Recommed a good source for drill bits?

bluegoatwoods · Dec 9, 2014

I go through a lot of them when I'm building a bike. And other projects, for that matter.

I've never gotten the hang of sharpening them. I'll keep trying. But in the meantime I've just gotta drill until it's dull and then put in a new bit.

For some time I've bought 10 packs from Harbor Freight. Last week the brand I was used to disappeared and it's been replaced by another brand. And this new brand seems to stink. They're often dull after the first hole is drilled.

Right now I'm having such a hard time drilling two 3/16 inch holes in 1/8 in steel that I've just had to give it up. I can't be using up 45 minutes of hard labor to drill one lousy hole.

I wonder if I've picked up some harder steel than I'm used to without realizing it? I doubt that, though. It sure does look like the same old flat stock that I always buy.

So has anyone got a good source for decent drill bits? Preferably online.

culvercityclassic · Dec 9, 2014

You should not be using all those bits, slow RPM and cutting oil always make a bit last longer.

bluegoatwoods · Dec 9, 2014

If it'll make my bits last longer, then my answer is, "Hot dog! Let's go!"

Now I guess I'd better learn a bit about cutting oil.

But in the meantime I'll slow down on the RPM. I wasn't aware that slower is better.

Thanks.

Ludwig II · Dec 9, 2014

I'm off to bed now, but if you hunt around the Internerd, there will be tables of drill speeds and sizes for different material. The same goes for any metal cutting, lathes, millers, etc.

Hard = slow though, as the drill or cutting tool will heat up and soften at high contact speeds, and become blunt as you have found out.

Goat Herder · Dec 9, 2014

It was a bit of a pita for me at the time as work was non stop. I learned to to sharpen every drill dit I got on a old school bench grinder. Takes me about 15 seconds bam back to work. ''When my hands are steady''

I got a drill doctor here that is supposed to hold ones hand through the paces. It works no arguing that. After boss man did that and showed me how easy that drill doctor never got used. It is still new , that was about ten years ago. Still have no use for it. lol

Keep going after those old drill bits and learn to sharpen them! One day you will get the hang of it and that makes work so much easyier!

MEASURE TWICE · Dec 9, 2014

There are some drill bits I had that were Craftsmen and had a pre-drill flute at the end of the bit. Not really sure they worked better, but with those I did not pre-drill (not all the way through unless very thin metal) with a smaller like 1/8 inch bit.

Maybe a good sharpened bit does not need any pre-drilling, but it is something I do when I notice that it does not go well otherwise.

I have always used oil, and or the special cutting fluid I bought a quart of many years back. I think I'll probably have to put in another container as maybe the plastic might break it is so old.

bluegoatwoods · Dec 9, 2014

Yup. I guess I'd better keep on practicing with the old bench grinder. I've got nothing to lose, that's for sure.

My problem is that I have a hard time actually seeing that precisely. But I suppose I could get magnifiers. I'll have to try that.

Goat Herder · Dec 9, 2014

Another good benifit is a collection of short'er bits can aid in a more steady hand for small unbraced work and even better in tight spaces.

I buy a harbor freight set of these and go through the smaller bits pretty quick. And yes I do sharpen the tiny'est ones on my bench grinder. I keep a resonably square stone face. Hard to do when sombody uses the benchgrinder wrong at work. They keep borrowing mine.

Last yes I have successfully gone in the store just for those drill bits and made it out with just the bits laff

Hard to do! Gotta put the blinders on.

crassius · Dec 9, 2014

I have a couple diff bit sharpeners here - both have a driven grind wheel & hold bit at proper angle while you just turn it a bit - seems to work well, but I rarely need them.

One thing I recall from metal shop back in the 50s was that the proper cutting speed for most materials is the one that produces the longest tailings - if your bit goes thru metal slowly enough to make one long coil sticking up, you're about right.

birdmannn101 · Dec 10, 2014

what kind of oil is "cutting oil?"

Ludwig II · Dec 10, 2014

Almost anything helps, but it seems to be a thin mineral oil mostly.

bluegoatwoods · Dec 10, 2014

I'm going to give it a try.

There was a night last week when I worked on a project that involved 60 holes in flat steel. I got most of them drilled that evening. It was hard work, yes. But it was do-able.

Last night I was stymied by merely 2 holes in, as near as I can tell, the same material. I just don't understand what could make the difference. Though I still suspect the new drill bits. But this is unacceptable; I can't do my work.

I also took some old bits the the bench grinder and practiced on that. I ruined a bunch of them. But I seemed to get it nearly right on a few.

With some magnifiers, so that I can see the edges clearly, maybe this'll get me out of trouble.

