Bosch SF2561 2-9/16 In. Self-Feed Drill Bit

I used this bit to bore the 3" countersink hole for installing a couple of treehouse attachment bolts (TAB's) in some oak tree's. I found it to cut very nicely, the perfect blend of aggressive cut and smooth finish for what I was doing, and could not have been happier with the result. And as a happy coincidence the thickness of the bit was identical to the thickness of the 3" collar on the TAB, so it was very easy to judge the depth of my counterbore in relation to the TAB.If you are reading this review and not building a treehouse, rest assured this is a quality bit for just about any use I can imagine you would want to use it for. It was sharp, robust, and of high quality design and construction. And it comes with a replaceable screw tip if you wear the first one out, or if you just want to remove it to smooth out counterbored holes (with the screw in place the bit is always mid cut). Note that this is not really a "finish carpentry" bit, so keep in mind rough carpentry type applications are what I am thinking, it is after all a fairly aggressive cut.If you are reading this review and are planning on building a treehouse, I can offer this advice from my experience: Start with this bit and bore just shy of where you want to end up with your countersink depth for the collar. Then, drill with a 1 1/8" auger bit about an inch past that. Then drill with a 1" auger bit the remainder of the depth to allow for installation of the TAB. Then, I went back one last time with this 3" bit and just touched up the face of the counterbore. It was very easy to smooth it out without the screw trying to pull the bit in. Then I installed the TAB.I decided that using separate bits that were commonly available instead of purchasing (or renting) the specialty bits they sell for the task of drilling the holes for the TAB's to be a better value proposition for me (I like tools, and I like tools that have more than just one use, especially since I don't envision going into the treehouse business). Keep in mind that the specialty bits are designed to keep the holes in perfect alignment so that the counterbore is exactly perpendicular to the hole. When you use separate bits like this you must be VERY careful to keep your holes straight and on the same centerline. There is only a very tiny bit of fudge room when doing it this way. I used a level on my drill continuously to ensure that all holes were straight, and the auger bits maintained the same centerline by starting in the same screw feed hole the previous bit before it left, and I had no problems doing it like this. You may want to consider this added degree of difficulty though if you are less handy with a drill.I have added a few pics to illustrate the installation process of the TAB's with this bit.

This is a very well made product, as you might expect from the price and from the Bosch tool line. It is sharp, well made and cuts cleanly and quickly. The carbide points should give excellent life. I de-rated the bit to 4 stars only because it is so difficult to remove the cut out material off the self feeding arbor.I was cutting in plastic and it is possible the bit would self clear in wood. But you can see in the photo that none of the cutters extend to the self feeding arbor, like all self clearing, self feeding ship augers do. If the bit doesn't self clear on your material, you will be limited in drilling depth to the crown height of about 1/2". This product has similar limitation to a hole saws, which is less expensive, even in comparable carbide tip versions.For certain specialty applications, this is doubtlessly a desirable product. For general shop use, you are probably better off with traditional ship augers or hole saws.

I've never used any forstner bit before and usually used spade bits. This bit was super professional looking and while my main drill couldn't handle its awesomeness, i did get the hole cut using another drill. The other reviews on this bit are pretty accurate in that it is for the professionals. I may not purchase these in the future as i'm hardly a PRO.

I bought this to replace a Dewalt one I lost. This bit stinks. The problem is that there are very fine threads on the pilot screw so it strips before it pulls the bit through. My old bit would tear through 2x stick in seconds. This one goes in about a 1/4" then stops pulling because the threads are too fine. They can't pull in the soft framing lumber these are designed to go through. I compared it to my other bits and they have much courser threads. Look at the photo, the top pilot screw is Dewalt, bottom one Bosch. I would steer clear of these.

Nice and sharp. But the shank is a little too light for the head. On the third hole that I drilled, the shank broke where it threads into the head. Bosch does not sell a replacement shank and the warranty is only good for 30 days. Next time, I would buy a brand that is more heavy-duty.

The shaft of the bit snapped on the very first use while attempting to drill through a pine beam. Upon close examination of the fracture it appears that there was a defect where the hex shaft transitions to a round stock.

Cut through wood like butter. Such a great tool.Quick and easy transaction!

great bit worked well until a manufacturer's defect, shank broke,

Best drill bite I have ever seen.

the work awesome for the price. works great with my right angle drill!!

the work awesome for the price. works great with my right angle drill!!

Hole boring.

This thing cuts like a knife...saves a lot of time as opposed to using a hole saw and seems to be quite durable. .