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Looking for drill bit recommendations!

Jwest7788

Jwest7788

Joshua West
Administrator
hey all,

Been through a couple (crap Chinese) drill bit sets, and thinking about getting some of my commonly used drill bits from a high end manufacturer.

Looking for recommendations, thoughts, etc.


What do you guys use for yourselves?


JW
 
Precision Twist are very good IMO. And you can always get replacements singles, they have been around forever. Check prices but there is a sale on at KBC right now (click the sale flyer icon over to the right).
http://www.kbctools.ca/
 
I remember the days when Dormer were considered the 2nd choice for quality. Nowadays they are first tier. I think the quality is about the same, its just that all drill bits are poorer these days. I've been using cheap Chinese drills for aluminum and cold rolled, but for tool steel I still have my old Cleveland set, which I guard jealously.
 
Dabbler, aluminum is lower hardness vs. steel but its also gummier. So it favors very sharp drills, less tolerant of runout & bright finish (uncoated). So probably a triple whammy against typical Chinese drills. At least the ones I have :) The nice thing is, decent HSS drills last a long time in aluminum & can be re-sharpened. The only time I got fancy was some deep + small diameter (3mm) holes that also had to be very straight. I tried one of those parabolic drills (HSS/bright) peck mode and it did a very nice job. I find WD-40 or Tapmatic Alum?? are good fluids for drilling/tapping aluminum.
 
I have had very good results using the very cheap Chinese drills that come in the number, letter and fractional sets in aluminum and soft steels. I use lots of lube and cut carefully. Only had a couple of breaks in many years. Since I only use them in softer stuff, I don't need to sharpen very often. One downside, though is that the number bits drill a little more oversize than their very expensive bits. That saying it is only a thou or 2. I think it is because they are more flexible. The ones I use now are the Ti coated ones that go on sale a Princess Auto for $79.99 from time to time. As long as I don't push them too hard and use lube, they work well in everything up to cold rolled.

My Cleveland set I bought over 30 years ago and have only broken one bit. I only use them as a last resort or for tool steels. I'd never even try a cheap bit in tool steel. One day I'll get a few carbide stubby drills in the popular tap sizes perhaps for #8 NC, #10NC, 1./4 NC+NF and 1/2 NC+NF - but only if I discover oil on my property!
 
PeterT said:
Re Dormer. I agree, good brand, similar price. I had a harder time finding them back in the day. Now I see Travers carries them. Where do you source from?

http://www.traverscanada.com/number...drill-sets/p/468652/?lite=true&keyword=dormer
Click to expand...
MSC carries dormer.. the problem with them is the price. I lucked out and got indexes in a lot for a reasonable price, you can expect to pay 300+ for a index from them.
The alternative is the Norseman ones that kms sells, they're cheaper and a decent drill bit compared to the crappy drills out there (I also have like 4 Mastercraft indexes that I use often but they're not very good).
Regardless I'd invest in a drill doctor.. if you use it right it can do an amazing job of restoring chewed up drills.
@Jwest7788 you can borrow my drill doctor to try it out if you want.. you may find that's a decent stop gap compared to spending 900 bucks on a variety of good drill bits.
 
kylemp said:
MSC carries dormer.. the problem with them is the price. I lucked out and got indexes in a lot for a reasonable price, you can expect to pay 300+ for a index from them.
The alternative is the Norseman ones that kms sells, they're cheaper and a decent drill bit compared to the crappy drills out there (I also have like 4 Mastercraft indexes that I use often but they're not very good).
Regardless I'd invest in a drill doctor.. if you use it right it can do an amazing job of restoring chewed up drills.
@Jwest7788 you can borrow my drill doctor to try it out if you want.. you may find that's a decent stop gap compared to spending 900 bucks on a variety of good drill bits.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a good plan, you're right, a have been keeping my chipped drills with the intent to figure out how to grind them. A drill doctor is likely a good in between from buying a nice set. (Would hate to wreck nice drill bits, probably best to learn to resharpen for now)
 
Kylemp, that's why I was asking where you sourced Dormer from.
- (Travers Canada) 29 pc 1/16-1/2 by 1/64 Dormer set HSS bright finish 01-023-901 goes for 310$C = about same price
- (KBC Canada) Precision Twist 1-001A-0290 on sale for $173 ($203 regular)

KBC also carries Cle-Line brand 1-001AX-0115 for $270 but I don't have experience. The cobalt versions of these same brands increases cost a lot
But hopefully I have HSS + size range + case apples to apples comparison.
 
Walter are good too but I typically find them in singles.

Cant say I agree on the 'new' Dormers. Bought a set recently and they were JUNK....burrs on the ends and the TiN coating was plated over the burrs was chipping off..in the case. The case itself was cheap plastic. Made in Brazil (which usually is a decent place)...had MSC check their other stock and it was also junk...they filed a claim with Dormer.

I can get brand new Triumph HSS or Cobalts; same as the Precision Twists mentioned earlier and I own both...goes through steel like butter.
 
29pc Triumph Cobalt 1/16-1/2x1/64 Jobber RH drills
Catalog: $418.68
Promo: $219.99 - until end Nov 30.

BTW - HD Supply; normally you need an account but I can sell these COD at the branch.
 
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