woodworking all your life, how many times have you needed a longer drill bit...Not many huh.

  Me too but when I use to have a woodworking repair shop those long drill bits came in handy for making repairs stronger with long wood dowels... 

  
There use to be an army surplus store where I would buy the long drill bits. At this place they were also resharpened for a plus there tooooo. Well when we kinda retired we moved and had to find a new place to buy long drill bits... Always on my garage sale list.  

 Now we go to a first Monday about 175 miles away and wau- la they have a guy every time we go that has army surplus things... and lots of resharpened drill bits....

   But still yet I only buy one at a time and not every time we go to first Monday.

This is my stash of longies which go back to 1955. Oh yes they did sell drill bits way back then. I think they were invented the year before that ??

 

I think these were all bought right after I needed a certain size and did not have it so it went on my list of things wanted for the next time being at a place with long drill bits...Last time I used some was when I built those fancy quilt racks being a few years ago until yesterday....

  I guess I envy you guys that when you go to the grocery store with wife and remember you need one socket or one drill bit and you go and buy sets of things, just because you can. Thats great for the economy, so just keep doing it that way for I have to do things one little item at a time...

 

Edited June 17, 20188 yr by Smallpatch

I rarely need one and do as you do.  I also bought a set at Harbor freight that has gotten me out of a jam from time to time. 

 

 

We used to have a Boeing Surplus store near me and they had steel bins full of all sizes of resharpened drill bits of all lengths. 50cents /lbs. I stocked up on those in all the different sizes, and will last me a life time. When I was working occasionally I needed the reeeeeally Long bits, I would go to the Electrical supply hopuse and buy Bell Hangers bits that were up to 4' long. Also had some 3' and 4' long bits for drilling snaptie holes thru concrete forms, some times they were bits welded onto drill rod for the larger bits.

 

Herb

Quality long drill bit sets are expensive, I am like you Jess, my collection happened one at a time, as I needed them.

On 6/17/2018 at 1:38 PM, Smallpatch said:

I guess I envy you guys that when you go to the grocery store with wife and remember you need one socket or one drill bit and you go and buy sets of things

I honesty can't recall the time I went to a grocery store and bought sockets or drills,  It'd be nice if they'd start inventorying them though.

 

I use extra length drills with annoying frequency.

been collecting 'em all my adult life.

I guess you don't go to Walmart. To bad for they have lots of bargains.

35 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

I guess you don't go to Walmart.

I don't either too many bare foot people in sandals with stinky feet.

Herb

17 hours ago, Dadio said:

I don't either too many bare foot people in sandals with stinky feet.

Herb

...and still in their pajamas 

On 6/17/2018 at 2:33 PM, HandyDan said:

I also bought a set at Harbor freight

Guess I need to look closer next time...did you get the free flashlight, 25' tape or multi-meter?

Like most of you all, I have a hodge podge "set." I've picked most of mine at yard sales or flea markets and a few at the local Habitat Restore...About 1/2 were/are new in original packages; the other half  needed some TLC...seldom used, but got 'em just in case; of course when that happens I won't have the right size so...

Just checked my supply. I own two. Shorter holes are my forte.

10 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

Just checked my supply. I own two. Shorter holes are my forte.

Hmmmm.  I always took you as "deep", man.

Edited June 19, 20188 yr by HandyDan

26 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

Hmmmm.  I always took you as "deep", man.

Lets see...deep thinker...nope, deep pockets...definitely not, Deepends...not yet.

On ‎6‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 9:25 AM, Gene Howe said:

Deepends...not yet.

Would that qualify as a "brief" answer?

Do I have drill bits.... My longest one is twenty feet long...