Product Description
CMT 311.045.12 Dowel Drill 4.5 x 35 x 70mm Left-Hand by CMT is a precision-engineered, left-hand rotation boring tool designed for clean, accurate blind hole drilling in furniture panels, solid wood, chipboard, MDF, and laminates. Built on a super-strength steel body with a tungsten carbide (HW) cutting head and PTFE-coated spiral flutes, this 4.5mm diameter dowel drill delivers flat-bottom, smooth-walled bores essential for tight-fitting dowel joints in cabinet making and panel processing. The long-series 70mm overall length suits applications requiring deeper reach in multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel processing centers.
Key Features
- HW (Tungsten Carbide) Cutting Head - hard carbide material maintains a sharp edge through high-volume panel drilling, reducing the need for frequent tool changes and delivering consistent bore quality over extended production runs.
- 2 Negatively Ground Spurs - the negatively sharpened spurs slice cleanly through the panel surface before the cutting edges engage, preventing tearout and producing a crisp bore entry on coated panels and laminates.
- 2 Precision-Ground HW Cutting Edges - dual carbide cutting edges balanced around a precision centre point create flat-bottomed blind holes with minimal runout, which is critical for accurate dowel seating and flush joint alignment.
- PTFE-Coated Spiral Flutes - the orange or black P.T.F.E. coating on the spiral portion reduces friction and prevents pitch and adhesive buildup, keeping the flutes clear for faster chip evacuation and a cleaner bore wall.
- Precision Balanced Centre Point - the self-centering point locates the drill exactly on the bore mark without walking, ensuring hole placement accuracy on repetitive panel boring operations.
- Parallel Shank with Driving Flat and Length Adjusting Screw - the 10 x 30mm parallel shank with a driving flat resists rotation in the spindle collet, while the length adjusting screw allows precise depth setting for consistent blind hole depth across a full production run.
- Left-Hand (LH) Rotation - designed specifically for left-hand spindle positions on multi-spindle boring machines and CNC boring centers, ensuring the cutting geometry works correctly and the tool stays securely seated during operation.
- Long-Series 70mm Overall Length with 35mm Cutting Height - the extended body and generous cutting height accommodate deeper boring requirements in thicker panels and multi-row drilling configurations.
Why This Product
- The left-hand rotation design fills a specific spindle position requirement on multi-spindle CNC boring machines and panel processing centers - using the correct rotation direction keeps cutting forces directed properly, protecting both the tool and the workpiece surface.
- The combination of negatively ground spurs and precision-balanced HW cutting edges means this drill produces clean, splinter-free bore entries and flat bottoms in a single pass through chipboard, MDF, hardwood, and laminates - reducing secondary finishing steps.
- The PTFE-coated spiral and parallel shank with length adjusting screw make this drill well-suited to high-throughput furniture and cabinet manufacturing environments where bore depth consistency and chip clearance directly affect production speed and joint quality.
- At 4.5mm diameter with a 35mm cutting height and 70mm total length, this drill addresses the precise dimensional requirements of standard furniture dowel connections without requiring adapters or custom setups on compatible boring machinery.
Specifications
- Manufacturer Part Number: 311.045.12
- Brand: CMT Orange Tools
- Diameter: 4.5mm
- 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 Cutting Edges: 2
- Number of Spurs: 2
- Spur Sharpening: Negatively ground spurs
- Blade Material: HW (Tungsten Carbide)
- Body Material: Super-strength steel
- Coating: Orange or black P.T.F.E. on spiral portion
Approved Applications
- Blind hole drilling for dowel connections in furniture assembly
- Panel drilling in cabinet making and casework production
- Multi-spindle CNC boring machine operations (left-hand spindle positions)
- CNC boring center and panel processing center operations
- Boring in chipboard, MDF, HDF, hardwood, softwood, plywood, laminates, and coated panels
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this drill use left-hand (LH) rotation, and how do I know if my machine needs it?
Multi-spindle boring machines and CNC boring centers use both right-hand and left-hand spindles arranged in rows. Left-hand rotation spindles require LH-rotation tools like this drill so that the cutting edges engage the material correctly and the tool seats securely under cutting load. Check your machine spindle layout or manufacturer documentation to confirm which positions require LH tooling before ordering.
What does "negatively ground spurs" mean and why does it matter for panel work?
Negatively ground spurs are sharpened with the cutting face angled inward rather than outward. This geometry slices through panel surface materials - including laminates and coated chipboard - ahead of the main cutting edges, scoring a clean circle that prevents the surface from chipping or tearing as the drill enters. The result is a crisp bore opening with no visible splintering on the finished face of the panel.
What is the purpose of the length adjusting screw on the shank?
The length adjusting screw on the 10 x 30mm parallel shank allows the operator to fine-tune the working depth of the drill within the spindle, setting a precise blind hole depth without changing tooling. This is especially useful in production environments where all holes across a panel run must be drilled to the same consistent depth for reliable dowel fit and flush joint assembly.
Why is the spiral portion coated with P.T.F.E., and does the color affect performance?
The P.T.F.E. (polytetrafluoroethylene) coating on the spiral flutes reduces friction between the drill body and the bore wall, and it resists the adhesion of pitch, resins, and glue residues that can build up when drilling composite panels and wood-based materials. The coating is applied in either orange or black - both colors indicate the same P.T.F.E. material and provide equivalent performance; the color variation is a production characteristic and does not change cutting behavior or tool life.
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