35mm forstner or hinge cutter ?

[mseries]

how does a 35mm forstner differ from a 35mm hinge cutter ? Advantages of one over the other for Blum hinge recesses ?

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Many years since I used one but I recall the main benefit was that the depth of the hole required was equal to the height of the bit. Therefore just drill until the top of the bit is level with the surface of the door - no chance of drilling through!!

Terry

 

[Eric The Viking]

Last time this came up I uploaded a picture of my 35mm hinge cutter. The attack angle of the cutting edge is very steep, pretty much 90deg on mine, implying (to me, anyway) that it's intended to run a lot faster (RPM), The backs of the cutting edges are relieved, giving a 'bevel' angle of about 70deg (at a guess). There is also no cutting edge round the circumference.

In a drill press you'd have more control over depth, as you'd need more pressure to make it cut (it wouldn't dig in). Mine is HSS and blunts fast. It's a little easier to hone than a Forstner. The thing about the body depth matching a Blum hinge might be right - it's a bit shallower than a Forstner overall and looks about right, but it's midnight and there's no way I'm going for a hinge at this time of the morning (the actual cutter lives in my box of Forstners, and the box happened to be beside the PC).

I've never done a comparison, but I haven't really used it since I got the Forstners, which might mean something... or then again...

E.

 

[Racers]

The centre point is shorter on a hinge bit, a fostner bit might go through the door.
You can also use a hinge bit in a router for a perfect vertical hole no trying to hold a large door under the drill press.

Pete

 

[Transit80]

Many years since I used one but I recall the main benefit was that the depth of the hole required was equal to the height of the bit. Therefore just drill until the top of the bit is level with the surface of the door - no chance of drilling through!!

Terry

Exactly!! .

Chris

 

[beganasatree]

Hi mseries,
Speaking as a retired kitchen fitter,Terry is spot on as is Pete regarding the point of the cutters being different.

Peter.

 

[Normancb]

+1 for all the above but also worth noting that a carbide hinge cutter will last a very long time if you are using MDF or (worse) melamine chipboard, both of which will blunt a Forstner quickly. In timber a Forstner may give a cleaner hole if you are using a drill press or a hand drill, but the point is indeed usually longer so be careful not to drill right through.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

^^^ as above. I was about to say forstners are designed to cut very clean holes in wood, and hinge cutters to plough holes in sawdust and grit.