# Drill sets



## Karl_T (Mar 17, 2022)

Say i need to get three drill sets.  two each jobber length 1/16 to 1/2 by 64th. 

One more with  numbers and letter included. One example  https://www.mscdirect.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/details/01186709


i want made in USA quality but do not want to break the bank.  Suggestions on where and what to buy?


Bonus question, i have never used the 135 split point drills. where do they excel? I might get one of the fractional sets  in this.


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## JimDawson (Mar 17, 2022)

135 split point drills tend to excel in all areas.  We use them exclusively.  In most cases they seem to be cobalt which is great for all materials.  I have found the Harbor Freight cobalt sets seem to be pretty good for general use.  I normally pick up a set when there is a good % off coupon available.


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## Aukai (Mar 17, 2022)

Chicago Latrobe, and Viking/Norseman I bought when there was a sale that came up, all the way down to 61-80. I like the screw length on the machines, jobber is good if you have the Z room. I have drill hog for hand drills, it's hard to find the warranty address though.


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## woodchucker (Mar 17, 2022)

Worth Watching.






I have 135 splits.  Blu Mol.. they are just ok. They drill.. I like them in a hand drill, in my mill or drill press, I don't see a diff.  BUT, watch the video.


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## Shootymacshootface (Mar 17, 2022)

I 2nd the HF Cobalt drill set, good drills. Do not ever buy HF hss drills unless they are for wood or plastic


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## woodchucker (Mar 17, 2022)

Shootymacshootface said:


> I 2nd the HF Cobalt drill set, good drills. Do not ever buy HF hss drills unless they are for wood or plastic



The current HSS are crap, but 20 years ago, they were pretty good. My set still works well, has drilled more holes than I can count, and gives me many bits that I would not have had had I bought smaller sets.   I have sets of USA made too, but most are bought used, so they are missing bits and pieces here and there.


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## Boswell (Mar 17, 2022)

Short length (Stub length or Screw Machine) drills are my Go-To now days and jobber length are the exception for when I need to drill deep holes [almost never].


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## Janderso (Mar 17, 2022)

Shootymacshootface said:


> I 2nd the HF Cobalt drill set, good drills. Do not ever buy HF hss drills unless they are for wood or plastic


There was a Youtube video out that had some cheap HF drill bits, he put a fresh, proper grind on thr bits and they worked well.
I agree with the cobalt 135. The only thing is, they can be brittle.
I tend to replace my broken bits from mcMaster, never let me down.


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## Mitch Alsup (Mar 17, 2022)

I have enjoyed my 








						Titanium M2 High Speed Steel Drill Bit Set, 115 Piece
					

Amazing deals on this 115Pc Titanium M2 Hss Drill Bits at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.




					www.harborfreight.com


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## ericc (Mar 17, 2022)

I don't really believe in spending the money to buy a name-brand set of drills, especially the letter or number sets.  I kind of got by with a small set of decent drill bits that I picked up at a garage sale.  1/16 to 1/4 by 64ths, which is about a dozen drill bits.  This is not very good for lathe work, so I acquired a 9/16" MT2 Nachi bit at another garage sale.  The seller wanted $5, and I complained.  He said big deal about it being chewed up; if I wanted it, I knew how much it was worth and I would be able to sharpen it in a minute.  That bit is used for enlarging holes to get a boring bar to work.  It is a great drill, despite it being an "import."  Another garage sale supplied me with a numbered set with a lot of missing drills.  Still good for tapping small to medium holes.  For any missing bit, I could grind a spade drill or use a small homemade boring bar to get the correct hole size.  Eventually, after enough piecemeal buys here and there, I pretty much have a full set.  I was planning to fill in all the blanks from an online supplier, but the missing drills have been odd sizes.  I can count the number of drills I had to make on one hand.

As for Harbor Freight drill bits, they seem to have gotten better.  When I was a member of TechShop (a makerspace), they had only these drills in the tool cabinets.  They were always dull, burned and chewed up.  I had to sharpen the one I was planning to use nearly every time I selected one.  Occasionally, I would sharpen two or three, and nobody would bother me.  Got a lot of practice that way.


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## benmychree (Mar 17, 2022)

Split points are wonderful, but I suspect hard for the amateur to sharpen.


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## shell70634 (Mar 17, 2022)

I've had good luck and good service from drillsandcutters.com.  I really like the stubby set.


