Quality Made Drill Bits and Taps

[Tscott]

Who makes a quality set of drill bits (fractional, metric and letter sizes) and who makes a good quality set of taps and dies? I've been scouring the web but I'm not familiar with the manufacturers so I am unsure of who is to be trusted. I'm tired of cheap Chinese **** and I'm trying to invest in a quality set of both. Any pointers are greatly appreciated.

Tom

 

[twertsy]

Drill bits = Norseman, hands down.

 

[nbpt100]

+1 on Norseman and also look at Triumph drill bits.

 

[Davefr]

For drill bits, any of the premium brands at MSC are decent except for Interstate. (ex: Chicago Latrobe, Hertel, Triumph, Precision, etc)

For taps and dies, I like to buy NOS US made HSS from Ebay for pennies on the dollar. (ex: Greenfield, R/N, Butterfield, Brubaker, Hanson Whitney, Union, Winter, Besley etc). A lot of these manufacturers are long gone but their threading tools were superior to this new junk from China.

 

[T45]

I'm tired of cheap Chinese **** and I'm trying to invest in a quality set of both. Any pointers are greatly appreciated.

Save up some money; this is going to be expensive

 

[md21722]

For drill bits, any of the premium brands at MSC are decent except for Interstate. (ex: Chicago Latrobe, Hertel, Triumph, Precision, etc)

^This.

You can also buy drill bits at McMaster Carr and they will be good quality. MSC runs a lot more sales than McMaster so shop around. You can also buy drill bits from some of the tool suppliers on eBay.

Get ones with three flats on the shank, especially for the larger sizes, if you can.

Once you fill up your tool box with drill bits, you can move on to organizing them with Huot indexes/cabinets.

 

[rvieceli]

Here you go:

https://www.harryepstein.com/index....-bit-set-jobber-length-black-gold-sp-115.html

 

[Stuey]

Look at MSC's sales flyer for promos: https://www.mscdirect.com/FlyerView?contentPath=/sales-catalogs/metalworking

I like Triumph, Cleveland, and Chicago Latrobe. The latter 2 companies are owned by a Chinese company.

 

[6PTsocket]

For drill bits, any of the premium brands at MSC are decent except for Interstate. (ex: Chicago Latrobe, Hertel, Triumph, Precision, etc)

For taps and dies, I like to buy NOS US made HSS from Ebay for pennies on the dollar. (ex: Greenfield, R/N, Butterfield, Brubaker, Hanson Whitney, Union, Winter, Besley etc). A lot of these manufacturers are long gone but their threading tools were superior to this new junk from China.

The drill bits are easy, you can buy the ones you mentioned without breaking the bank. Collecting a set of NOS taps and dies to make a set takes a little more work. When I was a kid and there were machine shops in lower Manhattan, there were machine tool shops to supply them. I have a tap and die set from there that is made from a completely random assortment of quality surplus taps and dies. MSC was one of those shops, Manhattan Supply Company. The guy I got my set from Eastern Supply is a cousin of the guy that owns Victor Machinery Exchange. Small World.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[leg17]

Drill bits, taps, and dies, are all considered 'perishable' tooling.

 

[ffast65]

all of these are perishible but some better than others. My great uncle worked dor cleveland twist Drill, so I have lots of those. Drill doctor treats them right.

What about metric taps? I am need of M6-1.0 and havent found anything non china.

 

[T45]

What about metric taps? I am need of M6-1.0 and havent found anything non china.

Metric HSS tooling is hard to find cheap. Most if not all the vintage finds w/ "you ****" pricing are on old SAE/Fractional. The MSC and Fastenal flyers have sales of modern new gear-- if you can wait around and strategically buy them over time. Metric sets can also be found from some european vendors. Of course if money is not object, there are plenty of options...

Look at MSC's sales flyer for promos: https://www.mscdirect.com/FlyerView?contentPath=/sales-catalogs/metalworking

 

[Wamsutta]

Toledo-Consolidated for drill bits. They are favored by machinists.

 

[PeterT]

I like the Norseman, but even the smaller Norseman don't last long when drilling steel and or hardened steel

 

[mowkep]

I just drilled 6 parts. 3 (.437)holes each part, 1 1/2 deep in 316 SS. One drill.

For the big books look in Grainger and McMaster Carr. We get fliers from Production Tool Supply, MSG, Travers and KBC Tool. There are many more and tons of local shops that sell used and new. Any of the companies will sell import and very good brand name. Search out the names and go from there. Depending on what you are drilling the coating will make a huge difference.

 

[cheechi]

I have a related question. Cle-Line drills are made in USA, and look good in photos and in the package in the store. Nobody has mentioned these, are they new, or are they not any good, or just not well known?

this set often goes on sale for $89, you can use a filler item and $20 off $100 coupon, and its free shipping. They are USA made Chicago Latrobe drills in a USA made Huot index. Can certainly get you started.

here is a 1-60 set I was looking at earlier today, not familiar with the brand but I figured at the price it's not much of a risk for disposable tooling anyway.

 

[mowkep]

We don't buy sets but I have used many Cleveland drills. They are very good.

 

[Jamie V]

I use nothing but Titan USA drill bits at work.

 

[cheechi]

So Cle-Line is Cleveland? Is one a budget line or do they indicate different uses, materials or what?

 

[racingtadpole]

all of these are perishible but some better than others. My great uncle worked dor cleveland twist Drill, so I have lots of those. Drill doctor treats them right.

What about metric taps? I am need of M6-1.0 and havent found anything non china.

PM me if you want some help sourcing Australian or New Zealand made HSS metric. Its not cheap, but its not poisonously expensive either, and the dollar works in your favour.

 

[mowkep]

I am referring to Cleveland twist drill company. I'm not sure of any other lines they may have.

 

[mowkep]

Every tool company mentioned in this post has American made metric taps.

 

[mowkep]

Go to Greenfield Industries and look at their product line. They own Cleveland Twist drill and Chicago Latrobe. Both very good drills. Not sure what is manufactured where as far as overseas