HSS Bits

[Rhyolith]

I have learned the difference good drill bits make, particularly with metal when I used my only festool branded 4mm drill bit on a RSJ in place of my usual Axminster HSS bit set.

I am heading towards to point of getting a new set of HSS bits for general purpose drilling and want some decent ones, particularly as I have invested good hand drilling machines (Festool T18 and a load of Millers Falls Hand powered things). Festool ones are good but immensely expensive and the sets are rather small. Any recommend makes? Places to get them?

 

[Scottdimelow]

I like the heller branded ones from toolsation. Last ages if you use cutting fluid, and sharpen up well. Only about £12 for a set of 13!

The main thing to remember is to always use cutting fluid, not wd-40. Makes a huge difference to the lifespan.

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

Dormer

Also it's well worth learning to sharpen them, then they effectively last forever (unless you snap them).

 

[blackrodd]

+1 more for Dormer with of course a good cutting paste or fluid, Makes good drill bits last longer!
Rodders

 

[rafezetter]

+1 more for Dormer with of course a good cutting paste or fluid, Makes good drill bits last longer!
Rodders

when you say cuttign paste - do you mean the same as polishign compound or something else?

 

[t8hants]

+1 more for Dormer with of course a good cutting paste or fluid, Makes good drill bits last longer!
Rodders

when you say cuttign paste - do you mean the same as polishign compound or something else?

Pastes such as Trefolex (other pastes are available) can be very good indeed.
+1 for a well sharpened Dormer

 

[custard]

Any recommend makes? Places to get them?

Good decision, I wouldn't necessarily use HSS on every job but when you need a particularly clean hole then Famag make superb HSS bits. The set of five makes a good starting point and you can add the additional bits you'll need (like 2.5mm) individually.

http://www.workshopheaven.com/tools/FAM ... r-Set.html

Good luck

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

Are you planning to use them for drilling metal or wood? The ones Custard has recommended are only for wood, the ones the rest of us have recommended are primarily for metal but can drill wood. The Famag bits will be superior for drilling wood

 

[Wildman]

Dormer or Presto drills the professionals use. Coated drills are as soft as sh...... underneath. Use cutting oil or tallow, wow thats going back some years. Trefolex for taps and dies too expencive to use when drilling.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I'd agree with Paddy. There are lots of different drill types for different duties, and none of them are ideal for everything. For a few 'general purpose drills' I'd go along with the reccommendation of Dormer HSS jobber drills; I think there's a boxed set 1 to 10mm by 0.5mm available on Ebay (and probably any good tool merchant) which should cover most woodworkers' general needs.

However, I think it's worth building small sets of high quality drills for the jobs that crop up regularly. For wood, lip-and-spur drills are a much better option than jobber drills, and a set of good ones from about 2 to 6 mm will cover screw pilots and clearance holes, with a few larger as needed. Make a wooden block to store them upright (or something like) to stop the cutting edges knocking together, and they'll last for donkey's years. Then add individual sizes of specialist drills for metals, masonry, glass, bigger holes and so on as the need arises.

Did I do that when I was setting up? Of course not! Like everybody else I bought huge sets of cheap drills, most of which I've never used, and the ones I did wore out in no time. Then I bought a decent set of HSS jobber drills, of which I use about half. Finally, I invested in some decent lip-and-spur drills, which all get used, and after about a decade of (admittedly intermittent) use, haven't needed sharpening or replacing. I've learned the hard way!

PS. Just now and again, it's handy to have a tin of 'odds and ends' broken and blunt drills for when you need something to poke crud out of holes, make a marking gauge point, mark one component by putting a drill through a hole in another and giving it a tap, that sort of thing. Don't throw 'dead' drills away too freely! If you're feeling really adventurous, you could even resharpen them....

 

[Racers]

I have a set of 1-6mm in 0.1mm steps which are fantastic for getting a precise interference fit on things like marking gauge pins, they come in handy for lots of other jobs where a precise sized hole is needed.

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/Engi ... s_177.html

The 6-10mm by 0.1mm is on my wish list.

Pete

In stock on amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Engineers-Fract ... +set+1-6mm

 

[Rhyolith]

To answer the question of what I am going to use them for: I do a lot of tool restorations and green woodwork at the moment. So basically its precise small holes in metal, pilots and clearance holes in wood and Large diameter holes in green wood (augers?). I like to use hand powered drills, don't really think that changes anything though (except maybe not spade bits).

Are any of them made in Britain? I like to buy local if I can, but its usually impossible with this kind of thing.

Whats this cutting fluid people are talking about? I assume its for metal drilling? Like a coolant or some such thing.

I do sharpen bits already via use of a slow speed white stone grinder, judging the angle by eye. Is this how everything does it? I know you can get jigs, are they any good?

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

I'm pretty sure dormer are made in England, they certainly were, but so much stuff gets farmed out to the far east now I'm not sure. A quick google search suggests they're still uk made, but sometimes these things can be deceptive.
Personally I sharpen bits on a Sorby pro edge with a ceramic belt with the tool rest at 60 degrees and then do the wire edge with a diamond file. I find this much better than with a grinder which I never got good results with, I' sure others do. If the pro edge got stolen and I couldn't afford another one I would make a tool rest for the belt sander (which I hardly ever use for woodworking).
I buy cutting fluid for my metal cutting saw. I have also had paste for drilling, can;t remember the name but google will get you there pretty quick. I have had an aresol spray for drilling but generally just use WD40 although Dimmaz88 might be right that it's not as good as the proper stuff
Paddy

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I picked up something by Dormer second hand at the market on Sunday that was marked made in Sweden.

 

[marcros]

I have a set of 1-6mm in 0.1mm steps which are fantastic for getting a precise interference fit on things like marking gauge pins, they come in handy for lots of other jobs where a precise sized hole is needed.

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/Engi ... s_177.html

The 6-10mm by 0.1mm is on my wish list.

Pete

In stock on amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Engineers-Fract ... +set+1-6mm

I have the 6-10mm set from ukdrills. they often have a 10% off email- i will let you know if i get one.

It is the 1-6mm set that i will get when they are next on offer.

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

Well you certainly don't move operations to Sweden as a cost saving exercise.

 

[MCB]

I inherited (from a chum who was having to give up his workshop and move into a flat) a selection of Dormer “number drills” in assorted sizes between No. 2 and No. 67. They came to me in little cardboard tubes wrapped in rustproof paper.

Since some of the tubes were crushed or had lost their ends, I contacted Dormer and asked if they could supply replacements. The very helpful chap told me that their packaging had changed and they now supplied their drills in telescopic plastic tubes - and sent me a bag full.

I have now repackaged the lot and acquired an index (which holds one of each) and drill size gauge.

I also inherited from my late father a selection of quality British made drill bits in fractional and Letter sizes.

Cheap foreign drill bits simply don't compare for quality.

I recommend keeping drill bits in the sort of Index boxes that close rather than a drill stand where they get dusty [and probably create a H&S issue with sharp pints sticking upwards].

I sharpen drills larger than around 3/16 using a Drill Doctor. The tiny ones are so cheap it's NOT worth the effort.

MC

 

[Rhyolith]

Dormer sounds good, in Europe is still better than china

Cheap foreign drill bits simply don't compare for quality.

I cannot tell you how amazed i was using that 4mm Festool HSS bit on that RSJ... I swear magic was involved!