Product Description
CMT 311.040.12 Dowel Drill 5/32" x 26 x 70mm Left-Hand by CMT is a precision 2-flute boring tool engineered for clean, accurate blind hole drilling in furniture panels, cabinet components, and engineered wood products. Built on a super-strength steel body with a tungsten carbide (HW) cutting head, this long-series dowel drill delivers the depth and stability needed for tight-tolerance dowel joinery in solid wood, chipboard, MDF, laminates, and coated panels. The left-hand (LH) rotation makes it a direct-fit replacement or complement for multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel processing centers that require LH-rotation spindles.
Key Features
- HW (Tungsten Carbide) Cutting Head - hard carbide material holds a sharp edge longer than standard steel, reducing regrinding frequency and maintaining bore quality across high-volume production runs.
- 2 Precision-Ground HW Cutting Edges - dual carbide edges distribute cutting load evenly, producing consistent flat-bottom holes with smooth bore walls suited for tight-fitting dowel connections.
- 2 Negatively Ground Spurs - negatively set spurs score the panel surface cleanly before the cutting edges engage, eliminating tearout at the rim of the hole for a clean entry even in laminates and coated panels.
- P.T.F.E.-Coated Spiral Flutes - the orange or black P.T.F.E. coating on the spiral portion prevents pitch and glue buildup during boring, keeping the flutes clear and extending tool service life without frequent cleaning stoppages.
- Precision-Balanced Centre Point - the HW centre point self-locates on the workpiece to prevent walking at the start of the bore, ensuring repeatable hole placement across every panel in a batch.
- Left-Hand (LH) Rotation - purpose-built for LH-rotation spindles on multi-spindle CNC boring machines and boring centers, eliminating the need for adapters and ensuring proper chip ejection geometry for the intended spindle direction.
- 10 x 30mm Parallel Shank with Driving Flat and Length Adjusting Screw - the driving flat prevents shank rotation under load, while the length adjusting screw allows precise depth setting at each spindle position for repeatable blind holes.
- 70mm Long-Series Body with 35mm Cutting Height - the extended overall length accommodates deeper reach into boring head housings, and the 35mm cutting height provides ample working depth for standard dowel bore depths.
- 4mm Diameter Cutting Geometry - sized precisely for 4mm dowel applications in panel-based furniture and cabinet assembly workflows.
Why This Product
- The negatively ground spurs combined with precision-ground HW cutting edges produce clean-rimmed, flat-bottom holes in laminated and coated panels - eliminating the surface chipping that causes reject panels in finishing-sensitive furniture production.
- Left-hand rotation is purpose-specified for LH spindle positions on multi-spindle boring heads - using the correct rotation direction maintains proper chip clearance and prevents bore deflection that occurs when RH tooling is forced onto LH spindles.
- The P.T.F.E.-coated spiral resists adhesive and resin buildup common in MDF and chipboard boring, keeping the tool cutting efficiently without frequent mid-shift cleaning that interrupts production throughput.
- The parallel shank with a driving flat and integrated length adjusting screw makes depth setup fast and repeatable across spindle changes, reducing setup time between panel batches on CNC boring centers.
Specifications
- Manufacturer Part Number: 311.040.12
- Brand: CMT Orange Tools
- Diameter: 4mm (5/32")
- Cutting Height: 35mm
- Total Length: 70mm
- Shank: 10 x 30mm (parallel shank with driving flat and length adjusting screw)
- Number of Flutes: 2
- Number of Spurs: 2
- Spur Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
- Number of Cutting Edges: 2
- Blade Material: HW (Tungsten Carbide)
- Rotation: Left-Hand (LH)
- Coating: P.T.F.E. on spiral portion (orange or black)
Approved Applications
- Blind hole drilling for dowel connections in panel-based assemblies
- Furniture manufacturing and cabinet making
- Panel processing on multi-spindle CNC boring machines
- CNC boring centers and panel boring centers requiring LH-rotation tooling
- Boring in chipboard, MDF, HDF, hardwood, softwood, plywood, laminates, and coated panels
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the actual cutting diameter of this dowel drill?
The cutting diameter is 4mm, which corresponds to the nominal 5/32" designation. This size is intended for 4mm dowel hole boring in panel furniture and cabinet assembly applications.
Why does rotation direction matter, and how do I know this drill is correct for my machine spindle?
Dowel drills must match the rotation direction of the spindle they are installed on. This drill is specifically ground and fluted for Left-Hand (LH) rotation. Installing a LH drill on an LH spindle ensures the cutting edges and spurs engage correctly and that chips are ejected in the proper direction. Using a right-hand drill on a left-hand spindle would result in rubbing rather than cutting. Check your boring machine spindle configuration before ordering to confirm you need LH tooling.
What does the P.T.F.E. coating on the spiral do, and is it present on this model?
Yes, the spiral portion of this drill is coated with P.T.F.E. (orange or black). This coating reduces friction and prevents pitch, resin, and adhesive buildup on the flutes during boring - particularly useful when drilling chipboard, MDF, and glue-laminated panels. Keeping the flutes clear helps maintain cut quality and extend the service interval between resharpenings.
What shank size and holding interface does this drill use?
This drill uses a 10 x 30mm parallel shank with a driving flat and a length adjusting screw. The driving flat prevents the shank from spinning in the collet or chuck under torque, and the length adjusting screw allows precise axial depth positioning at each spindle on a multi-spindle boring head - an important feature for achieving consistent blind hole depths across all spindle positions.
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