Best drill bits available if money were no object.

[SouthernIllinois]

Just curious as to what ya'll think are the best drill bits for auto / truck / metal work are.

I have heard a lot of good things about the Matco Hyper-Step Cobalt bits but at almost $700 for a 29 piece set they must be something special.

I do understand they are warrantied and thats worth a lot but.....

I definitely am not going to spend that much on bits as a hobbyist but I was just curious as to what ya'll thought was the best available, to the hell with the price.

 

[M635_Guy]

I'm sorry, but that's a silly amount of money for drill bits.

Project Farm did a comparo in the last year or so, and Viking and Drill Hog (which are both pretty pricey) did very well, but Bosch M42 and DeWalt cobalt did darn well too and are both under $35 (at least they were at the time...).

 

[Rc_Guy]

I have had this set for about 10 years, they have been great.

Drill bits

 

[glenng]

Norseman/Viking/Consolidated Toledo Drill <<< All same company

They also have their Vortex Point bits, which are similar to hyper-step, and they are USA made for $183 bucks

https://www.amazon.com/Norseman-22903-16-Hi-Molybdenum-29-Piece/dp/B08X95SCT7/?tag=atomicindus08-20

VORTEX–POINT™ Mechanics Length — Norseman™ Drill and Tool

VORTEX–POINT™ - Unique tip geometry reduces heat generation and increasing tool life.

www.norsemandrill.com

 

[Firebrick43]

Money no option is Mitsubishi solid carbide in a milling machine.

But I am guessing that is not actually what you want.

Are you doing mechanics work?

Machining parts?

For mechanics work I would get a chicago latrobe/cleaveland short 29 piece hss set. Most of them come in a good hout index instead of some piece of **** index. They are awesome quality drills but in mechanics work you are bound to FTU just do to the nature of the work.

If you are machining I would get the jobber length but TIN coated.

Hell you can get a whole 115 piece set of fractions, numbers, and letters of quality bits for less than that 29 piece matco set

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Money no option is Mitsubishi solid carbide in a milling machine.

But I am guessing that is not actually what you want.

Are you doing mechanics work?

Machining parts?

For mechanics work I would get a chicago latrobe/cleaveland short 29 piece hss set. Most of them come in a good hout index instead of some piece of **** index. They are awesome quality drills but in mechanics work you are bound to FTU just do to the nature of the work.

If you are machining I would get the jobber length but TIN coated.

Hell you can get a whole 115 piece set of fractions, numbers, and letters of quality bits for less than that 29 piece matco set

Was just more curious as to what options there were out there.
I was blown away when I saw the Matco set for $700.
I figured there had to be a more reasonable option.

I'm not really in the market for uber expensive bits - I am just a retired guy playing with an old car - My Milwaukee Red Helix bits are serving me well enough.

 

[Ohio Andy]

Norseman/Viking/Consolidated Toledo Drill <<< All same company

They also have their Vortex Point bits, which are similar to hyper-step, and they are USA made for $183 bucks

https://www.amazon.com/Norseman-22903-16-Hi-Molybdenum-29-Piece/dp/B08X95SCT7/?tag=atomicindus08-20

VORTEX–POINT™ Mechanics Length — Norseman™ Drill and Tool

VORTEX–POINT™ - Unique tip geometry reduces heat generation and increasing tool life.

www.norsemandrill.com

I agree with the norseman's suggestion here. I bought my set from Harry Epstein. They have a video about them

Norseman

The Harry J. Epstein Co. - USA Hand Tools - Surplus/Retail/Liquidation

www.harryepstein.com

They're made in the United States, and they do really well with all sorts of metal types. And I really appreciate tapered end, because it makes it very easy to widen an existing hole and still stay centered. I run into that problem a couple times, in this is a really nice solution to that.

I have drilled all sorts of things with my set already, highly recommended.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

The $300 (correction now over $400 in modern times) something dollar Matco ones work excellent. I’ve not had anything they couldn’t go thru. Best money I’ve spent on tools. Everyone in the shop uses them. I swear by these. I don’t see a reason for the cobalt ones. These cut thru stainless and whatever like butter. And if your dealer is good like mine he will warranty all of them not just the second two rows.

