Drill bits

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Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
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I'm kinda obsessing over drill bits these days. I used to buy drill bits at harbor freight and they would do OK for awhile and then they would start walking and required you put your weight into them, then start smoking and making weird noises.

Then I recieved a set of drill bits for my birthday in June. At first I thought it was pointless to spend good money on drill bits because of my Harbor freight way of thinking.

I used these bits a lot in the last couple weeks on my valiant build.

These bits are truly for the mature machinist and craftswoman.

They are precise, cut like butter and are just amazing. The cool thing is that singles are available to replace broken bits, should it happen.

Who would have thought i was missing out on so much. Best birthday gift in years. They are made in USA.

Norseman 115pc Magnum Super Premium Drill Bit Set SP-115 (SP-115)

What do you guys use for drill bits out there??

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I'm kinda obsessing over drill bits these days. I used to buy drill bits at harbor freight and they would do OK for awhile and then they would start walking and required you put your weight into them, then start smoking and making weird noises.

Then I recieved a set of drill bits for my birthday in June. At first I thought it was pointless to spend good money on drill bits because of my Harbor freight way of thinking.

I used these bits a lot in the last couple weeks on my valiant build.

These bits are truly for the mature machinist and craftswoman.

They are precise, cut like butter and are just amazing. The cool thing is that singles are available to replace broken bits, should it happen.

Who would have thought i was missing out on so much. Best birthday gift in years. They are made in USA.

Norseman 115pc Magnum Super Premium Drill Bit Set SP-115 (SP-115)

What do you guys use for drill bits out there??

View attachment 1715575120

View attachment 1715575121

Those are some nice drill bits. That type stuff will last you a lifetime.
 
The Norseman bits look like the "cobalt" (HSCO) bits that are widely used in the aircraft industry. You can pretty much tell by the color, and the price. I guess the Norseman bits are not exactly HSCO, judging by their description, but sound similar.
By the way, so-called "titanium" bits could be made from anything. The "titanium" only refers to the (usually) yellow coating, titanum nitride (TiN) on them. This really just helps with reducing wear, and adding some lubricity. They don't necessarily stay sharp longer, or are any tougher.
 
I like using DeWalt bits and use this to sharpen them.
Drill Doctor 750X drill bit sharpener.

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That's a nice looking complete drill bit set. I like that individual bits can be purchased for replacement.
 
I have never met a cheap drill bit i liked.
I think my parts guy has the norseman and morse bits.
Learning to sharpen bits is challenging. Especially the small ones.

bought 5 left hand drill bits,and 5 easy-outs in a kit. $100. Snap -On can be expensive but they have good drill bits.
 
One usually gets what you pay for.

Buy low cost tools (drill bits, ratchets, sockets, whatever) and they won’t last as long as the good quality stuff.

A super easy way to swear a lot, get frustrated and increase the chances of injuring yourself is to buy low cost (and therefore low quality) tools.
 
Also for cobalt bits, invest in a small bottle of Boelube. Developed by Boeing aircraft to keep cobalt bits sharp when drilling through titanium. Its like a white wax type substance. You start drilling just enough to warm the bit, then dip it in the Boelube, and keep drilling. It helps keep cobalt bits sharper longer. You can buy Boelube and clecos and all kinds of metal working tools from aircraft sheetmetal tool supply places like www.browntool.com or www.yardstore.com or www.aircraftspruceandspecialty.com a 1.6 oz push tube of boelube is about $5.00
 
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The harbor freight titanium bits used to be really good. The last ones I bought were total crap.
 
Cobalt and a drill doctor. I keep all my drill bits Sharp. It's really hard to drill metal with a dull drill bit no matter what kind of material it is made of.
 
I skipped lunch that day and bought a 19 pc at HF for $10, lunch money, .50 a bit.....I guess well see, but I really just wanted a few of the smaller sizes. If the bit smokes, its telling you something. Most 2 pulley drill presses cant get slow enough for even the 1/2 bit, let alone the larger reduced shank 9/16 or my largest 5/8. Your chips should tell you if your feed is wrong, and any bit can smoke if its too fast or feed is too slow. A good punch is worth its weight on the bench for sure. I like the split point bits
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HF has stepped up recently, I remember the worst carbon tap and die kit I ever bought was a HF circa 1993. 'Made' in India, just atrocious! The smaller taps didnt even have uniform threads, everything tapped was loose as a goose, right on up to 3/8NC.

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There is never ANY reason to use Harbor Freight anything.
 
Lubrication is the key to easier drilling and bit life; nobody told me that as a youngster.

That, and if you don't know the chuck speed, slow it down, don't speed it up.

I'm a firm believer in getting their free flashlights.

What you do with your wang is...oh, what, wait.
Sorry, Biden moment.

I don't even trust their free flashlights when it is replacing flashlights that my American brothers, sisters, and non-binary's build. That kills their jobs from the bauxite miner to the retailer, all the way up.

Besides, knowing the Chicoms these days, that free flashlight is probably scanning your emails, watching your daughter undress, and giving you cancer.
 
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