My 20 year old forstner set is shot. Resharpening no longer a good option. They are done. Stick a fork in them. They are toast!
Given that I have worked with the same set for 20 years, I have paid no attention to any developments in the forstner bit world. I find myself in need of a full new set. I would probably want a set that ranges from 1/4" to at least 2".
I would be grateful for any suggestions. I'm not interested in cheap sets. I rely on them for clean, precise results. Thank you in advance for any help!
I don't know if any of the sets I've seen go up to 2", but once you get up to and above about 1" I would rather have a multi spur bit. They still give a good clean edge to the hole, but take less effort to progress than trying to push that long arcing blade around the rim of Forstner bits.
And of the multi spur bits, I don't have a set, but just individual bits of certain sizes that I've bought over the years for a specific need.
I like FAMAG BorMax bits. They are also multi-spur bits and made in Germany. Like the Colts, they are expensive. To amortize the cost, my strategy has been to buy a full set (up to 3-1/4" ø or so) of cheap Chinese Forstners and replace them one at a time with BorMax bits as I wear them out. The Colts are also excellent, and have the advantage of a superior bit extension system with a cam lock mechanism that always centers and doesn't have any set screws to lose. Unless you are making restaurant sized pepper mills, tall bed posts on a short lathe, etc., you might not have much use for very deep Forstner bit holes. Also, very long lasting 35 mm carbide tipped multi-spur bits are available for Euro hinge installation from several suppliers.