HYPER-STEP HIGH-SPEED STEEL REDUCED SHANK DRILL BIT SET, 29 PIECE DB29HSRG | Matco Tools

www.matcotools.com

 

[Firebrick43]

Was just more curious as to what options there were out there.
I was blown away when I saw the Matco set for $700.
I figured there had to be a more reasonable option.

I'm not really in the market for uber expensive bits - I am just a retired guy playing with an old car - My Milwaukee Red Helix bits are serving me well enough.

solid carbide will make you cry when you blow one up. They are not for hand drills however. But a 1/2 bit would be in the 85 dollar plus range for a jobber length drill. More depending on coatings

 

[GeoBruin]

Viking CN Cryo.

CN-TECH™ Cryogenic Nitrided Jobber Drill | America's Finest High-Speed Steel Cutting Tools™ https://share.google/SwEpEQJpcF51wgCnM

 

[glenng]

I agree with the norseman's suggestion here. I bought my set from Harry Epstein. They have a video about them

Norseman

The Harry J. Epstein Co. - USA Hand Tools - Surplus/Retail/Liquidation

www.harryepstein.com

They're made in the United States, and they do really well with all sorts of metal types. And I really appreciate tapered end, because it makes it very easy to widen an existing hole and still stay centered. I run into that problem a couple times, in this is a really nice solution to that.

I have drilled all sorts of things with my set already, highly recommended.

While not 100% confirmed, I always suspected KnKut just rebrands Viking/Norseman bits and charges a little extra. What made me notice is I have this set of Norseman 34812 hex shank drill bits, and I notice KnKut offers the same exact set. Same exact looking bits, same quick release adapter and same exact case, except it has a KnKut logo on it.

Norseman 34812:

https://www.circlecsupply.com/norseman-qr-16-mechanic-length-quick-release-16-piece-drill-bit-set.html

KnKut 16 Piece Set:

https://knkut.com/knkut-16-piece-impact-ready-drill-bit-journey-kit

Even the 12 piece hex shank sets come in the same blow-molded case

Norseman 34811:

Viking Drill and Tool by Norseman 34811 Quick-Release Set (12 Piece) - Hex Shank Drill Bits - Amazon.com

Viking Drill and Tool by Norseman 34811 Quick-Release Set (12 Piece) - Hex Shank Drill Bits - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

KnKut 12 Piece Set:

KnKut 12 Piece Hex Shank Impact Drill Bit Set

12 Piece 1/4" Hex Shank Quick Release Drill Bit Set Sizes: 1pc/ea - 1/16" - 3/32" - 1/8" - 5/32" - 3/16" - 7/32" - 1/4" - 5/16" - 3/8" - 7/16" - 1/2" Provided in a black plastic molded case with 1/4" Quick Release Adapter Included. Made In USA Gold Surface Treated for Maximum Lubricity 135°...

knkut.com

 

[Firebrick43]

While not 100% confirmed, I always suspected KnKut just rebrands Viking/Norseman bits and charges a little extra. What made me notice is I have this set of Norseman 34812 hex shank drill bits, and I notice KnKut offers the same exact set. Same exact looking bits, same quick release adapter and same exact case, except it has a KnKut logo on it.

Norseman 34812:

https://www.circlecsupply.com/norseman-qr-16-mechanic-length-quick-release-16-piece-drill-bit-set.html

KnKut 16 Piece Set:

https://knkut.com/knkut-16-piece-impact-ready-drill-bit-journey-kit

Even the 12 piece hex shank sets come in the same blow-molded case

Norseman 34811:

Viking Drill and Tool by Norseman 34811 Quick-Release Set (12 Piece) - Hex Shank Drill Bits - Amazon.com

Viking Drill and Tool by Norseman 34811 Quick-Release Set (12 Piece) - Hex Shank Drill Bits - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

KnKut 12 Piece Set:

KnKut 12 Piece Hex Shank Impact Drill Bit Set

12 Piece 1/4" Hex Shank Quick Release Drill Bit Set Sizes: 1pc/ea - 1/16" - 3/32" - 1/8" - 5/32" - 3/16" - 7/32" - 1/4" - 5/16" - 3/8" - 7/16" - 1/2" Provided in a black plastic molded case with 1/4" Quick Release Adapter Included. Made In USA Gold Surface Treated for Maximum Lubricity 135°...

knkut.com

They probably work together to fill each others product lines out.

