Bad Dog Tools

Saw some pretty incredible things done with Bad Dog drill bits at a woodworking show a week or so ago. The guy drilled holes in rotors and files and wood with this "carbaloid" (?) tipped bits that seemed to do magic. Got hot, spit fire and made great holes. Then he flexed it to show that it does'nt break and then cut somemore. Then he demo'ed some forstner like bits (carbide tipped) and did some really nice cutting with them too. Then he started cutting around in circles and in some hardwoods (purpleheart). They were a bit spendy, but I was impressed (but that ain't saying much). So was this all smoke and mirrors or were these the miracle tools yall forgot to tell me about?

Reply to
Wali
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I also saw some pretty incredible things with Bad Dog Tools at the Portland Oregon Woodworking show. I walked right by the drill bit display as my own bits work great in both metal and wood. Pulled up short at the very pretty router bit table they had, though. The salesman made a very reassuring pitch regarding the apparently well-made bits on display. Their prices were very good and he insisted the bits were NOT of Hong-Chiwanese-Kong manufacture, but American, German and UK. Long story short, $300+ odd dollars and two weeks later, my sets arrived in cool little aluminum satchels. All was well until I inspected the bits closely. EVERY straight-cut bit was obviously and BADLY flaked at the carbide cutting edge, with tiny cracks near the flakes, as if the metallurgy was defective - not the sharpening (for comparison, pick up any Chiwan bit at a Harbor Freight Store:~{.

I was appalled that ANYONE would actually try to pass these bits off as safe to use, much less first-quality bits, this by a company developing a reputation for such wonderful drill bits. At minimum, the quality control is non-existent.

When one thinks about this, it is not hard to imagine routing an edge on a fine piece of dense hardwood, only to have the carbide insert spontaneously disassemble at 30,000 RPM with flying shrapnel everywhere.

After considering this definite possibility, and with absolutely no response not dragged from their "Customer Service" department for over a month, I returned the entire kit and caboodle for (what turned out to be) a prompt refund. The "CS" folks eventually admitted the bits ARE Chiwanese. Only the bearings are from Germany, and nothing from the UK or USA.

I strongly caution those considering the purchase of Bad Dog Tools router bits to take a hard, second look at what they ship you and don't believe everything their (apparently commission-paid) salesman insists is the gospel truth.

Reply to
softlywithabigstick

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