Let's talk Drill Bits
 

I've been working on a deck project for my son this past week and have come to the realization that I need some new drill bits and a good sturdy case to put them in. My old bits are an odd collection of dull and broken bit "fragments" loose in a busted plastic case.

I've looked around on the web and these seem to be good general purpose drill bits that will work on wood, aluminum and non-hardened steel:
Milwaukee Thunderbolt Drill Bit set 29 piece 1/16 - 1/2 w/ reduced shank in metal case.

Amazon has these for $87.78.

My Makita cordless has a 3/8" chuck so I need the reduced shank to handle bit sizes larger than 3/8.

I don't have to have the "best money can buy" but my experience with tools is that it's always a mistake to go cheap.
Any thoughts or suggestions?

Bill, buy a good quality set - for the material you are drilling, and I usually recommend that you buy doubles of all sizes below 1/4" in your set since they are the first to break.

:) Pete

Unless I am working with metal or plastic I have always preferred middle of the road for drill bits, there is nothing worse than banging a pristine drill bit on a nail or breaking one when working at odd angles.

I prefer the Milwaukee brand btw, but like the Dewalt case.

Which DeWalt case?

He's probably talking about the yellowjacket case that covers up the cheap black & decker innerds of the power tools he buys.




Sounds like a query for the grandmaster of grammar(;)), cmac. A few years ago when I was doing some heavy remodelling, I bought a lot of stuff from an old hardware store that was going out of business. I got about 50+- drill bits that were the best I have ever had--they were in individual packages but I think the brand was Blue Molly. I will do a search.

The big plastic one that refuses to open or spill my drill bits into my tool bag.

My previous set of drill bits recently grew legs and disappeared, so I went to Sears and bought a set of Craftsman bits. They seem nice enough. I chose them because (a) it was Sunday and I needed the bits that day and (b) they have a standard profile at the point so I can sharpen them in my Drill Doctor.

I have one of these: http://www.tylertool.com/drilldoctor8.html
And it has kept me from pitching countless masonry bits as scrap steel.
The smaller masonry bits only seem to last a few holes.
There is nothing as nice as a sharp new factory bit for any job though.

I have had a set of reduced shank bits for a long time and I don't really care for them. For one thing, at 1/2" on wood you are probably better off with a paddle bit. Also the reduced shank ones are usually too short. As far as the general question, as was said, the smaller ones will get broken/damaged, so, like fertilizer, get what's "on sale". If you really want to "step up" you might look into some brad point bits that are real nice in wood. And get a nice countersinker if you are driving any screws. I like the one Norm has where he pulls off the drill bit and the driver is underneath. I never saw one in a store so I got a similar thing from Makita that has the drill on one side and the philips bit on the other. It just depends what all you are doing. Get a spring-loaded center punch for metal and get one of those deburring tools with the little pivoting bit (made in Isreal).

Mike

Hammer drill is the only way to go in concrete! I don't have one so I sharpen like you and get by.

Mike

Bill - my experience in renovations and construction has been that I only buy expensive bits for special projects. I bought a Ryobi case from Home Depot that was on sale for $40 or so. It is a nice folding case and contains a generic assortment of every drill bit imaginable. Wood bits, steel, masonry and hole saw bits.

For wood and general construction, these bits are fine. They're cheap and there are multiple copies of each for when they will break, which always happens, even with expensive bits. Sometimes with expensive bits, they last longer so you get used to them. And then they break when you don't have a replacement handy. :rolleyes: :D Unless you are doing fine cabinetry or finishing work, the more premium bits aren't worth it, IMO.

If you are drilling something special, like a piece of steel or doing some masonry drilling for something like tapcons - that is where I will spend the extra money. Same with hole saws. If you have a lot of doors to work on, or holes to make in decking, I'd buy a good name brand bit, Milwaukee, Dewalt, etc. are all decent.

Only Milwaukee here bro or Panasonic.

I also like the DeWalt case. I bought it full of bits for something like $60. Also 1/16 to 1/2.

Are you the weekend tinkerer, or the fabled "Tim the Tool Man?"

I wouldn't go expensive unless I'm going to be doing a pretty massive project, or doing it for a living.

I have a couple of small cheap kits (the ones you see on the hardware store bargain table). I have yet to destroy the bigger bits, but as someone posted earlier, you snap the smaller bits quite easily...and as often as that happens, I buy a lot of cheap small-diameter bits whenever I see them.

I do have a few "specialty" bits for masonry-type jobs. Unfortunately, used them for one-time jobs, and I probably will never use them again. Oh well, someone will eventually want to borrow them...

I'm not Tim the Tool Man :D
Mostly decks, fences, mail boxes and odd jobs around my house or relative's houses.

I'd rather spend a little more to get quality when it comes to tools but, I don't need to drill into hardened tool steel either.