 

[glenng]

They probably work together to fill each others product lines out.

I was thinking that too, but a lot of the KnKut product line looks like Norseman. While I haven't gone through comparing everything, the one difference I do see is KnKut has M35 Cobalt, while Norseman has M42 Cobalt bits.

How do you like Chicago-Latrobe compared to Norseman/Viking? I was looking at some metric sets and noticed Chicago-Latrobe has a 150 series black oxide metric set that I was comparing to a Viking Super Premium Magnum metric set for a similar price. Thx for any input you might have.

 

[RoninB4]

-The following is only my opinion based upon working in machine shops for decades but that doesn't mean my solutions are your solutions.

- Coated (TiN or otherwise) cutting tools (drills, end mills, etc.) are something I avoid using. I don't even like using them for stamping die perforators either. The coatings do work if they're of good quality and applied correctly but the coatings greatly interfere with the process of re-sharpening, usually trashing the grinding wheel. The cheaper coatings from China often flake/rub off, exposing the (I suspect) cheaper metal the drill itself is made from. Industrial grade coatings do work as promised in extended duty life but can play hell with further service and almost make what they're coating a disposable item. Even on form tools in a stamping die the coating will wear off and now you have a problem that even diamond paste won't entirely fix.

-For the average homeowner or garage shop I'd be inclined to shop at an industrial supply store that caters to machine shops. Big box stores either carry **** or have inflated prices. Almost all of my drill sets are black oxide Chicago-Latrobe, pretty much a standard in machine shops. I have a few sets of cobalt drills but those are for tough drilling applications. The twist drills from Guhring are really good but too expensive for average machining applications. Solid carbide should be limited strictly to milling machines IF you know what you're doing.

-My last suggestion is, regardless of budget, get a decent bench grinder and learn how to sharpen a twist drill. It's not that difficult to learn, there are also fixtures that help. Not a fan of Drill Doctors but that's JMO.

 

[seber]

TiN coated cobalt Cleveland bits will drill through anything you ever get into.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[seber]

Norseman/Viking/Consolidated Toledo Drill <<< All same company

They also have their Vortex Point bits, which are similar to hyper-step, and they are USA made for $183 bucks

https://www.amazon.com/Norseman-22903-16-Hi-Molybdenum-29-Piece/dp/B08X95SCT7/?tag=atomicindus08-20

VORTEX–POINT™ Mechanics Length — Norseman™ Drill and Tool

VORTEX–POINT™ - Unique tip geometry reduces heat generation and increasing tool life.

www.norsemandrill.com

Viking is owned by Norseman, but Toledo is a Global Test Supply brand and they sell bits made by many different companies.

 

[glenng]

Viking is owned by Norseman, but Toledo is a Global Test Supply brand and they sell bits made by many different companies.

Viking Drill is the parent company of both Norseman and Consolidated Toledo Drill (CTD).

I don't know anything about Global Test Supply being related to them.

 

[seber]

Brand Ownership and Evolution

• Consolidated-Toledo: This brand was a maker of cutting tools.
• Greenfield Industries Inc. (GFII): In 1995, Greenfield Industries acquired Cleveland Twist Drill, which likely encompassed other brands like Consolidated-Toledo as part of the acquisition.
• WALTER Surface Technologies: Today, the larger corporate entity that includes the lineage of Greenfield Industries is WALTER Surface Technologies.

 

[glenng]

Brand Ownership and Evolution

• Consolidated-Toledo: This brand was a maker of cutting tools.
• Greenfield Industries Inc. (GFII): In 1995, Greenfield Industries acquired Cleveland Twist Drill, which likely encompassed other brands like Consolidated-Toledo as part of the acquisition.
• WALTER Surface Technologies: Today, the larger corporate entity that includes the lineage of Greenfield Industries is WALTER Surface Technologies.

Check the addresses and phone numbers of Viking, Norseman and CTD. They all share the same address and phone number. Not sure when and from who Viking acquired CTD , but they are all currently the same company.

