Product Description
The CMT 311.090.42 Dowel Drill - 9 x 35 x 70mm Left-Hand is a solid carbide boring bit engineered for high-precision dowel hole drilling in furniture manufacturing, cabinet making, and panel processing applications. Built from premium super micrograin carbide, this left-hand rotation drill delivers exceptionally clean bores in hardwood, MDF, particle board, plywood, and veneered composite panels. Its solid carbide construction and purpose-built geometry make it a reliable choice for high-speed boring units and CNC routers operating at production volumes.
Key Features
- Premium super micrograin carbide construction - the entire drill body is solid carbide, offering greater rigidity and impact resistance than carbide-tipped designs, and enabling an almost unlimited number of resharpenings over the tool's service life.
- Curved, negatively ground spurs (2 spurs) - the unique spur geometry scores the perimeter of the hole ahead of the cutting edge, producing exceptionally clean bore walls and flat-bottom holes with no rough edges or tearout - critical for visible dowel joints in finished furniture panels.
- Centre-balanced tip design - the balanced centre point keeps the drill tracking true on entry, reducing wandering and improving hole-location accuracy on multi-spindle and CNC boring operations.
- Plunge edge extending to the centre of the bit - reduces drilling resistance during plunge entry, translating directly to faster cycle times and increased production throughput.
- Larger cylindrical head than traditional tips - the oversized head is more resistant to prolonged use, maintaining bore diameter accuracy longer between reconditioning intervals.
- Left-hand (LH) rotation - designed specifically for left-hand spindle positions on multi-spindle boring machines and CNC boring centers, ensuring the correct cutting direction and clean chip evacuation on those stations.
- 10 x 30mm parallel shank - sized to fit standard boring machine chucks and adapters used in panel processing centers, providing secure tool retention under high-cycle loads.
- 2-flute geometry at 35mm cutting height - the dual flutes balance cutting efficiency and chip clearance, while the 35mm usable cutting depth covers standard blind-hole dowel depths in panel joinery applications.
Why This Product
- Solid carbide - not carbide-tipped - means the tool can be resharpened many times without degrading performance, lowering the cost-per-hole over the drill's working life in high-volume cabinet and furniture production.
- The combination of negatively ground spurs and a centre-balanced tip produces clean-entry, flat-bottom bores in difficult composites like particle board and MDF, where tearout at the bore edge would compromise glue surface quality in dowel joints.
- At 70mm overall length with a 35mm cutting height, this bit reaches the boring depths required for standard dowel connections in panel furniture without sacrificing rigidity - suitable for both manual boring machines (with adapter or chuck) and automated CNC boring centers.
- Left-hand rotation (LH) matches the spindle direction of left-hand stations on multi-spindle boring heads, making this bit a direct, purpose-matched solution rather than a compromise fit.
Specifications
- Manufacturer Part Number: 311.090.42
- Brand: CMT Orange Tools
- Diameter: 9mm
- Cutting Height: 35mm
- Total Length: 70mm
- Shank: 10 x 30mm
- Number of Spurs: 2
- Number of Flutes: 2
- Rotation: Left-Hand (LH)
- Material: Solid Carbide (HW - super micrograin carbide)
Approved Applications
- Blind hole drilling for dowel connections in panel furniture and cabinet construction
- Panel drilling on multi-spindle CNC boring machines and boring centers
- Furniture manufacturing and case goods production
- Cabinet making and flatpack panel joinery
- High-speed boring on CNC routers equipped with boring heads
- Drilling hardwood, particle board, MDF, HDF, plywood, and veneered wood panels
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between this bit and a standard carbide-tipped dowel drill?
This drill is constructed entirely from solid super micrograin carbide rather than a steel body with a carbide tip bonded to it. The solid carbide construction provides extra safety, greater rigidity, and allows the bit to be resharpened many more times than a carbide-tipped design, making it well suited to high-cycle production environments. The carbide used is a premium super micrograin grade sourced from Luxembourg.
Why does this drill use left-hand (LH) rotation, and how do I know if my machine requires it?
Left-hand rotation means the bit cuts when turned counter-clockwise as viewed from the shank end. Multi-spindle boring machines and CNC boring heads typically have dedicated left-hand spindle positions - usually on the left side of the boring head - to match the geometry of the workpiece layout. Check your machine's spindle specification or boring head layout drawing to confirm which positions require LH bits before installing this tool.
Can this bit be used on difficult composite materials like MDF and particle board?
Yes. The solid super micrograin carbide construction and the negatively ground spur geometry are specifically described as ideal for hardwood and difficult composites including particle board, MDF, and veneered wood. The design produces clean bores with no rough edges in these abrasive materials, and the solid carbide body withstands the accelerated wear that composites impose on cutting tools.
What shank diameter and length does this bit use, and will it fit a standard boring machine chuck?
This dowel drill has a 10 x 30mm parallel shank, which is the standard shank size used across the 311.41/42 series and is compatible with chucks and adapters commonly found on multi-spindle CNC boring machines, boring centers, and panel processing centers. If your machine uses a different shank format, an appropriate adapter chuck will be required.
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