowel drill have left-hand (LH) rotation instead of the more common right-hand rotation?
Multi-spindle boring machines and CNC boring centers use both left-hand and right-hand spindle positions arranged in a row. To drill a complete line of dowel holes in a single machine pass, the spindles on one side of center rotate left-hand while those on the other rotate right-hand. The CMT 311.055.12 is specifically designed for those LH spindle positions, so both sides of the machine can operate simultaneously without repositioning the panel.
What does "negatively ground spurs" mean, and why does it matter for panel work?
Negatively ground spurs are sharpened at an inward-facing angle so they slice into the panel surface cleanly before the main cutting edges begin removing material. This scoring action severs the surface fibers before they can be torn, which is especially important when drilling laminates, melamine-coated chipboard, or veneered panels where a clean, chip-free entry hole is required for a quality finished product.
What is the purpose of the PTFE coating on the spiral flutes?
The PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) coating applied to the spiral portion of the drill creates a very low-friction surface. This helps chips evacuate from the bore quickly and prevents pitch, resin, and adhesive residue from bonding to the flutes. In production environments where panels may carry glue or resin, the PTFE coating reduces cleaning frequency and helps maintain consistent cutting performance over extended use.
What does the length adjusting screw on the shank do?
The parallel shank includes a length adjusting screw in addition to the driving flat. The adjusting screw allows the operator to set and fine-tune the effective boring depth precisely for each spindle in a multi-spindle machine. This ensures that every hole in a row reaches the same blind-hole depth, which is critical for consistent dowel joint alignment in panel furniture assembly.
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