Contact Viking Drill and Tool

Contact Viking Drill and Tools are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota 55107

www.vikingdrill.com

Norseman™ Drill | America's Finest High-Speed Steel Cutting Tools™

Norseman™ Drill – Contacting corporate office manufacturing facility - Saint Paul Minnesota

www.norsemandrill.com

Contact Us | Consolidated Toledo Drill | America's Finest High Speed Steel Cutting Tools™

Consolidated Toledo Drill – contacting corporate office & manufacturing facility, St.Paul Minnesota

www.ctddrill.com

 

[IndyGarage]

I have a couple of the Norseman sets they work good for me.

As said above for home or even shop use, the nitride coating is probably unecessary.

 

[Ohio Andy]

-The following is only my opinion based upon working in machine shops for decades but that doesn't mean my solutions are your solutions.

- Coated (TiN or otherwise) cutting tools (drills, end mills, etc.) are something I avoid using. I don't even like using them for stamping die perforators either. The coatings do work if they're of good quality and applied correctly but the coatings greatly interfere with the process of re-sharpening, usually trashing the grinding wheel. The cheaper coatings from China often flake/rub off, exposing the (I suspect) cheaper metal the drill itself is made from. Industrial grade coatings do work as promised in extended duty life but can play hell with further service and almost make what they're coating a disposable item. Even on form tools in a stamping die the coating will wear off and now you have a problem that even diamond paste won't entirely fix.

-For the average homeowner or garage shop I'd be inclined to shop at an industrial supply store that caters to machine shops. Big box stores either carry **** or have inflated prices. Almost all of my drill sets are black oxide Chicago-Latrobe, pretty much a standard in machine shops. I have a few sets of cobalt drills but those are for tough drilling applications. The twist drills from Guhring are really good but too expensive for average machining applications. Solid carbide should be limited strictly to milling machines IF you know what you're doing.

-My last suggestion is, regardless of budget, get a decent bench grinder and learn how to sharpen a twist drill. It's not that difficult to learn, there are also fixtures that help. Not a fan of Drill Doctors but that's JMO.

I will add that although I really like my tapered Norseman, I am not sure they can be sharpened with that taper. I also have a non tapered set I bought to drill metal. When I am settling wood I use my high speed steel sets unless I am wedding a hole, then I use the tapered Norseman.

 

[Wamsutta]

Consolidated-Toledo cobalt if I wanted some serious drill bits.

 

[CapriMikeC]

For drills that are fed by hand (hand drill, drill press, manual mill), the most important feature is the material the drill is made from to tolerate heat and shock. Since the drill will be resharpened manually, the coating will not matter after the first grind. Too soft dulls easily, too hard chips too easily.

Places such as MSC are a good place to shop and research but their published prices are artificially high. They mostly sell to large companies at negotiated discounts.

Since most cutter companies have been absorbed into large corporations, it can be difficult to determine what you're actually buying because the marketing people have obscured the products. Even "high end" brands often have a value line of **** import knowing how many people purchase on brand, not quality.

CNC machines get staggering performance because of their rigidity, precisely controlled feed/rpm, and chip clearing with coolant. For example drilling out the broken studs on my Ford 2n engine block using a .36" diameter coolant thru drill:

That same drill feeding manually would probably chip and shatter the entire drill.

 

[Rinspeed]

I've had such good luck with Norseman over the years I've never thought to look elsewhere. I have a pretty fancy sharpener which certainly helps.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

there is no 1 ideal drill set. It all depends on what you are using them for.

I have a damn full set and they are mostly mix of Viking and older Triumph. You really can’t go wrong with any of the U.S.A. made ones.

Having a good quality drill bit sharpener is more important imop then the brand of drill. All brands dull with use and a dull drill, drills like ****. Having the proper angle cut into the end of the drill for your material is far more important than the brand. Ie 118 for Aluminum and softer materials 135 for steel. Split points are usually best for smaller sizes too.


For certain applications you do need specialty drills. IE drilling put hardened materials, solid carbide will cut through like butter, but you really need a mill or very beefy drill press.
Other applications like wood and plastics Fostner and Brad points do best.


