Review on Steelex D1024 3 Forstner Drill Bit by Wesley Holmes

Well, even if that's far from being a 4-star Forstner bit. I gave it 4 stars and will explain why I bought this drill to install the front Lee vise. The vise required a 2 5/16 diameter and 9/16 deep hole. This is a really weird hole, and the fact that it's just a recessed hole and not a through hole makes it even more of a challenge. The reason for this is that Steelex is the only company that makes Forstner bits of this size. The only other option is to use a 2 5/16 hole saw, but it's designed for through cuts. So with a hole saw you would need to drill a hole in a piece of wood with a hole saw and use that cut as a template for a top bearing flush cutter and then cut a 9/16 deep hole in the required wood. This is time consuming and ultimately results in the high cost of drilling countersunk holes. At first I wanted to go this route until I came across a Steelex piece. The reason I gave this bit 4 stars is because it is the only Forstner bit of this size on the market. So when I found the piece, it was like a top-notch steak dinner after a month on a desert island, which I think deserves 4 stars right off the bat. Now the quality of the beat is not worth 4 stars. It's 3 stars at best because it gets the job done. Nothing compares to the many Freud Fostner pieces I already have. The bit is not very sharp and requires considerable pressure to cut, and when it cuts it leaves a fairly large hole with a tear on the top. While cutting requires significant pressure, you must be careful not to apply too much pressure as this will lead to even more tearing. The biggest advantage is that flat floors are cut even with the saw teeth on the chisel. After that has been said. This isn't a beat you'll buy and use regularly. It's like the item you buy at the port. You buy it to use once and throw it away or put it in a miscellany box in a dark, dusty corner of your store. I'm sure I'm not the only one having this problem with a Lee Valley vise. I know a lot of people buy it because it's a great vise at a reasonable price. This is a great disposable attachment for attaching a front vise to a workbench that is for function only, not beauty. Well, if you're one of those folks who will spend $2,500 to build a solid maple bench that's more pretty than functional, then don't use this article. Then again, with all the workbenches I've built and used, I've never understood why people spend so much money building a workbench. just one of those who built it because you could and never used it. Second, a torsion-type workbench is just as stable as a fixed-top workbench, but without the expense and precision required to laminate, mill, and level them. There is a common misconception about torsion box benches that leads people to believe they need a stable bench. Woodworking, such as chiseling and planing, requires a perfectly flat surface. A very heavy surface to keep it from moving and a solid surface to minimize vibration. You get all this and more with a torsion bench. Torsion benches are very heavy. I usually frame my 2x4 benches and then make a plywood or MDF grid. Trust me, a 2x4 framed bench with plywood mesh and a plywood or MDF top and bottom isn't lightweight and if you want to make it sturdier you can just decrease the spacing in the mesh or add another one. plywood on. For the most part, MDF is always flat and level. So if you built the frame and grate evenly, the top of the MDF will be even and flat. Plywood can sometimes have a crease or crease, but that usually happens when you glue and nail the sheet of plywood to the frame and mesh. It's a lot cheaper. You're talking about a torsion box top that can cost you around $200 versus a solid maple top that will cost you $1200. Another big plus of a torsion bench is that you can put a sacrificial piece of hardboard on it, which costs about $10 for a 4" x 8" sheet, and just replace it when it breaks.