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## LVLAaron (Mar 17, 2022)

Drill Hog®
					

Drill Hog® Lifetime Warranty Drill Bits




					drill-hog.myshopify.com
				




My first real set of bits was a 115pc from Drill Hog. They're sharp. They're good.  The ones you linked to have pretty bad reviews. The bits I know I'm going to use a lot, I order 2-3 good USA made cobalt bits from MSC


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## mksj (Mar 17, 2022)

I have a Triumph Twist Drill set in a mechanics/Screw machine drill set (shorter than standard jobber length, I also have a Hertel set in cobalt HSS in short length, I have a full 115 set and a metric jobber length in viking/Norseman drills. Also spares in Cleveland and Triumph, all cut very well, have stayed sharp and seem durable. I keep the Triumph set dedicated to the mill, they walk less and the shanks do not get torn up when I use them in my powered hand drills. I prefer drills with no flats on the shank, but in cheaper chucks they may be preferable so you do not twist in the chuck. These are all 135 degree point drills, I have the full 115 piece set as I often need wire size drills and also use them for drilling tap holes. Common sizes that I use often, I buy packages of multiple drills in that size, rather than regrind the tip. I thorough the worn out ones in a box and one of these days I will get out my Drill Doctor and regrind them. Buy a quality set and it should last, my cobalt Hertel I have had for years, they are now relegated to my power hand drill which beats up the shanks.









						Triumph Twist Drill 1/16 in.-1/2 in. Black/Bronze Oxide High Speed Steel Mechanics Length Twist Drill Bit Set with Metal Index (29-Piece) 090552 - The Home Depot
					

Drills finished with black and bronze oxide can be used in cast iron, steel (low/medium carbon, high alloy, stainless) and tough/medium/high-tensile strength alloys. Split points extend the drills life



					www.homedepot.com


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## Bi11Hudson (Mar 18, 2022)

In answer to your original question, there are several more sets than what you are asking about. What you are calling two sets are actually three. There is the fractional 1/16 to 1/2 by 64ths. There is a number set from around 0.040(~1mm) to about 0.200. Then there is the letter set than goes from just above Nr 1 to a little over 0.400.(~7/16). Thats what you are asking after.

I spent 50 odd years building my sets. Anything that needs a good drill was bought individually. Some time back, when times were good, I purchased the full sets of questionable quality. If I use it once for steel and it dulls, it's thrown out and replaced with a known good drill. Full sets of *good* drills are horrendously expensive. In essence, you get what you pay for and you pay for what you get. There are many good name brands like Chicago Latrobe and Precision Twist Drill. (my personal preference) And there are many not so good and junkie sets. And many good drills of names of recent origon that I'm not familiar with. Here is as good a recommendation as any. Cheap sets still work for wood and plastic, and the boxes make good starter boxes. Huot is top line there.

Now, on to other sets, many of which are specific to what you work on. An extension to the numbered set runs fron Nr 61 to Nr 80. But in reality, how many(few) need to drill 0.013.(Nr 80) I build models in small scale, I do use them. As would someone doing carburator jets or gas furnace jets. Not the sort of thing found in the average tool box.

And to top off everything else, there are detailed metric sets up to 13mm. If you do a lot of metric work, get metric drills. If only occasionally, most metric drills have comparable imperial sizing. If you need closer than 0.001 for a hole, you'll be using a reamer anyway. I have some fairly complex metric sets because I had some spare cash at one time and needed somewhere to spend it. The US will go metric eventually, like it or not, but will be a slow conversion. I got a moderately good set so I'll have then when. . .

Then there are the job specific drills. Technically, a 1/4 capscrew rates a Nr F drill, a couple thou larger than 1/4. But, like most people, if i'm drilling for a 1/4 bolt, I use a 1/4 drill. I buy them in packs of 10. They are good for, though not properly sized for, Nr 14 machine screws and 6mm cap screws. And stuffing small wires through wood and the like. Or 1/8 rivets, where the proper drill is a Nr 30(0.128), not 1/8. And for 3/16 rivets, where a 3/16 drill is a fuzz too small and there's not another drill that is 0.003 oversized. But there is, I found some at an aircraft salvage house.

There are more drills than any normal person would ever need. My advice, such as it is, is buy a *good* set of 1/16 to 1/2 by 64ths. That will do 90% or more of your work. Then add here and there as you need something not in that case. I buy 1/16 drills in 10 packs at Harbor Freight for working with wood, ZAMAK, and plastic. A suitable size as a tap drill for 2-56 and 2mm. Not exact for either but usable for both.

I could lecture for hours when I get wound up. A copy of Machinery's Handbook, a Drill Doctor and a set of fractionals will get you by for a long time. Years. . . The rest you can get as you need.
.


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## Karl_T (Mar 18, 2022)

Follow up. i decided to go with redline tools as the vendor  https://www.redlinetools.com/catsearch/187/drill-set

Got a fractional and a complete set in HSS 118 point. Popped for cobalt 135 split point on the second fractional set.


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## wachuko (Mar 18, 2022)

This reminded me that I still need to order a set of short drill bits...  I was looking at a Chicago Latrobe set... but so many different brands mentioned here.  And the one I was going to get is a 118 Degree Conventional Point set... let me look at 135 degree options...


