Seeking drill bit and bit sharpener recommendations...

I can see the logic but have to wonder about the quality of the HF bits. If the steel they use is good and the hardness is consistent then okay. All drill bits are not created equal - try a Guhring or Titex bit sometime.

I agree they aren't. I did buy a set of nicer bits at Harbor Freight, don’t remember the name/type offhand, but they are sharp and hold an edge. Think the set ran me about $80 before discount coupon.
I was thinking more of considering the OP situation. Given use in a public work area, I would hate having a $200 set of drill bits walk off.
 
HF has a 135 degree cobalt , coated set with split points. The set I bought is very nice, an outright bargain for the less than $100 I paid for it, not bad for fraction, numbered and lettered. It has proven itself to be the equal of my made in USA no name Enco set which cost twice that 10 years ago.
 
Hey Mike, I gotta' gloat. I bought a "used" 115 piece set of PTD screw machine drills for $100.00, shipped, on ebay. The guy showed a long distance pic of the drills and the set was complete. The index was dirty and had some dark marks but I bought it anyway. When I got the set, the drills were brand new. I looked at each drill under 10X magnification and they were all pristine. The index cleaned up perfectly with some alcohol.

Sometimes you step in it and come up smelling fine!
 
Thanks for all the prompt excellent replies. This forum is great!
 
One other thought... is there any advantage to bits with 3 ground flats, which prevent slipping?
 
I have some of those and they're used only in a keyless chuck on my hand held drill. I prefer a round shank on my machine drills.
 
I have a set of cobalt drills with the 3 flats. I forget where I got them but they are China. The flats on some of them around ground very precise so when used in the lathe or mill they don't center up properly. I now only use them in a hand drill. I prefer no flats on drill bits.

I have the 115pc cobalt drill set from HF, I needed some letter drills & with the 25% coupon I thought I'd try them. To my surprise the set I got is a actually pretty good. The index sucked though, I bought a Huot index for them. Their TiN & black oxide drills aren't as good though IMO.
 
I know it sounds snobbish, but in school they made us sharpen them on a regular bench grinder. I'm sure there are some youtube videos about it.

I still haven't mastered it as I'm very careful not to dull my bits, but after being forced to practice, I have to say, I don't feel the need for a jig.

Don't sell yourself short! They also made us hand file a respectable little slab of steel until it was flat and the sides parallel, both to within .003" with a 16" single cut bastard file!

You can achieve surgical results with some pretty blunt instruments with a little bit of practice!
 
I bought one of the cheap 29 piece fractional sets from HF a while back, expressly for the purpose of learning to sharpen them. When I examined them, I found about 10 of them were very crooked!
 
HF has a 135 degree cobalt , coated set with split points. The set I bought is very nice, an outright bargain for the less than $100 I paid for it, not bad for fraction, numbered and lettered. It has proven itself to be the equal of my made in USA no name Enco set which cost twice that 10 years ago.

I also have the HF 115 piece cobalt drill bit set. Paid $90 minus20% with a coupon. They are very good quality bits. I was shocked at how good they are. I save the precision twist drill set and just use the HF set most of the time. Only problem with HF is they change manufacturers and then the quality may change. Good part is they are not much of an investment if stolen or broken by friends.

Roy
 
Back
Top