# Stubby Drill Bit Set?



## Kroll (Dec 27, 2019)

Guys I have couple of those drill bit stubbys,I am seeing the importance of having a set of them.What I am looking at is 1/16-1/2 set by  Norseman 29pc Stubby Screw Machine Length M7 Drill Bit Set 1/16-1/2 USA SPT-29  Its price at 94.00 which for me is a chunk but I am willing if membership feels the same way as I do.I know this is not top of the line set but for me its the middle of the road set.


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## BGHansen (Dec 27, 2019)

I have a set of Norseman stubbies and a set of $45 imports. The Norseman are FAR superior. I needed to drill out some impact sockets (add ball holes at each 90). The import bits were sharp but weren't drilling. Chucked up a Norseman and blew right through. I've replaced some of the imports with Drill hog bits. They're better but still not a Norseman.

Bruce


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## machPete99 (Dec 27, 2019)

Search for "screw machine" drill sets, which is another name for "stubby". Here is one (not cheap...)









						Norseman 29pc Premium M42 Cobalt Screw Machine Length Drill Bit Set USA #42630 for sale online | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Norseman 29pc Premium M42 Cobalt Screw Machine Length Drill Bit Set USA #42630 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com


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## ub27Rocks (Dec 27, 2019)

Figure out which ones you actually need, don't need a whole set. Buy an index to store with the money saved. I buy Dormer.


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## ThinWoodsman (Dec 27, 2019)

I've been using a set of Viking stub drills that goes from 1/16 to 1/4 by 64ths. Costs under thirty bucks - the "to 1/4" sets are usually pretty resonable compared to the "to 1/2" sets, and contain the drills that I use the most. To supplement (or replace) the drills in the set, I buy stub drills singly from Travers. Usually the Vikings, I found them to be pretty reliable. 

What I've found with drills is that you're going to be getting a variety of types (high helix, straight-flute, etc) so unless you plan on gettiing a full index of each type ($$$$$), just choose about four or five tap sizes you'll be using (e.g. #6, #10, 1/4, 3/8) and get the drills for those. One of those $50 115-piece sets from across the Pacific can be used as a fallback for emergencies, and every time you break one of the cheap drills (second use, quite often) replace it with a decent one.


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## higgite (Dec 27, 2019)

I’ve been happy with my Cleveland 29 piece HSS 135-degree split point set that I’ve had for almost 6 years. I’ve used them on mill and lathe for aluminum and carbon steel, sometimes with a spotting drill, but often without.





						Cleveland C70368 29 Piece High Speed Steel Heavy-Duty Screw Machine Length Drill Bit Set, Uncoated (Bright) Finish, Round Shank, Spiral Flute, 135 Degrees Split Point, 1/16" to 1/2" Size: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
					

Cleveland C70368 29 Piece High Speed Steel Heavy-Duty Screw Machine Length Drill Bit Set, Uncoated (Bright) Finish, Round Shank, Spiral Flute, 135 Degrees Split Point, 1/16" to 1/2" Size: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific



					www.amazon.com
				




I’m not familiar with Norseman, so can’t make a comparison.

Tom


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## MrWhoopee (Dec 27, 2019)

I'm also looking to round out my stub drill selection, mostly tap drill sizes. Other than tapping, it's nice to have a few for starting holes without having to center-drill. 

Still looking for a decent price on one of these.



Penn tool has them, price is ok, but the shipping is out of line. Wishing I hadn't left mine behind when I sold the business.


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## ddickey (Dec 27, 2019)

Kroll said:


> Guys I have couple of those drill bit stubbys,I am seeing the importance of having a set of them.What I am looking at is 1/16-1/2 set by  Norseman 29pc Stubby Screw Machine Length M7 Drill Bit Set 1/16-1/2 USA SPT-29  Its price at 94.00 which for me is a chunk but I am willing if membership feels the same way as I do.I know this is not top of the line set but for me its the middle of the road set.


These are what I have. Top of the line drill. Noresman make great drills, Viking are the same. No complaints. I can't remember what I paid for mine, was several years ago.


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## Aukai (Dec 27, 2019)

For screw length I have drill hog for my hand drill, Chicago Latrobe, and Norseman for the mill, and lathe.