Sheet metal / spot weld drills are useful too.

Step drills are usually my go to for sheet metals

Single flutes are good when you need a flat bottom hole (end mills work too)

 

[GeoBruin]

I was skeptical of cryogenic treatment at first but after watching this guy's video and reading through some of the stuff he linked to, the results seem pretty compelling. I'm sure there is a drawback under some conditions but drilling mild steel is most of what I do so it's hard to argue with his results for that application.

Norseman now seems to be leaning pretty hard into the cryo treated bits as they offer quite a few different products in their line. The interesting thing is that they aren't actually too much more expensive than standard bits. The other thing about the cryo treatment is that unlike a coating, it actually affects the structure of the steel at a fundamental level so theoretically the effect survives sharpening. I would love to do a test between cryo treated bits before and after re sharpening to see if there's any kind of degradation in the performance gain.

 

[Firebrick43]

I was skeptical of cryogenic treatment at first but after watching this guy's video and reading through some of the stuff he linked to, the results seem pretty compelling. I'm sure there is a drawback under some conditions but drilling mild steel is most of what I do so it's hard to argue with his results for that application.

Norseman now seems to be leaning pretty hard into the cryo treated bits as they offer quite a few different products in their line. The interesting thing is that they aren't actually too much more expensive than standard bits. The other thing about the cryo treatment is that unlike a coating, it actually affects the structure of the steel at a fundamental level so theoretically the effect survives sharpening. I would love to do a test between cryo treated bits before and after re sharpening to see if there's any kind of degradation in the performance gain.

I am not sure how applicable to the majority of the people here. Also I highly doubt that they are actually holding the cryo treatment the length that the guy in the video is.

He is using a cnc machine with a collet tool holder (erikson?)

The largest factor in drill bit life is runout. The rule of thumb in the machining world is for every .0001 " of runout in the tool or tool holder there is a 10 percent reduction in tool life. This is one reason many in the machining world use tool setters with optical comparator's built in that can check for runout.

And this is the rub. Even a decent jacobs type chuck will have .001" or more runout in a tight but light weight drill press. Many hand drills even more plus the nut behind the drill is moving it constantly as they feed the drill in. This causes damage to the edges and accelerates failure.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

Price is seldomly a good indicator of anything besides knowing what it will set you back financially.

These style drill bits have been around a long time, in fact geometry on the tips has changed which supposedly makes them even better. The style is available not only for regular drill bits, but also actual step drill bits, combi (drill + tap) bits, (…).

For sh*ts and giggles I looked up that style drill bit set and its price from one of my industrial suppliers, please remember I’m not in NA, to break even on that above listed Matco price, I would need to replace the whole set at least 3 times. And that is using the non-negotiated list price.

That said, none of my suppliers would even think about warrantying a drill bit. Unless it clearly was a manufacturing defect.

So if these drill bits come to you, and you have a dealer that will swap/ warranty them for you I can see a higher price being justified. Also considering what @BlakeTheCarGuy lays out, were one tech has these, multiple people borrow and then “break” them - and they get replaced under warranty.

Obviously works for Matco, so it works for me. …

In terms of what the “best” drill bit is, as it has been pointed out already, that entirely depends on the task at hand.

-

My personal go-to all-round drill bits are the DeWalt Extreme/ Extreme2. They feature the pilot tip (similar concept to the steps, no wandering, easy on round material/pipes), no-slip shank and are Made in Germany by a Bavarian manufacturer of drill bits. Smaller sizes come packaged in two, all others in singles. Which is kind of important to me, since I don’t go through a lot of them, and buying replacements in typical industrial fashion ten-packs would be incredibly silly for me. They have not let me down. I don’t sharpen these, just replace when necessary.

If I need something special, I have catalogs and will look up/ order.

As always, just my opinion - your mileage may vary.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[Jgaz]

I agree with a lot of what has been said here, with one exception.

@BlakeTheCarGuy quit being the shop supplier of drill bits and other consumables!!!
Once in a while, if a trusted friend needs one because he has damaged or lost a bit that’s one thing.
But everybody, all the time, HELL NO!!! Have the shop buy a set (yeah right) and see how long that set lasts.

