John Hall
Established Member
Bosch Hex9 are quite good and have hex shanks as you say…for what purpose do you particularly want hex shafts?…
Drill bits
- Thread starter Chris Needham
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Doug71
Established Member
@baldkev I have a set of these which are okay, also have the same set in brad point which are equally okay (I don't get that excited about drill bits).
https://www.axminstertools.com/bosch-5-piece-hss-g-drill-bit-set-hex-shank-610792
My most used drill is one of these which takes the hex ends directly, can't be wasting time using a standard chuck. With a 2ah battery it's dinky but still part of the Makita 18v system.
https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/ma...3KZ-XKC34pi1WC1VipEUV5nBwBW0HNEhoCGToQAvD_BwE
https://www.axminstertools.com/bosch-5-piece-hss-g-drill-bit-set-hex-shank-610792
My most used drill is one of these which takes the hex ends directly, can't be wasting time using a standard chuck. With a 2ah battery it's dinky but still part of the Makita 18v system.
https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/ma...3KZ-XKC34pi1WC1VipEUV5nBwBW0HNEhoCGToQAvD_BwE
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
Or get yourself a Milwaukee Fuel impact driver - there is a non impact setting on them. 
Chris Needham
Established Member
And what bits would be recommended for this driver please? Milwaukee‘s own shockwave series perhaps? Or are there any generic makes that can be recommended?Or get yourself a Milwaukee Fuel impact driver - there is a non impact setting on them.
Can hex shank bits be used in a standard drill?
John Hall
Established Member
Hex shank bits are fine in a standard chuck drill…
clogs
just can't decide
I find the hex mounted drills a bit wobbly when used in an impact driver.....
but sometimes who cares.....
but sometimes who cares.....
Chris Needham
Established Member
Thought hex shanks were designed for impact drivers?
except for hand brace, traditional, they are quick and do a great job in furniture making. I still use mine a fair bit, much quicker for a few one off holes. BUT agree for power tools or the drill press best to use brad point, especially if churning out dozens of holes
brad point come into their own as the size goes up or if need to preserve the surface, dowling etc. For small screws HSS is fine.
Yes the old handbrace with those square shanked bits, makes me value cordless drills a lot more because prior to them using one of those brace & bits to cut holes through joist for cable runs was hard work, half a turn and back on the rachet but there was nothing to go wrong or battery to go flat. Joist in those days were more substantial and could be drilled unlike the matchsticks used now.
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
In 1989 (I remember because we'd been to see Floyd in Wembley) I bought in a small hardware shop a set of three short Marples augers with a T handle. The little pouch was about 5" long and fitted in a pocket. Something like 10mm, 16mm and 25mm - obviously designed for pipework. You wouldn't have wanted to use them for dozens of holes but they were brilliant to have your pocket for the odd hole when in a roof. They are the only set like it I've ever seen.
Yep
I'm a carpenter and sometimes i have to do the odd little quick job where i might only need to drill a few holes and pop a few screws in, but you still end up dragging lots of bits if kit in
I could of course not take the impact and just take a bit holder for the combi, but i do love my impact driver
After all these years, i still havent got the perfect storage/ tool system. Currently i have a load of dewalt stacking boxes, organised into groups of tools, and if doing a small job like that i tend to take a tape, square, relevant sized level, drill/ impact, screwbox, glue if required etc..... luckily not many of my customers live in too awkward places ( with bad parking and up 120 steps )
In the bottom of the pik you can see a bright green impact, its a sub compact japanese makita ( they release new models over there first and even after import tax etc, its cheaper than uk kit. )
Its about 3 years old now. Its got settings for 3 speeds and a setting for putting in the tek screws
Its about 3 years old now. Its got settings for 3 speeds and a setting for putting in the tek screws
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Phil Pascoe
Established Member
N.Z. used to brilliant for Japanese made kit - it's the nearest "Western" market to Japan and gets the new stuff.
JobandKnock
Amateur curmudgeon
Sounds like a DTD170 - I got the next one after that, the DTD171 with more speeds and more bells and whistles about 2-1/2 years back (in boring old teal) which Makita replaced with the DTD172 last year in Japan. I was working with a guy who got one of those in metallic copper. Blingy! How do you find it getting on with the Japanese hyroglyphs on the control panels?
i leave it on button 3, 1 down from top whack. On occasion I'll put it down to 1 if i need to be careful, but often I'll use the combi in those situations because you dont need impact. The fastest setting can be a bit harsh on the bits, they last a lit longer on setting
I havent seen copper, just off to google it
I really like hex shaft drill bits .... provided they're a single piece of metal. That means avoid Trend Snappy (although they should be commended on the accuracy of their branding: Trend Snappy bits are two pieces of metal, a hex outer and a round inner, connected by a pin; and those pins are indeed pretty ... well snappy). In the hex shaft format have Bosch Pro regular HSS bits, Bosch Pro brad and spur bits, and the amazing versatile Bosch blue stripe general purpose bits which will do anything (even ceramic, although the bit will be knackered afterwards). I agree with the problem about over-aggressive screw thread in augers, but if you use the Irwin Blue stubby augers (also hex shaft) then using them in an impact driver rather than a drill works a treat. For super quality holes with a clean round cut entry hole the best are the Japanese Star-M bamboo bits: fantastic not just for bamboo but for softwood and soft hardwood as well; but the bits are expensive and fragile; don't drop them, and don't force them in, let them cut at their own pace. THey're hex shaft too, but the fatter ones are bigger than the standard 6.35mm.
My drill is the 12v Bosch with interchangeable heads, so I have the option of hex or regular chuck (also offset and right-angled); with the hex chuck in place and a good variety of hex bits you have the advantage not just of rapid bit changing but also better grip between chuck and bit; a much more compact drill+bit combo; and the option of using hex bit extenders (stacked up if you like) for an extra long bit (in my experience the extra-long option is actually more useful then the offset or right-angled bit options); magnetic hex bit extenders seem to be about 10mm diameter, so if using a 10mm+ bit the extender actually gives you an extra long bit .... but be careful not leave the actual cutting bit in the hole!
My drill is the 12v Bosch with interchangeable heads, so I have the option of hex or regular chuck (also offset and right-angled); with the hex chuck in place and a good variety of hex bits you have the advantage not just of rapid bit changing but also better grip between chuck and bit; a much more compact drill+bit combo; and the option of using hex bit extenders (stacked up if you like) for an extra long bit (in my experience the extra-long option is actually more useful then the offset or right-angled bit options); magnetic hex bit extenders seem to be about 10mm diameter, so if using a 10mm+ bit the extender actually gives you an extra long bit .... but be careful not leave the actual cutting bit in the hole!
Johnwa
Established Member
I saw some on Amazon.jp while checking out Star M self centering drills. They were brad point bits though not twist drills. Think they were a bit dear lol
The only type i have are the quality ones i use on my bikes, i would use the free stuff, it usually goes straight in the bin.
The problem isnt the key, its the grub screw. Thats what rounds.
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