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PostPosted: October 13, 2011, 11:11 pm 
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Joined: October 8, 2011, 3:53 pm
Posts: 109
Location: Niagara Falls, ON.
Hi folks,

As I was trying to flog my drill through a mere sixteenth of mild steel, thinking I could have knocked a nail through it in half the time, last night, I began to mourn the dearth of decent drill bits in the market these days. This was a fresh bit out of a set I had barely used, that I was "saving" for when it mattered.

The only decent bits I've got are over 10 years old, the remnants of fairly inexpensive sets, but even the blunt ones of those seem better than the fresh ones of any I've bought since.

It's not just that they don't cut very fast, or at all, or clear chips, or stay on center, or start in the work without a divot struck with the 10lb hammer on a "full military power" swing... it's that also, there is no differentiation any more between cheap, middling, better, good, and very good... though the ultimate and highly spendy ones, remain ultimate and highly spendy. I mean whatever you buy in a set from $5 to $100 seems to be the same crap made for 2 cents per... and you know where.

So, does anyone know of any brands that are easy to find in hardware stores that are still good value?? and obviously not made "you know where"

Please refer to recent purchases only, hell I've got black and decker bits that are good (about 17 years old) so knowing about your old faithful set, that has long since been cheaped out, is not very helpful.

Keep thinking I ought to get a sharpening jig, but was taken aback by the price of the drill doctor, and it looks like a kind of cheap plastic thing made for doing something non critical like buffing nails or something... my dad had a sharpener back in the day, that was manually operated, though I've completely forgotten any detail of it, only he ever used it, but it LOOKED like it was fairly straightforward to use and gave excellent results.... and I've never seen one like it... I thought there were some in the market 10 years or so ago, before I knew I needed one, when $20 still got me a decent set of bits, and $10 ones that worked for one or two jobs at least. However, they are since unobtainium of course.

Well any ideas? I'm getting fed up of not being able to drill anything unless I can come across one of my remaining ancient bits that happens to be the right size.

thanks in advance,

RoadWarrior222

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PostPosted: October 13, 2011, 11:19 pm 
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Joined: July 9, 2008, 11:00 am
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Location: Framingham, MA
I've had "decent" luck with dewalts, just make sure you get the black ones and not the gold ones.


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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 7:15 am 
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Joined: February 28, 2009, 11:09 pm
Posts: 1307
Location: Connersville, Indiana
Sounds like you do not need new drills, you need to sharpen the ones you have have. A Drill Doctor will give good results for drills from about 3/16" up to 3/4". The tool your dad used is tricky to use, the distance from the pivot point to the grinding wheel is critical and different for each diameter of drill! But it can give good results. If all else fails, do a Google on "Sharpen drills" and learn how to do it free hand. It is possible and not all that difficult. Try it what do you have to loose? A few dull drills?

Bill


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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 7:37 am 
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Joined: August 18, 2011, 10:19 pm
Posts: 47
Try "Tap Magic"
Best cutting fluid I have used for anything metal

I havE been using the cheep HF set for years. With thee only problem, when my son useS them


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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 8:40 am 
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Joined: July 28, 2009, 8:17 am
Posts: 115
Location: Lincoln, NE
this is where i get my stuff,
http://kbctools.com/usa/Navigation/NavP ... FPage=0002

seems good, i tend to stay away from retail stores. except for harbor freight of course :lol:

oh and yeah, cutting fluid goes a long ways... i like Marvel Mystery Oil , (a drop or 2 per hole) plus it smells good when it smokes, reminds me of back on the farm


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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 8:52 am 
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Not a walk in store but MSC Direct used to have two columns in the catalog for the drill bit section. One had the price and part number for the" import" bit and the other was the good ole made in the USA column. If all else fails might be worth investigating. Their shipping was quick and probably not much more than gas to get to the store.

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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 9:42 am 
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Joined: August 18, 2011, 10:19 pm
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McMaster Carr

http://www.mcmaster.com/

great selection & I get delivery next day no xtra charge


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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 9:55 am 
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Joined: February 20, 2008, 1:24 am
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Location: Mahomet, Il
I to have had good luck with the harbor freight ones. I use the step drills whenever I'm using the hand drill and bought one of the big sets for use exclusively with the drill press. I use the nitride coated ones. My 1/2 bit has kid you not drilled through about 10 feet of steel and still cuts well. I use cutting fluid always and set the drill press to the correct speed. I have a ryobi junk set I use for general non metal work with the hand drill.
That said the bits sold by mcmaster Carr are very high quality USA made. The cost is reasonable to. Their taps are the bomb!

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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 1:08 pm 
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Joined: November 13, 2009, 9:31 pm
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Location: Connecticut
I was given a Drill Doctor for my birthday a couple years ago, and it works very well. I have the XPA model with the diamond wheel instead of the sandpaper drums, but other than that it is basic. It cuts well, and is quick and easy to use. It has reclaimed some nasty bits too. If they are really bad (like a few I had that cracked near the tip) I hand sharpen them first on the bench grinder just to get them close and not use up the Drill Doctor. I wish they had had the DDSB model back then, I would have definitely gotten the ability to sharpen spade bits for an extra $20.

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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 3:58 pm 
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Always Moore!
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
fritz wrote:
McMaster Carr

http://www.mcmaster.com/

great selection & I get delivery next day no xtra charge


Great find. I never paid attention to their bits being American. I guess that explains the cost and why they seem pretty robust.

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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 6:25 pm 
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Joined: July 6, 2008, 11:15 am
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Location: Cave Creek, AZ
Whether you buy cheap junk or better ones, every man should know how to sharpen a drill bit. It's one of the rites of passage for manhood; and it gives you a great feeling knowing you can do that little thing that 99% of the rest of the male population cannot.

A grinder works okay but I prefer a belt sander.

Tom

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PostPosted: October 14, 2011, 6:37 pm 
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Joined: August 28, 2010, 7:53 am
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i usually buy hardware, drill bits, rods ends, split collars etc from mcmaster it seems like it costs more, however, its much more cost effective than buying junk several times. plus i usually get it in 1 day


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PostPosted: October 15, 2011, 11:16 pm 
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Joined: February 16, 2006, 3:56 pm
Posts: 139
Location: Austin, TX
I have had good luck with drill bits from Northern Tool. Got a set last year and have not had any break or dull unusually fast.


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PostPosted: October 17, 2011, 12:53 pm 
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Joined: June 8, 2010, 8:02 pm
Posts: 621
Location: White Rock, BC, Canada
Have a look at Norseman drill bits. I got mine from Fastenal. I asked my machinist what he used and that's what he suggested. They cut very nice and have pretty much completed my car w/o being sharpened (oil+low speed). About $200 for a set iirc. I forget the ones I'm using but I'll try to get the name today.

Cheers.
Cory

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PostPosted: October 17, 2011, 8:51 pm 
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