When I started in the dealership the old guys told me, “if you need to borrow it twice you need to buy one”. Maybe a bit extreme, but I took it to heart.

I worked for a major auto companies’s Engineering Dept were we had a tool crib to get company supplied drills and many, many other things.
A few of the lazy idiots I worked for would rather use and abuse mine (if I let them) then haul their lazy *** to the crib and get their own.

 

[GeoBruin]

I am not sure how applicable to the majority of the people here. Also I highly doubt that they are actually holding the cryo treatment the length that the guy in the video is.

He is using a cnc machine with a collet tool holder (erikson?)

The largest factor in drill bit life is runout. The rule of thumb in the machining world is for every .0001 " of runout in the tool or tool holder there is a 10 percent reduction in tool life. This is one reason many in the machining world use tool setters with optical comparator's built in that can check for runout.

And this is the rub. Even a decent jacobs type chuck will have .001" or more runout in a tight but light weight drill press. Many hand drills even more plus the nut behind the drill is moving it constantly as they feed the drill in. This causes damage to the edges and accelerates failure.

I agree that using them in a drill press isn't the same as using them in a mill, and that excessive runout will expedite wear. That said, it seems like if the treatment improves wear resistance, that would apply regardless. So maybe I'm getting 20 holes instead of 50, but but perhaps still twice as many as without the treatment.

Your other statement that they are not holding the Cryo treatment as long as the guy in the video is pure conjecture, and silly in my opinion. Why wouldn't a well known company in the business of making drill bits treat them as long as necessary to achieve the most benefit, especially since the process is apparently just waiting. There's marginal additional cost.

 

[exmaxima1]

How do you like Chicago-Latrobe compared to Norseman/Viking? I was looking at some metric sets and noticed Chicago-Latrobe has a 150 series black oxide metric set that I was comparing to a Viking Super Premium Magnum metric set for a similar price. Thx for any input you might have.

I was complaining about the backside burrs I was getting with my freshly sharpened 118 degree drills, so my buddy gave a me a new set of Chicago-Latrobe 135 degree split-point drills---the difference was amazing. Very handy when it is difficult to get inside something to deburr the back of the hole. They are very high quality.

Chicago Latrobe 45640 150ASP Heavy Duty Jobber Length Drill Set, 135 Degree, Steam Oxide, 29 Piece - Jobber Drill Bits - Amazon.com

Chicago Latrobe 45640 150ASP Heavy Duty Jobber Length Drill Set, 135 Degree, Steam Oxide, 29 Piece - Jobber Drill Bits - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[Firebrick43]

I agree that using them in a drill press isn't the same as using them in a mill, and that excessive runout will expedite wear. That said, it seems like if the treatment improves wear resistance, that would apply regardless. So maybe I'm getting 20 holes instead of 50, but but perhaps still twice as many as without the treatment.

Your other statement that they are not holding the Cryo treatment as long as the guy in the video is pure conjecture, and silly in my opinion. Why wouldn't a well known company in the business of making drill bits treat them as long as necessary to achieve the most benefit, especially since the process is apparently just waiting. There's marginal additional cost.

Because liquid nitrogen and tanks big enough to hold a whole days production is very expensive. Liquid nitrogen generators that can produce column are even more expensive.

We used 50 gallons of liquid nitrogen a day were I worked in one process. Plus the time/ppe/and handling of the equipment adds up fast.

Also we tried Viking bits, they didn’t any better than Chicago Latrobe in our tool life test and there was some more runout in them.

And finally the point that it’s also complete conjecture on your part that the videos process is the same as Vikings.

Cryo is a new marketing buzzword with everything to rifle barrels to drill bit. And pouring or dipping a part for 30 secs classifies as cryo treated when it comes to truth in advertising laws.

Edit to be clear Viking bits were still very good bits. I would definitely use them in my maintenance set in my tool box

 

[neophyte]

Allegedly the advantages to a cryo treatment is a finer grain structure in the metal.
This is usually only of true, or of major significance with alloy steels.
Basic carbon steels when tested didn’t get many advantages out of cryo treatments.
Since machinist drill bits are usually some alloy of High Speed Steel, the cryo treatment should effect the steel positively.
In addition, the cryo treatment helps insure transition of austentite to a martensite, and precipitation of carbides in the steel.
The finer grain structure, and precipitation of carbides should both help increase wear resistance.
For proper cryo treating, surface machining should be done after the cryo treatment, since a thin layer of softer steel usually remains on the surface of the steel.
At the above is what I’ve gathered as information over the years.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'm sorry, but that's a silly amount of money for drill bits.

