Ryobi Forstner Bits Review
I’m always a little skeptical when I hear about new drill bits. Someone is always redesigning the tip or the flutes or the geometry of whatever. All I know is that I want a bit that will cut clean and fast and will remain at that level of performance throughout its life. I know, people in hell want ice water.
Ryobi has just introduced a their latest design in the world of the forstner. Benjamin Forstner would be proud – he invented the forstner bit in the late 1800s for his gunsmith business. But I digress.
The latest offering from Ryobi claims a couple of “new and improved” features. The first, its 3 flat no-slip shank (say that 10 times fast) allows the chuck a firmer grip for better control. I can vouch for the fact that I noticed no slippage during my testing of the bits.
The second new feature, which is actually pretty cool, is Ryobi’s claim that the bit allows for 4 times greater visibility when compared to standard forstner bits. I’ll have to say that it can be a real pain trying to line up my old forstners. You have to duck and squint to see under the cutters and of course, then you’re fighting the shadow of the bit itself. Sure, it gets a little easier to see when the bit starts moving, but check out the view through Ryobi’s bit.
What you see is what you get. I was impressed. I guess it’s simple physics, meaning that since there’s less material on the business end of the bit, there’s less to get in the way of seeing your target mark. I just know that I can see much more clearly when making cuts using this bit. So, I can vouch for the “more visibility” claim. Whether it’s a 4 times greater view or not, I can’t say, but you can definitely see more clearly where you’re aiming!
Finally, the cuts have been smooth and consistent with the bits. I’m hoping that continues for months and years to come. We’ll see. They work well right out of the box, though!
In closing, the price tag. You get a 14-piece set that ranges from ¼” all the way to 1 3/8”. That’s a pretty decent selection all tucked neatly into a case that keeps them protected, for only about $49.95 at Home Depot. Compare that with a prestige set of forstners that’ll run you close to three times that amount. If you have a small shop and aren’t building 10 armoires out of rock maple everyday, a set of Ryobi Forstner Bits is a good investment. I’ll bet Benjamin would love to have a set of these…