Gerald Posted January 17, 2019 Report Posted January 17, 2019 I have been buying HF drill bits (general purpose) and lately even when sharpened in Drill Doctor are not that great. What is a good brand set to buy that will do wood and metal? Do not do a lot of metal but do not want to change bits in the middle of one hole. Quote
Gene Howe Posted January 17, 2019 Report Posted January 17, 2019 My metal drilling set is the 29 piece Dewalt cobalt set. Stock #DD4069. They're ok for wood but, no brad points. Quote
lew Posted January 17, 2019 Report Posted January 17, 2019 I have an old Craftsman HSS set (#1-#60). They work for me. I don't think the set is available any more (at least from Sears) Quote
Grandpadave52 Posted January 17, 2019 Report Posted January 17, 2019 I have a couple of older sets of the H-F which were pretty decent. Most of my sets are made-up from orphans purchased at close-outs, flea markets and yard sales. The remainder were purchased one-offs to replace a broken or burnt bit. Not sure of the quality anymore, but I've had good luck with Vermont American. If you can find a Century dealer, they make really good bits. Many of my one-offs are Century. Quote
Gunny Posted January 18, 2019 Report Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) Don't threaten to put me on a cross but I got some Ironton bits from Northern that to my surprise have done rather well. The kit even had extras of common sizes. Got them on sale for $10 last summer, bought 5 sets. Used at work and have yet to break one, or have to sharpen them. Edited January 18, 2019 by Woodbutcherbynight Grandpadave52, Cal and HARO50 2 1 Quote
Stick486 Posted January 18, 2019 Report Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, Gerald said: What is a good brand set to buy that will do wood and metal? if you want to move to the head of the class for USA made - Fuller Tools, Norseman, and Montana,.... Good places to shop for more USA made - Alfa Tools, and Travers .... HF is not your friend here... did I mention I had a lot of VOE w/ these companies... Edited January 18, 2019 by Stick486 HARO50, p_toad, Cal and 1 other 3 1 Quote
Popular Post Gunny Posted January 18, 2019 Popular Post Report Posted January 18, 2019 6 minutes ago, Stick486 said: HF is not your friend here... They send me coupons, and give me free stuff. Pretty good friend to me. Beats family, you get what a tie or some cologne?. Dadio, Cal, HARO50 and 2 others 1 4 Quote
Stick486 Posted January 18, 2019 Report Posted January 18, 2019 Just now, Woodbutcherbynight said: you get what a tie or some cologne?. I get ignored... HARO50, p_toad and Cal 3 Quote
Gunny Posted January 18, 2019 Report Posted January 18, 2019 10 minutes ago, Stick486 said: I get ignored... I'm with ya on that Stick. p_toad and HARO50 2 Quote
Gerald Posted January 18, 2019 Author Report Posted January 18, 2019 Thanks for the ideas .Have to look harder at the ones Stick suggested Cal and p_toad 2 Quote
Dadio Posted January 18, 2019 Report Posted January 18, 2019 Go Harbor Freight !!!! p_toad, Grandpadave52, HARO50 and 1 other 2 2 Quote
Stick486 Posted January 18, 2019 Report Posted January 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Dadio said: Go Harbor Freight !!!! you know there is a very short list as to where they can go... p_toad, HARO50 and Cal 3 Quote
Dadio Posted January 20, 2019 Report Posted January 20, 2019 On 1/17/2019 at 11:04 PM, Stick486 said: you know there is a very short list as to where they can go... By the recent map looks lkike they have gone everywhere, even to the moon. Herb Grandpadave52, Stick486, Cal and 1 other 1 3 Quote
Popular Post Gerald Posted January 29, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Posted January 29, 2019 @Stick486 I got a set of 21 bits in the Alfa brand and if they are as good as they look will be great. DuckSoup, Stick486, Grandpadave52 and 2 others 5 Quote
Popular Post Dadio Posted January 29, 2019 Popular Post Report Posted January 29, 2019 I have thousands of drill bits. For years I would go to Boeing Surplus,(not there anymore), and buy them for $.50/ lbs. They had these huge steel tubs on the floor crammed full of misc. drill bits. I would take my drill gauges down, fraction,#, and letter, and sit and pick and measure drill bits then take them up and they would weigh them. If I wanted special sizes they had a tool room in the back you could get them ,the prices were very low. These are the best bits money can buy and they were all sharp. Many had a #40 pilot built right into the end of the bit. That was more or less standard for them. I also have a few indexed sets I squired over the years. Herb HARO50, Grandpadave52, DuckSoup and 3 others 6 Quote
Stick486 Posted January 29, 2019 Report Posted January 29, 2019 2 hours ago, Gerald said: @Stick486 I got a set of 21 bits in the Alfa brand and if they are as good as they look will be great. US or import??? Cal 1 Quote
kmealy Posted January 30, 2019 Report Posted January 30, 2019 I heard once that some drill bit mfr only hardened a couple of sizes of bits and let the rest go. "Most people only use the 1/8, 1/4, and 7/16 so that's all we harden." Cal 1 Quote
Gerald Posted January 30, 2019 Author Report Posted January 30, 2019 20 hours ago, Stick486 said: US or import??? USA Blitz Quote
Stick486 Posted January 30, 2019 Report Posted January 30, 2019 20 minutes ago, Gerald said: USA Blitz I've used them... pretty decent blades... Quote
Kevin Beitz Posted March 5, 2020 Report Posted March 5, 2020 I specialize in junkyard bits... I'll never need to buy a bit... Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.