Project Farm did a comparo in the last year or so, and Viking and Drill Hog (which are both pretty pricey) did very well, ...

I have had my Drill Hog set for several years. They have replaced all of the bits I have broken.

Admittedly, the replacement time is weeks, so you need a back up set.

 

[teagueo]

Allegedly the advantages to a cryo treatment is a finer grain structure in the metal.
This is usually only of true, or of major significance with alloy steels.
Basic carbon steels when tested didn’t get many advantages out of cryo treatments.
Since machinist drill bits are usually some alloy of High Speed Steel, the cryo treatment should effect the steel positively.
In addition, the cryo treatment helps insure transition of austentite to a martensite, and precipitation of carbides in the steel.
The finer grain structure, and precipitation of carbides should both help increase wear resistance.
For proper cryo treating, surface machining should be done after the cryo treatment, since a thin layer of softer steel usually remains on the surface of the steel.
At the above is what I’ve gathered as information over the years.

We use cryogenic treatment on some components. You get a few extra points on the HRC hardness scale and with certain materials, dramatic increases in fatigue strength and ductility (from grain refinement probably). All without any dimensional change or scale/discoloration from heat treatment furnaces.

AerMet steels require a cryo treatment in their heat treatment process, probably to fully develop Martensite.

It has legitimate benefits .

 

[glenng]

I was complaining about the backside burrs I was getting with my freshly sharpened 118 degree drills, so my buddy gave a me a new set of Chicago-Latrobe 135 degree split-point drills---the difference was amazing. Very handy when it is difficult to get inside something to deburr the back of the hole. They are very high quality.

Chicago Latrobe 45640 150ASP Heavy Duty Jobber Length Drill Set, 135 Degree, Steam Oxide, 29 Piece - Jobber Drill Bits - Amazon.com

Chicago Latrobe 45640 150ASP Heavy Duty Jobber Length Drill Set, 135 Degree, Steam Oxide, 29 Piece - Jobber Drill Bits - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Thanks man.

 

[tiredoldironworker]

My Norseman sets have served me well. Can you buy cheaper? Yes. Cheaper always break or dull quickly in my experience. We drill a lot of holes in my line of work and usually use mag drills and annular cutters. They are the apex predators of hole drilling!

 

[Jagmandave]

Best ones I ever found were the Vermont American bits that Home Depot used to sell. Lasted a very long time and were cheap as can be to buy. I would stock up on the most used sizes, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 and kept a few extras around but they lasted so long I rarely had to break out a new one. HD quit carrying them and I haven't researched if they're still available anywhere else.......

 

[GaryM909]

I have a couple sets of Dormer drill bits that were made in England. They are probably the best ones I have ever used.
One set is about 50 years old and the other set is about 30 years old. I think they are made in Brazil now so I am not sure of the quality of the new ones. They might be worth while checking out.

 

[Oregon Dave]

there is no 1 ideal drill set. It all depends on what you are using them for.

I have a damn full set and they are mostly mix of Viking and older Triumph. You really can’t go wrong with any of the U.S.A. made ones.

Having a good quality drill bit sharpener is more important imop then the brand of drill. All brands dull with use and a dull drill, drills like ****. Having the proper angle cut into the end of the drill for your material is far more important than the brand. Ie 118 for Aluminum and softer materials 135 for steel. Split points are usually best for smaller sizes too.


For certain applications you do need specialty drills. IE drilling put hardened materials, solid carbide will cut through like butter, but you really need a mill or very beefy drill press.
Other applications like wood and plastics Fostner and Brad points do best.


Sheet metal / spot weld drills are useful too.

Step drills are usually my go to for sheet metals

Single flutes are good when you need a flat bottom hole (end mills work too)

Agree 100% "Having a good quality drill bit sharpener is more important imop then the brand of drill"