Drill Bits - Which do you recommend?

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi all

I saw on another web site that someone recommended Dormer drill bits
and also Sandvik Speed Bits (Auger).

What would you recommend?

Thanks for your input.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Alf]

Well now, as Dormer are part of the Sandvik group, that's probably pretty consistant advice as far as manufacturer goes. Not sure what exactly you want to know, Neil. What name to go for? Or what type of bit? :?

Easily confused, Alf

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Alf

Sorry for not making myself clear.

I want a decent set of drill bits and I was looking for some recommendations as to which name to go for and, now you mention it, which bits would you buy.

There, that's opened it up nicely.

Thanks
Neil

 

[Alf]

Sorry, Neil, still no cigar. What kind of drill bits? :lol: (Take pity - don't make me list all the options... :shock: )

Cheers, Alf

 

[Noel]

Yes Neil, WHAT ARE YOU ON ABOUT?
Seriously, for lip and spur Brimarc (and others) are stocking a German range which I believe are rather good and have had some jolly good reviews (trying to sound English here)...
Their name escapes me but a quick gleek on their site should dig them up.
For jobber bits Dormer are good along with many others (my only criteria when buying is that the bits are of European (Germany usually) origin.
Spade bits - Sandvik (now marketed under the Bahco brand) are good along with most European manufactured stuff.

Rgds

Noel

 

[Alf]

Seriously, for lip and spur Brimarc (and others) are stocking a German range which I believe are rather good and have had some jolly good reviews (trying to sound English here)...

Vould dat be zeese vuns? No 0.5 increments I see. Shame. I got this set a while ago now, and I can't think what I did before I had the half sizes. S'good set IMO.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Noel]

Thanks for the heads up, Alf. To be honest the Ax set does look better value. I'll get a set in my next order.

RGds

Noel

 

[cambournepete]

Does the coating on these really make any difference?

I've seen them on (dare I admit this?) QVC, warbling on about how this very thin coating makes the drill bits run that much cooler, but I can't see how...

Anyone got any direct experience using coated drill bits ?

 

[Chris Knight]

As with just about everything else these days, most of our drill bits are probably churned out amidst the padi fields of China under an ever present pall of the darkest grey as some of the lowest paid workers in the world turn the treadmills that power the high tech used CNC machinery that Taiwan sold them when it upgraded its last lot.

At least , I think it is something like that! How else can you sell a full set of 21 lip and spur bits in fractional mm sizes for £12? That is what I paid for my last lot of no-name drill bits that were rather better than a much higher priced set that I sent back to Axminster because they were nbg.

Don't get me wrong, I rate APT and judging by the amount I have spent there over the years you could say I was one of their best customers but the set of drill bits they sent me had swarf in the flutes, were undersized and had some missing bits and two(s) of others. Less than impressed, I got my money back and spent much less (the £12) at a Kempton Park woodworking show, where I picked up my current set.

I think the bottom line is that you can be lucky or unlucky but unless you buy absolutely top-of-the-line, made in Germany by Mercedes-like companies stuff, you cannot guarantee the outcome.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Alf

Sorry, Neil, still no cigar. What kind of drill bits? :lol: (Take pity - don't make me list all the options... :shock: )

I'm obviously having a bad day. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I have very few drill bits, of any sort, and I was looking for the following: -

ALL types - Manufacturer
Lip and Spur - Der Finest (purchased at Ally Pally)
Spade Bits - Sandvik
Jobber - Dormer
Auger - Sandvik

Any recommendations in terms of useful sizes would be appreciated.

Many thanks to everyone.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Alf]

CP, I'm not sure the coating makes a blind bit of difference, to be honest. It's the half sizes that I like. What I'm going to do when I need a replacement for one though, I don't know. Buy another set I s'pose. :?

Chris, Tsk, shame on Axminster. To be fair though, I've had zero complaint with this set (lucky maybe? That'll be a first...). I agree with your bottom line, it does seem to all be a bit hiss and mit for anything bar the fanciest bits.

Neil, now we're cooking with gas. :lol: No good asking me about makes, I'm strictly a no-name drill bit buyer. I reckon new, sharp ones beats "better quality", blunt bits, but that's a personal choice. Anyway, FWIW:
Lip 'n' spur set as mentioned, 3-13mm
Jobber bits - metric in 0.5 increments from Screwfix (better than you might think) 1mm - 13mm. I also buy sets of 10 from Screwfix for the smaller sizes like 1-3mm as they tend to break well before they go blunt, and particular sizes for tapping of course.
- imperial in 64ths IIRC from somewhere or other from 1/64th - 1/2" I think. I only got 'em to fit a drill bit stand I got for about 10p. The bit set to fit then cost me nearer 30 quid .
Augers - whatever I've picked up that fits the brace. :wink:

If that helps I'll be mightily surprised. :lol:

Cheers, Alf

P.S. No forstners?

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Alf

Thanks for all of your help.

No forstners?

Yes, I just knew that I'd miss something.

I looked on the ATPC site and saw the Clico Forstner prices and then moved on quickly to the Axminster set.

What about this set? http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=FB3SET7

Thanks
Neil

 

[Midnight]

Alf....Neil...
if you're interested.. I've found the best supplier of properly sized metric tapping drills (set to suit M2-M5) to be Farnell...
Bits are double ground to enable them to withstand the rigours of drilling stainless steel for ages without needing resharpening. Shank size is a lot shorter than traditional jobber drills, but they're tough lil pippers...

 

[Noel]

Alf said "now we're cooking with gas". I assume you mean "now we're sucking diesel" ?

Rgds

A colloquial Noel

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Noel

...which I believe are rather good and have had some jolly good reviews (trying to sound English here)...

Why???? :shock:

Cheers
Welsh Neil

 

[Alf]

Neil, Looks pretty much like the ones I have; I have the 15 piece imperial. The intention was to see which sizes I used most and replace them with better quality ones as and when. Haven't needed to bother yet, which is nice.

Mike, Good tip, ta muchly.

Noel, Huh? :?

Cheers, Alf

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Neil, Looks pretty much like the ones I have; I have the 15 piece imperial. The intention was to see which sizes I used most and replace them with better quality ones as and when.

Thanks Alf, much appreciated. I've placed my order.

Hi Noel. The Der Finest set are excellent. I'm very impressed with them.

Hi Mike. Thanks for the Parnell tip, are they available on the net?

Thanks all,
Neil