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## Ken from ontario (Dec 27, 2019)

Another vote for Viking   stubby drill bit set,  by Norseman. :





						Viking Drill and Tool by Norseman 66480 SPM-29 Type 250-UB 135 Degree Split Point Magnum Sup Premium Mechanical Drill Set (29 Piece) - Mechanics Length Drill Bits - Amazon.com
					

Viking Drill and Tool by Norseman 66480 SPM-29 Type 250-UB 135 Degree Split Point Magnum Sup Premium Mechanical Drill Set (29 Piece) - Mechanics Length Drill Bits - Amazon.com



					www.amazon.com


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## ddickey (Dec 27, 2019)

That's not screw machine length but yeah they look good.


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## projectnut (Dec 27, 2019)

OK, what is it specifically that you need "screw machine" or "stubby" drills for?  I've been drilling holes professionally and for a hobby for over 50 years.  I've never owned or intentionally used "machine screw" length drills.  I've used jobber length, spotting drills, center drills, parabolic drills, number drills, letter drills, fractional drills, high carbon drills, HSS drills, cobalt drills, carbide drills, and probably a hundred other types of drills.  

The closest I came to using "machine screw" length drills is was as a kid working at a GM assembly plant.  The job was to fixture and drill holes in the front fenders of GM trucks to attach chrome moldings.  Each drill cut a new hole every 2 minutes for 16 hours a day. The drills started out as jobber length,  after numerous sharpening's they were reduced to machine screw length, then to stubby length ( less than 1/2" of flutes) and finally became recyclable length.    It didn't take all that many days to go from a jobber length drill to being recycled.


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## Aukai (Dec 27, 2019)

One reason would be for how much room is available to the table, and project


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## machPete99 (Dec 27, 2019)

If you are drilling deep holes in the lathe, starting with a stubby makes in more likely to stay concenteric as it is stiffer and is less likely to walk off path.


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## Kroll (Dec 27, 2019)

projectnut said:


> OK, what is it specifically that you need "screw machine" or "stubby" drills for?  I've been drilling holes professionally and for a hobby for over 50 years.  I've never owned or intentionally used "machine screw" length drills.  I've used jobber length, spotting drills, center drills, parabolic drills, number drills, letter drills, fractional drills, high carbon drills, HSS drills, cobalt drills, carbide drills, and probably a hundred other types of drills.
> 
> The closest I came to using "machine screw" length drills is was as a kid working at a GM assembly plant.  The job was to fixture and drill holes in the front fenders of GM trucks to attach chrome moldings.  Each drill cut a new hole every 2 minutes for 16 hours a day. The drills started out as jobber length,  after numerous sharpening's they were reduced to machine screw length, then to stubby length ( less than 1/2" of flutes) and finally became recyclable length.    It didn't take all that many days to go from a jobber length drill to being recycled.


Projectnut,you have my eyes open and my ears are ready.I don't know what the difference is other than 10.00 The screw stubby are 94.00 and the jobber are 84.00 So myself I don't know the difference other than price.Machpete and Aukai give my reasons for wanting them. I do like the ideal guys of just buying the tap sizes but I may do that as a bonus purchase when money permits.So far the small projects that I been doing I can see the need for good drill bits,so wanting to get it right this time.Thanks guys for the guidance,with all the good ideals and comments I see that we all take drill bit purchase serious.No more hardware store drill bits for me----Kroll


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## ub27Rocks (Dec 27, 2019)

machPete99 said:


> If you are drilling deep holes in the lathe, starting with a stubby makes in more likely to stay concenteric as it is stiffer and is less likely to walk off path.


A 135 degree tip with four facet grind will do that for you as well. Won't even need a centre drill.


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## ddickey (Dec 27, 2019)

The stiffness is the benefit. I have both lengths but use the stubby's 70% of the time.


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## ThinWoodsman (Dec 27, 2019)

projectnut said:


> OK, what is it specifically that you need "screw machine" or "stubby" drills for?



"need" is perhaps overstating the case. Stub drills flex less than jobber length because the shaft is longer than the flutes (usually 2-3x longer). This is very helpful at the sub-1/4" diameters. They are also useful for drilling steel with a hand-drill, which is something one doesn't do very often but when the occasion comes up it's gotta be done.

It might also be said that when you don't have the optimal drill type for a job, a stubby will get it done without breaking off or ruining the part.


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## Ken from ontario (Dec 27, 2019)

ddickey said:


> That's not screw machine length but yeah they look good.


The ones I linked are mechanic's length which have shorter flute length and shorter overall length than a standard jobber bit.


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## ddickey (Dec 27, 2019)

So in-between screw machine and jobber?
That might be an option to consider.


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