Are drill bits consumables?

In the federal system, drill bits are neither durable or consumable goods, they are called expendable goods. It's not complicated when you have definitions to rely on. A can of paint is consumable, but a paint job is durable. Things thrown away after use/consumption are consumable. Things that are too cheap to be capital or durable are expendable if they have a service life. Sharpening drills extends service life so that they are not consumed in one use. The bigger the drill, the more it looks like a durable item. The smaller the drill, the more it looks consumable.
 
I'm surprised that no one mentioned how important short and very short drill bits are to us. I have several drawers of very short drills. I never bought short drill bits new but have created them from broken and dull bits that I have resharpened. I never throw away a broken or dull bit, and at 89 can still sharpen them on my grinder. I also will silver solder them on a steel shaft to make long and very long diill bits for special projects.
I can feel the tip with my fingers to know if it will drill.
Dave
 
Dave Smith said:
I'm surprised that no one mentioned how important short and very short drill bits are to us. I have several drawers of very short drills. I never bought short drill bits new but have created them from broken and dull bits that I have resharpened. I never throw away a broken or dull bit, and at 89 can still sharpen them on my grinder. I also will silver solder them on a steel shaft to make long and very long diill bits for special projects.
I can feel the tip with my fingers to know if it will drill.
Dave
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Gosh Dave, You Rock! I hope, no pray, that I am as well off physically and mentally as you are.
Just forget me sharpening small drills on the grinder by hand, I can grind them...into miniature boring tools.... because I can't see to do the small ones anymore.
 
Dave Smith said:
I'm surprised that no one mentioned how important short and very short drill bits are to us. I have several drawers of very short drills. I never bought short drill bits new but have created them from broken and dull bits that I have resharpened. I never throw away a broken or dull bit, and at 89 can still sharpen them on my grinder. I also will silver solder them on a steel shaft to make long and very long diill bits for special projects.
I can feel the tip with my fingers to know if it will drill.
Dave
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I'm not sure how many used equipment dealers there are in your area, but it might be less expensive to check them out for long drills rather than silver solder broken ones to a shaft.

I recently had a job that called for some extended length drills. It was going to cost me over $50.00 for a troy ounce of 45% silver solder. I picked up all the drills in the picture plus a couple more for $25.00. The longest is a 15/32nds just short of 27" long. The second one from the rear is a coolant through.
 

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projectnut said:
I'm not sure how many used equipment dealers there are in your area, but it might be less expensive to check them out for long drills rather than silver solder broken ones to a shaft.

I recently had a job that called for some extended length drills. It was going to cost me over $50.00 for a troy ounce of 45% silver solder. I picked up all the drills in the picture plus a couple more for $25.00. The longest is a 15/32nds just short of 27" long. The second one from the rear is a coolant through.
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I have more than a lifetime of silver solder in my supplies, and a lot of my long bits are brazed with brass rod. what else are you going to use the good drill end of a broken bit for? it is also good experience to weld them correct, straight and strong. never waste--- is my thinking.
Dave
 
Where I work, in one part of our shop, we do a LOT of drilling. 95% in aluminum. There are about 20 different sized drill bits that are part of our consumables program. Thing is, some guys use their bits until they are D-E-A-D, but most others ditch them as soon as they don't cut like new. We use nice grade cobalt drills, even though that may not be ideal for aluminum due to the 135 degree tip angle. I've talked to the production folks, imploring them to manage their bit consumption, but it just bounces off the wall, and our management doesn't seem to care. So, I swoop in and, unapologetically, grab up handfuls of castoffs that are in perfectly decent shape.
 
Dave Smith said:
I have more than a lifetime of silver solder in my supplies, and a lot of my long bits are brazed with brass rod. what else are you going to use the good drill end of a broken bit for? it is also good experience to weld them correct, straight and strong. never waste--- is my thinking.
Dave
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I appreciate your thoughts Dave. I am always reminded that time is money and I could likely buy certain items cheaper than making/fixing; but, if it something I take pride is which is fulfilling and maintains the integrity of my ideas the time is well spent and the satisfaction of the accomplishment makes me sleep better at night. What ever happened to waste not, want not?
 
projectnut said:
There are a million different ways to describe the piece of equipment and its attachments. Personally, as long as long as it states what you're intending to do I could care less. However, there are some on a couple other boards that are adamant that the tool is a Drill Motor, and the attachment is a Drill. You're likely to get chastised at the very least and possibly vilified if the word bit follows the word drill.
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Interesting as the term bit and brace to describe a drill and the device for turning it goes back to the fifteenth century.
 
IMO Drill Doctors are garbage. That's why Darex dropped the line after a year or so. I have had Black Diamond but it only went up to 1/2" and I never could find a point splitter. Now I use Darex M series and I take damn good care of my chucks because when they freeze up you are done.

If I spin a drill in a chuck the drill shank WILL be scored. I reverse the bit and chuck it in the lathe with the shank sticking out, spin it up and stone the shank smooth.

I buy 10 packs of 1/8" double ended starter bits. I use those hard and throw them away. Bigger, I buy as needed. Silver & Deming bits work way better if they are sharpened well.
 
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