Drill Bits

[VintageIronFab]

Hello All,
I have bought those huge sets from Hf in the past - like 128 bits with the fractional, number and number sizes - anyway I have tons of these drive LP bits and half of them are dead. Question is what's a brand/set you can recommend because my set of you want to call it that is a huge mess. I'm not willing to buy snap on but I'm ready to move on from HF.

Thx, matt

[ChaseTruck754]

Matt, I have the HF kit and have had the same thought, but decided to stay with HF. Honestly my HF kit has lasted a lot longer than I would have guessed. A few of the more regular sizes that I use (1/4", 7/16", 1/2" etc.) that are dead I've replaced but in looking at buying a new replacement kit for everything I figured I could buy 2, maybe 3 HF ones. With how long my original ones have lasted vs. what I've seen life wise out of anything else I figured the HF makes the most sense.

I know it's not totally what you were asking, but that's my experience.

Oh and I was looking at kits from Grainger, Fastenal and the like. In my experience the stuff from HD or lowes is along the same quality as HF if not sometimes worse, and like you the Snap-On level price point was a turnoff for a "consumable".

[PaulW]

Find best drill bits. Wow - lots a garbage bits out there.
For your next purchase view this

https://youtu.be/xgQeSrsAXgE

[powa_ranga]

I work on elevators for a living and we buy bulk bits and taps in a cardboard sleeve from fastenal and they work great, lots of drilling stainless and up to 1/2" mild steel, I have found 90% of keeping the bits alive is rpm and cutting oil which should be common knowledge. I see alot of veterans and new guys to my trade just go wide open throttle and burn up bits.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

[ChaseTruck754]

Agreed on the above about the "should be common knowledge" thing. I hope we're all assuming that here.
I learned my lesson early on with stainless and speed/rpm. Tools I have aren't spinning fast enough to cut at the proper rate for stainless if going fast, so slow & lubed up it is. Heat is the death of the bits and knowing this I think is what has helped keep my HF bits alive so long. I've used um on 304 & 316 SS, 4130 down to 1010 mild for steel and up to 1" or thicker on mild. Plus TONS of drilling through frames on these old Fords which beats the bits down pretty well too. They've lasted years and years doing this.

Oh and great vid link Paul. Love good/informative reviews like that!

[VintageIronFab]

The HF titanium is garbage if you work with steel. The Dewalt were a great bit but like the tester the Bosch is what I would buy. That's my think is to buy a 29 piece jobber set of Champion, Bosch Irwin - I'd just like to not have a drawer of bits when 29 will do lol

[PaulW]

Here in Baja I have a small set of Dewalt bits and a set of HF ones for my cheapy electric screwdriver for those very light duty jobs .
Back home in Colorado I have large collection of HF bits and have to use the sharpener most every time I use them. I seem to break a lot of them. Good thing I have a backup set (unknown brand) for harder jobs. When I was building my airplane I have some really good bits I use for tough steel (number sizes).
Over the years I have a acquired a lot of bits. Beats heading to town t replace a bit.

[toddz69]

I bought some Norseman bits a year or two ago after researching good quality bits and wanting to buy US-made products.

I ended up with this set or something real close to it:

https://www.amazon.com/Norseman-44170-2 ... B00627C8ZU

I've only had the set a year or two but so far they are working well - definitely better than the HF bit set they replaced.

Todd Z.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

I get the sizes I use a lot (1/2” etc) from air gas. They sell hss bits. The cost is cheaper than Lowe’s and work much better. I figure the price is good for the drilling I get from them. If I’m looking for a complete kit I go hf just because they seem to do better than more expensive bits I hardly use.

[BDKW1]

Guhring. Period.

But if your not a machine shop probably not realistic. McMaster Carr has a lot of selection and decent prices. They don't tell you what brand the are but most are Chicago latrobe.

[arse_sidewards]

I have the HF cobalt set for general use. I sharpen them as needed and take care not to burn them up. I buy cheapo double ended HSS in 1/4, 3/16 and 1/8 for pilot drilling things. The shitty part about drilling is the center where you have zero sfm so drilling pilot holes really helps.


If you're the guy that always runs the cordless drill in high no drill bits are going to last.