Thanks for the oil info, too. Anyone with more detail, please feel free.

Ludwig II · Dec 10, 2014

I was shown how to do drills a long time ago, and there's a little twist of the wrist involved, but I can't actually describe it. It's to maintain the correct angle of the metal to the wheel.

I wonder, is it possible to do it with a drill clamped, a modelmaker/watchmaker magnifier on a stand, and a Dremel? Probably not.

Ludwig II · Dec 10, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbRPPxyw1hw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pDitJb7z-M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0SQkzScQk0

crassius · Dec 10, 2014

center punching the metal gives a bit a place to start & if the hole is large, then starting with a smaller bit to pilot the hole helps too

bluegoatwoods · Dec 10, 2014

Thanks for the links, Ludwig. I've watched Youtube vids on the subject before. But I never really felt that I fully understood. But I'll make time to watch these in the next couple of days and see if there's anything I can learn from them.

And thanks to crassius as well. I do drill pilot holes. In fact, I'll often do a two-step pilot hole.

I still kinda suspect that the new brand of bits available is simply garbage compared to the old brand. But I've got no choice. I have no other source of bits. Other than bit sets. But it'd be ridiculous, of course, to keep buying sets for the sake of one particular bit.

My only choice is to learn how to sharpen on a bench grinder. I stopped and bought a set of 2.5 x magnifiers tonight. That ought to help.

Goat Herder · Dec 10, 2014

Look at the bit that you are sharping as it ether looks right or it don't. I mean is a study will show you where it should have been ground at. Keep at at it! I feel like any minute it will be like bells and the light bulb went on. Sharping bits is one of the greatest gifts to learn there is for a fellow working with his her hands! IMHO.

I wanna say dang it is really easy to do brother. I have faith you can figure it out. The biggest drill bits I have like 1/2 inch etc are actually the ones that give me the most guff. I tend to grind the rake first as the twist those at the grinder.

A drill bit like 1/8 is amoung the easiest for me. There is no said wrist action. I simply hold the drill bit at the right angle and tap both sides equiially on the grinder . Takes about 4 seconds to sharpen one and I have the drill running again.

In a machine shop drill presses etc make breaking a drill bit a heck of a lot harder to do. The line of work I am in eats, snaps drill bits. I will not hesitate to clean a bit up and chuck it right back to service.

I do feel for you. I reckonize the frustration. Been there I do hope you catch on to this freedom.

The smaller the bit the easier it always has been for me. I can make them look just like factory. Truly....

bluegoatwoods · Dec 10, 2014

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Goat Herder.

And, as a matter of fact, tonight things went better.

Couldn't put too much time into it. It's a work night and I gotta get to sleep. But I went downstairs and monkeyed around a bit.

The 2.5 x magnifying glasses certainly helped. I was actually able to see that edge.

I don't know yet if I'll be able to see the edge of a 1/8 in bit yet. But if I can't, then I'll get more powerful magnifiers.

But I worked with a couple of 3/16 bits. I got good, useful edges out of them. My points are not yet mathematically perfect. But I'll probably always drill pilot holes anyway. And I expect that my points will improve as well.

I also went with the low RPM approach. (Suggested by a couple of guys earlier in the thread.) That went well, too. I'm sure the noise level was better. (I wear ear protection. But I just know that the noise goes all through the house. My family is to be praised for their patience with me.)

I did not get a nice spiral shaving out of those holes. But it wasn't microscopic dust, either. It was grains that looked about like coarse ground pepper. The spiral shaving would be ideal, of course. But I can live with what I'm getting.

I only drilled a few holes tonight. But they were done in a time, and with an effort, that I can live with.

So maybe I'm back on track and can get back to useful work time.

I'll keep practicing sharpening, though.

Dan · Dec 11, 2014

I'm gonna go against the grain here. Please don't think I am disagreeing with all the great and correct advise given.

I have just recently learned this skill, so take as "just my way"

Don't over think it. Don't go gentle in to that long dark night. Think of it like a pencil and if wrong, it just gets a lil shorter. You in no way have to get the angle perfect for the bit to work and that will come with practice/having to do it. Angle has to be such so that chips can escape. The round is pretty but a waste of time while doing it by hand. Do it like its 1899. `cause to night we're gonna party....

Just whack the **** out of it. Was gonna be scrap any way. After a few ya end up giving em an edge before projects just so ya can start fresh.

I say Damn the import tax, full speed ahead and whack that mole! Hit it, hit it hard and then, hit it again!

(I really gotta cut down on coffee, snork)

Ludwig II · Dec 11, 2014

You forgot "BANZAI!"

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