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Suggestions for drills
- Thread starter JMBrewer
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2017
- Messages
- 2,138
As a rule, I tend toward Precision Twist Drill (PTD) when I can get them. Over many, many long years, I have accumulated full sets of Fractional by 64ths, Number, Letter, and Metric. Also a set of fractional by 32nds Left Hand drills. The Left Hand drills were a HF index. Not that good, but I needed one drill and ordered a set, cheap. Left hand drills are not that easy to find, and expensive when they are.
My most recent acquisition (last year) was a set of Letter size drills off of eBay. I watch what I buy there, it may be good, it likely is junque. Many sellers have no idea of the difference in manufactures of any cutting tool. [That guy was getting 50 bux for PTD, I should get as much for Chinesium] The Letter set pictured had USAF property stickers on it. I don't know the actual brand, but GSA tools are usually pretty good.
Then there are the smaller drills that came from the "expendables" stashes on ships (68-74) and the Pipe Shop (76-81). Again, I can't say brands, but they stay sharp when I need them. For a startup, I would advise sorta like the guys above, get a set of cheap (HF, TiN coated) and replace with good drills rather than sharpening cheap ones. Drills get used in all sorts of work, metal, wood, plastics, you name it. I use a number of 1/16 drills, so buy them in packs of 5 from HF. Some cheap sets work for years for non-machine shop work. Like fixing a hinge on the front door. Use what you can get and replace any that break or dull or bent with name brand stuff.
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My most recent acquisition (last year) was a set of Letter size drills off of eBay. I watch what I buy there, it may be good, it likely is junque. Many sellers have no idea of the difference in manufactures of any cutting tool. [That guy was getting 50 bux for PTD, I should get as much for Chinesium] The Letter set pictured had USAF property stickers on it. I don't know the actual brand, but GSA tools are usually pretty good.
Then there are the smaller drills that came from the "expendables" stashes on ships (68-74) and the Pipe Shop (76-81). Again, I can't say brands, but they stay sharp when I need them. For a startup, I would advise sorta like the guys above, get a set of cheap (HF, TiN coated) and replace with good drills rather than sharpening cheap ones. Drills get used in all sorts of work, metal, wood, plastics, you name it. I use a number of 1/16 drills, so buy them in packs of 5 from HF. Some cheap sets work for years for non-machine shop work. Like fixing a hinge on the front door. Use what you can get and replace any that break or dull or bent with name brand stuff.
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- Joined
- Mar 22, 2020
- Messages
- 175
A quality imperial index. Number, letter, fractional. About $200. I bought a Viking set. That will get you close enough on metric stuff.
Cheapo HF fractional set for hand drills.
A couple used MT drills for the lathe to handle holes bigger than 1/2.
Annular cutters as needed. But I’d really like a complete set up to 2” but they are expensive…
Reamers as needed
Taps. I’d get everything from #10 to 3/8 or 1/2. Then as needed. Don’t worry, you’ll break em.
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Cheapo HF fractional set for hand drills.
A couple used MT drills for the lathe to handle holes bigger than 1/2.
Annular cutters as needed. But I’d really like a complete set up to 2” but they are expensive…
Reamers as needed
Taps. I’d get everything from #10 to 3/8 or 1/2. Then as needed. Don’t worry, you’ll break em.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2015
- Messages
- 8,389
I'm late to the game here.
What you do need will be bits for thread tapping, clearance drill. So that in itself represents a set.
Next you need some of the basic size drill bits for your primary sizes...
Tapping sizes are here : see if you can read the sizes off the block
Buy this and start filling it up with quality HSS or M42 bits
I also have this version but is much harder to read
These are much easier to use than the index boxes.
Ariel
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2018
- Messages
- 1,201
I JUST bought that index a few hours ago thanks to this thread. I thought about it and REALLY missed the bench top index my father had when I was growing up. $10 for the Irwin version (which is the one I think you are showing) seemed like a deal and the HF fold out index is too crowded. I hope it works out well!
We buy sometimes when needed...
Estate and garage sales often have the boxes of bits buried in the garage.
One finds old quality that the long ago user had purchased then stashed before they could no longer use them and family had no clue.
Finally got 5 of the cabinets and filled them up.
Many need to be sharpened, the DD750 works.
Get whatever collections or sets as you stumble upon them.
If you do need to buy something get the good stuff, not at any retail store.
Look for a local industrial supply, usually small sign in the other side of town.
Usually family operated and staffed with folks who know what the are doing.
One of our locals had one of the drill cabinets better priced than Amazon, find these places and give them your business.
Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
Estate and garage sales often have the boxes of bits buried in the garage.
One finds old quality that the long ago user had purchased then stashed before they could no longer use them and family had no clue.
Finally got 5 of the cabinets and filled them up.
Many need to be sharpened, the DD750 works.
Get whatever collections or sets as you stumble upon them.
If you do need to buy something get the good stuff, not at any retail store.
Look for a local industrial supply, usually small sign in the other side of town.
Usually family operated and staffed with folks who know what the are doing.
One of our locals had one of the drill cabinets better priced than Amazon, find these places and give them your business.
Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2020
- Messages
- 1,342
I'd like to throw in an exception, if I may.
You'll also want to get one or two of the smaller sets that come in a plastic index. The kind that open like a small paperback, and have a good lock or clip on it. I've got good ones from Irwin and Millwaulkee(sp?). These are good for "mobile" jobs. You just throw it in your bag or toolbox beside the battery drill. They only hold 10 to 15 sizes or so, but you'll usually have a close enough bit when you drove over to your in-law's house to fix something. These indices hold the bits securely after you open them up, so that when you inevitably drop them in whatever weird place you find yourself having to work in, you won't be scrambling looking for bits that rolled into small cracks.
Not really a machine shop consideration, but not everything we do happens in the shop.
You'll also want to get one or two of the smaller sets that come in a plastic index. The kind that open like a small paperback, and have a good lock or clip on it. I've got good ones from Irwin and Millwaulkee(sp?). These are good for "mobile" jobs. You just throw it in your bag or toolbox beside the battery drill. They only hold 10 to 15 sizes or so, but you'll usually have a close enough bit when you drove over to your in-law's house to fix something. These indices hold the bits securely after you open them up, so that when you inevitably drop them in whatever weird place you find yourself having to work in, you won't be scrambling looking for bits that rolled into small cracks.
Not really a machine shop consideration, but not everything we do happens in the shop.
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2018
- Messages
- 1,201
I had to look up jobber length drill bits vs mechanics length drill bits because I never knew the difference. It seems like mechanics length drill bits are the way to go for most drilling in steel and other metals. Not only are they shorter but the flutes have less twist to them which leaves more meat in the drill bit and makes for a stronger drill bit... at least that is what I got from the article I read.
Jobber Vs. Mechanics Drill Bits: The Difference Between Drill Bits
Jobber length drill bits are common & have a longer length compared to the diameter of the shaft. They are commonly used in softer materials.
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