CMT 306.050.12 Dowel Drill 5 x 30 x 55.5mm Left-Hand by CMT is a precision-engineered boring tool built for high-speed blind hole drilling in furniture manufacturing, cabinet making, and panel processing applications. Designed with a hardwood (HW) tipped head and a balanced centre point, this 5mm diameter dowel drill delivers clean, accurate holes for dowel joinery in solid wood, chipboard, MDF, and coated panels - even at demanding CNC production cycles.

Key Features

• HW (Carbide) Head with Precision Balanced Centre Point - the hardmetal tip self-centres on contact, preventing wandering at the start of each bore and ensuring consistent hole placement across high-volume production runs.
• 2 HW Precision Ground Cutting Edges (Z2) - dual carbide cutting edges slice through the material cleanly, reducing tear-out and producing flat-bottomed blind holes suited for tight-tolerance dowel connections.
• 2 Negatively Ground Spurs (V2) - the negative grind geometry scores the perimeter of the hole before the main cutting edges engage, delivering smooth bore walls and crisp edges on chipboard, laminates, and coated panels where surface finish matters.
• Super-Strength Steel Body - the steel shank and body withstand the torsional stresses of multi-spindle CNC boring at production speeds, extending service life even in continuous-use environments.
• Left-Hand (LH) Rotation - purpose-built for left-hand spindle positions on multi-spindle boring machines and CNC boring centres, ensuring the cutting geometry works with the spindle direction rather than against it for optimal chip evacuation and surface quality.
• 8 x 20mm Shank - the parallel shank with standard dimensions is compatible with a wide range of boring machine chucks and adapters, simplifying tool changes and reducing setup time on the shop floor.

Why This Product

• The negatively ground spur geometry and HW cutting edges work together to produce clean-entry, flat-bottom blind holes - which is exactly what dowel joinery requires for strong, flush furniture connections without post-drilling cleanup.
• Specified at a precise 5mm diameter with a 30mm cutting height and 55.5mm overall length, this drill matches the dimensional standards commonly used in European-style panel furniture and cabinet manufacturing, reducing the need for custom tooling.
• The left-hand rotation designation makes this drill a direct fit for LH spindle positions on multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel processing centres, eliminating the risk of using a mismatched tool that would dull prematurely or produce poor-quality holes.
• The HW (hardmetal) head material is resharpened repeatedly, allowing woodworking shops to extend tool life and reduce per-hole tooling costs compared to single-use or lower-grade alternatives.

Specifications

• Manufacturer Part Number: 306.050.12
• Brand: CMT Orange Tools
• Product Type: Dowel Drill
• Diameter: 5mm
• Cutting Height: 30mm
• Total Length: 55.5mm
• Shank: 8 x 20mm
• Number of Cutting Edges: 2
• Number of Spurs: 2
• Spur Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
• Head Material: HW (Hardmetal / Carbide)
• Rotation: Left-Hand (LH)

Approved Applications

• Blind hole drilling for dowel connections
• Panel drilling on multi-spindle CNC boring machines
• Furniture manufacturing and flat-pack panel assembly
• Cabinet making and case goods production
• Boring in chipboard, MDF, HDF, hardwood, softwood, plywood, laminates, and coated panels