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## wachuko (Mar 18, 2022)

Karl_T said:


> Follow up. i decided to go with redline tools as the vendor  https://www.redlinetools.com/catsearch/187/drill-set
> 
> Got a fractional and a complete set in HSS 118 point. Popped for cobalt 135 split point on the second fractional set.
> 
> View attachment 400878


Heads up - The RD44159 is 118 degrees... The RD44163 is 135 degrees and a whooping US$515.32 ... to much for me at this time...


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## wachuko (Mar 18, 2022)

woodchucker said:


> Worth Watching.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Interesting... thank you for sharing.


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## Karl_T (Mar 18, 2022)

wachuko said:


> Heads up - The RD44159 is 118 degrees... The RD44163 is 135 degrees and a whooping US$515.32 ... to much for me at this time...



Yep, i asked  the vendor to give me the 44159 in 135 split point.

The 44163 also has number and letters  for 115 drills. $500 was past my pinch point so i went HSS on the complete set.

<EDIT> the description for RD44159 is wrong on the web site. Its actually 135 split point cobalt. Kyle at Redline ran it down for me - GREAT customer service there. That's why i buy from them even if it is sometimes a bit cheaper elsewhere.  I also got another $40 off as a regular customer.


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## deakin (Mar 18, 2022)

i don't care for drill sets. i prefer drill cabinets. easier to organize and you can stock up on sizes you use the most


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## Karl_T (Mar 18, 2022)

I actually use both. The sets keep the drills i re use.  Then I restock from Huot cabinets - have at least 5 each of all the 115 sizes in these.

Then a drill set of metric and a drill set of left hand, a drill set of silver Deming ( 1/2 inch drive 9/16 to 1 inch bv 16ths)

But most of the drills, by far, are Morse taper. Years ago i scored the entire inventory of a decent size shop's Morse drills. Got to be over 1500 drills in 1/8 to 2 1/2.  

I got all these drills over 20 years ago and have not bought any for YEARS.

the above drill sets I just bought are for the second shop.  I just made up a set of Morse taper 1/8 to 1 1/4 by 64s to take to the second home.


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## Larry$ (Mar 19, 2022)

I've got a 115 pc. set I've had for years but my go to for most things is a 1/6th to 1/2 set of cobalt screw machine bits. They are a bit brittle if dropped. The Silver & Deming set is from Grizzly & has been good but I broke one by dropping it to the concrete, brittle. I have a few left hand bits for extracting broken bolts.


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## OOT (Apr 2, 2022)

Over the years when I had bought sets of drills, the balance of the set (once a few were broken or lost or borrowed by others) - ended up in a cigar box.  And a new set was then utilized.  Also was given some other folks drill collections in a box.  
To help with using what I have,  I got a drill cabinet and sorted all those drill bits into the proper location in the cabinet.   The cabinet is a very nice setup what with the individual bins.

If I sharpen a bit with the sharpener, I use a marker on the ground tip to check on the progress and when it is done, I then mark the sharpened end.


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## Larry$ (Apr 2, 2022)

OOT said:


> The cabinet is a very nice setup what with the individual bins.


Damn you're organized. When I get a dull bit it goes in a box. When I'm between projects I'll sharpen them until I get too bored. I finally bought good gages so I could put them in indexes or sorted in some way. With fractional, #'d, lettered, and metric often being only a few 1,000s different...!  I've got a Silver & Deming set and assorted bits larger than 1/2". Screw machine bits, the most used. Left hand, 135°, 118°,  Aircraft bits, I.E. long, but so far no MT bits. Do I really need all these? A few are regularly used for tapping or to match a reamer or to speed boring. But the rest, rarely or never. It's the same way with taps and dies. But I sort of justify it because it isn't fun to be in the middle of repairing something and not have the correct size. Just another branch in the rabbit hole.


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## Jimsehr (Apr 2, 2022)

I have bought Harbor Freight drills that looked like they were sharpened by a blind drunk. And they cut terrible. Then I sharpened them and they worked fine .
So many times it is not the drill but how it was sharpened.
Name brands tend to pay attention to quality of the sharpening. And you pay more for that. 

I would like to see the results of the test video using different drills of the same point and size and brand drill to see how they repeated in the test. Plus if one brand or point stayed sharper longer. 

I do think the quality of the drills made today beat the hell-out of the drills I used 60 years ago. I think it’s the hss used today that Is much better.

Jimsehr


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## GrumpyGrandpa (Apr 2, 2022)

OOT said:


> Over the years when I had bought sets of drills, the balance of the set (once a few were broken or lost or borrowed by others) - ended up in a cigar box.  And a new set was then utilized.  Also was given some other folks drill collections in a box.
> To help with using what I have,  I got a drill cabinet and sorted all those drill bits into the proper location in the cabinet.   The cabinet is a very nice setup what with the individual bins.
> 
> If I sharpen a bit with the sharpener, I use a marker on the ground tip to check on the progress and when it is done, I then mark the sharpened end.


This is an excellent idea. I often batch sharpen bits. I throw them in a bin until I have enough to make it worth my time but I never had a way of making the ones with a fresh edge.


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