CMT 311.080.12 Dowel Drill 5/16" x 35 x 70mm LH by CMT is a precision-engineered, left-hand rotation boring tool designed for clean, accurate blind hole drilling in panel processing and furniture manufacturing applications. Built on a super-strength steel body with a tungsten carbide (HW) cutting head, this 5/16" diameter dowel drill features 2 flutes, 2 precision-ground cutting edges, and 2 negatively ground spurs that work together to produce flat-bottomed holes with smooth, chip-free walls. The spiral portion is coated with PTFE to resist pitch and resin buildup, keeping the bit running cleanly through chipboard, MDF, hardwood, softwood, plywood, laminates, and coated panels. With a 10x30mm parallel shank equipped with a driving flat and length-adjusting screw, this long-series drill integrates directly into multi-spindle CNC boring machines, boring centers, and panel processing equipment - making it a dependable choice for high-volume cabinetmaking and furniture production.

Key Features

• HW (Tungsten Carbide) Cutting Head - provides exceptional hardness and wear resistance, so the drill maintains sharp cutting geometry over extended production runs in abrasive materials like chipboard and MDF.
• Super-Strength Steel Body - resists flex and vibration during high-speed boring, resulting in straighter, more consistent holes and reduced chatter in production environments.
• PTFE Coating on the Spiral Portion - acts as a non-stick barrier against pitch, resin, and glue buildup, reducing heat friction and extending tool life without frequent cleaning interruptions.
• 2 Precision-Ground Negatively Set Spurs (V2) - score the perimeter of the bore cleanly before the cutting edges engage, eliminating tear-out on laminates and coated panel surfaces.
• Precision-Balanced Centre Point - self-locates accurately at the bore centerline, ensuring repeatable hole placement with no walking or drift - critical for tight-tolerance dowel joinery.
• 2 Spiral Flutes - evacuate chips efficiently from the bore as drilling progresses, preventing packing in blind holes and reducing the risk of surface burning.
• Left-Hand (LH) Rotation - engineered for left-hand spindle positions on multi-spindle boring machines, enabling simultaneous bilateral boring without repositioning the workpiece.
• Parallel Shank with Driving Flat and Length-Adjusting Screw - provides a secure, slip-free grip in machine chucks and boring head collets, while the adjusting screw allows precise depth setting for consistent blind hole depth across all spindles.
• 35mm Cutting Height in a 70mm Long-Series Body - delivers deeper usable cutting length compared to standard-series dowel drills, accommodating thicker panels and deeper bore requirements.

Why This Product

• The left-hand rotation configuration is purpose-built for bilateral multi-spindle CNC boring machines where LH and RH spindles operate simultaneously - using this drill in the correct LH position eliminates workpiece movement and maintains dowel hole alignment across both panel faces in a single pass.
• The combination of negatively ground spurs and a precision-balanced HW centre point means the drill registers on-center immediately and scores the panel surface before cutting, which is essential when working with laminated or coated panels where surface tear-out would be visible in the finished furniture piece.
• At 70mm in total length with a 35mm cutting height, this long-series dowel drill handles deeper boring requirements that standard short-series drills cannot reach - making it the appropriate choice when panel thickness or machine geometry demands additional clearance or bore depth.
• The PTFE-coated spiral combined with carbide cutting edges reduces the combined effects of heat buildup and adhesive drag when drilling glue-applied or resin-impregnated panels, extending intervals between tool changes in high-volume cabinet and panel processing production.

Specifications

• Manufacturer Part Number: 311.080.12
• Brand: CMT Orange Tools
• Diameter: 5/16"
• Cutting Height: 35mm
• Total Length: 70mm
• Shank: 10x30mm
• Number of Flutes: 2
• Number of Spurs: 2
• Spur Type: Negatively ground (V2)
• Blade Material: HW (Tungsten Carbide)
• Body Material: Super-strength steel
• Rotation: Left-hand (LH)
• Shank Type: Parallel shank with driving flat and length-adjusting screw
• Coating: PTFE on spiral portion

Approved Applications

• Blind hole drilling for dowel joinery connections
• Panel drilling in furniture manufacturing
• Cabinet carcass assembly hole boring
• Chipboard and particleboard panel processing
• MDF and HDF boring
• Hardwood and softwood blind hole drilling
• Plywood panel boring
• Laminate and coated panel drilling
• Multi-spindle CNC boring machine operations
• CNC boring center and panel processing center operations