For 18 to 11 ga. metal you just can't beat a a good step drill. These, like most bits, come in different grades and about the best I have used is the Irwin Cobalt but there are some cheaper ones out there.
I use lifetime gaurentee vermont american's... but then, I'm not a professional and if they dull. the hardware down the street honors the warranty no questions asked
I havn't bought or turned any in on warranty in an a while... regardless, as long as they maintain lifetime warranty I'll continue to use and warranty the 1's I have.
I havn't bought or turned any in on warranty in an a while... regardless, as long as they maintain lifetime warranty I'll continue to use and warranty the 1's I have.
They are decent bits I was just growling about them moving to China. I always thought they were a good bit for the price and it plainly said made in USA on the front of the package, until recently that is. Someone here pointed out they had moved manufacturing to China and I had noticed that the packaging was different, sure enough they have jumped ship and gone to China!
yea I know.. I probably won't buy any more, but as long as that warranty still stands I'll keep getting new 1's for free ... oh, and I still have a few in the package.. plainly marked Made in USA, so whenever I bought them ( could be a couple of years ) they were still US made
yea I know.. I probably won't buy any more, but as long as that warranty still stands I'll keep getting new 1's for free ... oh, and I still have a few in the package.. plainly marked Made in USA, so whenever I bought them ( could be a couple of years ) they were still US made
Maybe off the subject of drill bits but for "made in USA" time is running out for the good home-grown Vise Grips. They have moved manufacturing to China also but the USA ones are still to be found in the stores, they are going fast however! I ordered a nice set from Enco (still on sale right now with free shipping over $25 till the end of this month) and picked up a couple more at Lowes a few days ago.
I've used the snapon bits but those would dull after a couple times off drilling through a frame. I started using matco turbo bits and they work just as good as they were new after several frame jobs.
You can get cheaper bits or you can get expensive bits, but if you don't know the material(s) that you are drilling or the speeds and pressure you should be drilling at, then that $7.00 bit isn't any better than that $1.59 bit. I've stood and watched guys burn up bit after bit on a piece of stainless and I showed them how to go through it with a cheap bit. A Drill Doctor and a cheaper set of drills can last for years.
You can get cheaper bits or you can get expensive bits, but if you don't know the material(s) that you are drilling or the speeds and pressure you should be drilling at, then that $7.00 bit isn't any better than that $1.59 bit. I've stood and watched guys burn up bit after bit on a piece of stainless and I showed them how to go through it with a cheap bit. A Drill Doctor and a cheaper set of drills can last for years.
True, but you do have to admit that a HF set (buddy of mine from maintenance bought them) is absolute JUNK. His set was the "high end" from them, and honestly, you could drill a hole in your foot trying to drill a hole in a wall. We could tilt a slab in the shop to a 45 degree angle, and the bit would slide, not roll, off it. I have a few Irwin bits, a set of DeWalt, and a set of Craftsman Split Point bits. So far, so good. Except the occasional 1/8" I break.....
I have a complete set of Cleveland drills in letter, fractional and number in a nice box. Cost me $180 for the whole set back 15 years ago.
I also have numerous sets of cheap drills that get used around the house when I don't want to risk breaking my Clevland drills such as drywall and woodwork etc. I don't think I have a single drill that hasn't been resharpened a hundred times, all done on a bench grinder by hand.
Without exception the cheap drills lose their hardness the farther you grind back, the Cleveland drills are hard all the way to the hilt. There is a time and place for all these drill bits in my box but when it comes time to drill a hole within 0.001" size in a material like 416 SS or 245 tool steel I don't bother with the cheap drills.
I guess what I am trying to say is most people don't need a drill bit like the Cleveland all the time, but when it comes time to modify one for use as an "old school" reamer I wouldn't even attempt such a thing with a cheap drill. The machine shops I worked in all used Cleveland drills, some even switched over when they seen how well they hold an edge when they seen the work mine could produce all day long.
The biggest problem is most people have no clue on how to use a drill bit properly or how to resharpen them and the risk of breakage is high, not a place for a $7 drill. One thing is for sure I have never seen an off center ground drill from Cleveland, they have exceptional quality control.
I have a cheap chinese set of fractional drills that look just horrible, the flutes look almost rough cast. However they are really tough and take abuse like no other drill I have ever used and just don't break. They get used for things like maganese castings that are full of scale and sand inclusions because they are so durable. For the same job the Cleveland drill would chip and possibly break.
There is a time and place for everything, just like life.
Ha ha Vince I was going to suggest a Drill Doctor too. I did my time in the machine shop and learned to sharpen drills early on. It is nice to have a dead perfect drill when you need it however.
The Unibits work great for most butchering jobs and the "long" drills will finish off the hole in thicker metal. (correct spelling)
My son just sent me a Drill Dr and it is a great tool. This one has a diamond wheel so it will handle HS, Carbide, Cobalt and Titainium. Unfortunately, I do not have the eyes to do the job the tool is capable of, but it sure beats what I can do on a grinder. Guess I will have to invest in a lighted magnifier now.
i'm a tool &die maker by trade for the past 20 years.
i would recommend either cleveland or precision twist drills in cobalt. you'll pay more for the cobalt drills but they are far better than the regular high speed steel drills..
and a drill doctor can be your friend if you cant hand sharpen drills.
Another vote for the step drill, and also for The Drill Doctor. I don't buy drill bits any longer since I got a Drill Doctor for Christmas, unless I break one.
Vince
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