Drill bit sets, what type?

[Razzle]

I have always bought small drill bit sets from the big box stores as I only needed general purpose. Now that I am starting to get going with machining, those bit sets aren't 'cutting' it. (Pun intended).
Now that I am looking at larger sets for dedicated machine work the choices are daunting, and the price range is huge. I want quality, but I also don't want to mortgage my house to get a full set. So I am soliciting the cumulative opinions here since you have More experience with the options and their pros and cons.
So here is what I see as the mix of choices:
Foreign vs domestic, with usa made costing more.
HSS, Cobalt, or Carbide with the price increasing as you go up.
Uncoated, Black oxide, or Tin coated.

I will be working in alloy steels (1018, 4140, 12L14, etc.) and aluminum.

I can find full fractional, number, letter sets in Tin coated HSS for under $100 on ebay. But are those junk or decent?

Would it be better to buy in smaller sets as I go? Fractional 64ths, the Letter set, then number?

I don't get much time in the shop, so it is really frustrating to begin working on a project and having to stop because I don't have the right size bit, or even anything close. So I would like some guidance on the options from people who have more experience with the various choices.

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[Nogoingback]

Drill bits are a pretty basic set of tools and most people use them all the time, so it doesn't
make sense to buy a cheap set. Start with a 29 pc. set of HSS bits in jobber length.
I like the American made "Nitro" drills from Drillco.

http://www.drillco-inc.com/literature/2019DrillcoCatalog.pdf

A set of number drills could come next: they're useful for drilling holes for taps up to
1/4 inch. I also have a set of screw machine drills which I use on the lathe for their
greater stiffness, but that isn't something you have to buy right away.

 

[markba633csi]

A good start is to get the full HSS set with fractional, number and letter. That will serve for better than 90% of the jobs. Buy once cry once.
You'll probably use the letter drills the least but they are important to have when you do need them.
I do a lot of small parts so the number set was a must for me
-Mark

 

[Razzle]

So you both think HSS is good enough. Is the Tin coating worth it?

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[aliva]

So you both think HSS is good enough. Is the Tin coating worth it?

HSS will do in most cases. They are inexpensive, and easy to sharpen Tin coating is gone the first time you sharpen. The only part I've seen coated is the body which doesn't do much. The lands leading edge is not normally coated. I think the whole Tin coating is a gimmick.
I'm sure others may take exception to my opinion.

 

[Aukai]

I find the screw length stubby sets to be what I like the best. I have drill hog for the hand drill, CL, and Norseman for the mill, numbers letters, and fractional, especially for tapping, and reaming sizes. I am not a professional on drills, but I go to cobalt instead of coatings. The gurus may have better information.

 

[jbobb1]

I can't remember who posted these, but they seem to be good quality

115pc Drill Set - Jobber - Black Oxide

Part #95090861 - 135° Split Point Industrial-grade NAS High Speed Steel (HSS) Excellent general use drill bit Precision CNC machined for faster, more efficient chip removal Split point tip penetrates surface on contact and prevents drill bit "walking" (3/32" to 1/2"; #1 to #52) Black oxide...

rocky-mountain-twist.myshopify.com

 

[BGHansen]

Lots of guys here have the cobalt 115 pc. sets from Harbor Freight that go for around $100. Look for a 20% or 25% discount.

I use stubby drills almost exclusively at my mills. I have a $45 set of import HSS fractionals that have worked pretty well. Also have a set of numbered and fractional stubbies at my Tormach from Norseman. They're pricey, but buy once, cry once.

Bruce

 

[Ken226]

Lots of guys here have the cobalt 115 pc. sets from Harbor Freight that go for around $100. Look for a 20% or 25% discount.

I use stubby drills almost exclusively at my mills. I have a $45 set of import HSS fractionals that have worked pretty well. Also have a set of numbered and fractional stubbies at my Tormach from Norseman. They're pricey, but buy once, cry once.

Bruce

I have 2 of those HF cobalt sets. They're surprisingly good. Very strait and have lasted over 5 years so far.

I occasionally destroy or break one, and have been replacing the damaged ones with new cobalt drills, individually from eBay.

Since I bought a drill doctor 750, I haven't had to replace anymore. I just sharpen them like pencils, till down to a stub. My 1/2" and 3/8" drills are down to about 3" long. Ive use them most, several times a week for at least 5 years.


To the OP:

Skip the 115 pc HF HSS titanium nitride sets. The gold colored set is ok, at best. The rainbow colored set is crap. About 1/4 of the drills are crooked, and they wear out quick. One drill was so crooked it was unuseable. Like a bullwhip hung-up in a weed-whacker. Completete junk.

 

[markba633csi]

I think the coating helps for taps, but for drills not so much
-Mark