Which Drill Bet Set Should I get

RedRabbit · Feb 11, 2015

I found myself needing some new bits after wearing out my titanium Dewalts. However, I saw a Bosch 21 piece titanium set at the same price. The Bosch has only 1005 reviews but only has 3, while the dewalt has more than 30 at 4.5 stars. I also saw the Ryobi set and it's a great price at 414 but I worry about the quality despite the positive reviews. Please let me know which you would get. And please don't start a Dewalt or Bosch or Ryobi is best war :lol_hitti

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The Bosch: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-TI...30335?N=5yc1vZc250Z9uZ1awZ4j2Z1z0skrjZ1z0wn8b

The Dewalt: http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-T...iece-DW1361/202279642?N=5yc1vZc250Z9uZ1awZ4j2

The Ryobi: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-Ti...972901/204321578?N=5yc1vZc250Z1z0skrjZ1z0wn8b

Stuey · Feb 11, 2015

Tough choice. I'd say Bosch or Dewalt. I voted for Bosch, but I also have and like those Dewalt bits.

You could also splurge on a small USA-made bit set from an industrial supplier.

What are you drilling?

bob15 · Feb 11, 2015

Sorry, but none of the above. I would buy one of these sets: http://store.harryepstein.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=1930&Category_Code=DrillBitSets

doan · Feb 11, 2015

I think the quality is probably the same between them all. The Dewalt Pilot point helps a little to prevent the point from walking, but probably not worth 2x price.

They are all disposable bit sets, buy the cheap ones

1950mercury · Feb 11, 2015

If those three were my only choice id get the bosch ...i have an older made in Germany set and its nice.ive had dewalt sets that were good if you can still find the made in Germany stuff. Sadly most are made in china now and there is a big difference.

Can i have a 4th choice if so it would be norsman

d.mcfarland · Feb 11, 2015

http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/DrillBitSets/J-29.html

Buy once or cry once.

shockwave · Feb 11, 2015

As stated above it depends on what you are drilling there are generally 3 major types
Hss
Cobalt (8% cobalt usually)
Titanium coated

For General use go with hss.cobalt bits are for tougher metals such as stainless and hold up to higher tempatures for heavy drilling
Titanium coated is a hss with titanium coating that will be worn out after heavy uses and becomes an hss once sharpened

My recommendation would be the Norseman hss premium line Usa made and for the money best bits around

madcrisis · Feb 11, 2015

I have a set of those dewalts and I love them but they are not without their draw backs. You cant drill a smaller hole any bigger than the pilot point on the larger bit or it will not center. Also they dont sharpen very well. Besides that they are great. Ive driled many holes with them and they drill very well. Be careful though Ive broken a few (my fault for quick and dirty drilling.)

yaidunno · Feb 11, 2015

It would be of great help if you told us what you intend to use the drills for. Personally, you couldn't give any of those 3 to me. Unless your only drilling clearance holes in wood, I'd highly consider spending a bit more on a quality set of HSS drills. Cheesy and poor quality TiN not needed. A nice set can be had for under $100 in nice Huot case, and if cared for, will last many years.

Again, material being drilled will determine split tip, regular tip, 118*, 135*, coating, length, etc....

RedRabbit · Feb 11, 2015

I plan on drilling mainly wood and maybe some aluminum. But I use Snap On cobalt bits for most metal drilling. They will only be used in hand-held drills. The Bosch is made in the U.S of A. Where as the Dewalts and Ryobis are made in China.

1950mercury · Feb 11, 2015

RedRabbit said:
I plan on drilling mainly wood and maybe some aluminum. But I use Snap On cobalt bits for most metal drilling. They will only be used in hand-held drills. The Bosch is made in the U.S of A. Where as the Dewalts and Ryobis are made in China.

I think you just anwered your original question...go with usa

larry_g · Feb 11, 2015

None of the above. Most of the gold colored bits in the dime store are just that, gold colored. It takes a good bit under the color to do you a good job. You can gold color a piece of twisted steel and call it a titanium bit, doesn't make it a good bit.

lg
no neat sig line

GRX · Feb 11, 2015

Of the three I would choose Bosch.
Personally, I buy old bits and re-sharpen them on my bench grinder. Good bits dirt cheap because of our ever increasingly disposable culture.

schor · Feb 11, 2015

None of the above. Buy replacements as you need them and use the old index.

I have a couple places where I buy HSS black oxide bits made in the USA. And no I am not talking about hd or lowes, find yourself a good industrial supply place in your area.

I was lucky to get myself a brand new set of dormer letter size bits for $50. Only 1 bit was ever used. But I call that a fluke.

uart · Feb 13, 2015

RedRabbit said:
I plan on drilling mainly wood and maybe some aluminum. But I use Snap On cobalt bits for most metal drilling. They will only be used in hand-held drills. The Bosch is made in the U.S of A. Where as the Dewalts and Ryobis are made in China.

I've never used those DeWalts, but I have a small set of German made bullet point bits that look to be pretty much identical design/geometry (except mine are uncoated) and they're not well suited to drilling wood.

If you look online at some of the reviews for those DW's you'll see that many of the bad reviews are from wood working guys, and they really hate them. I think they're just too aggressive in wood, the flutes in particular bite in too much and they don't make a very clean hole. I think some of these guys are mistaking them for brad points or something and thinking that they're a wood drill, but they're really not.

Where they are supposed to shine is for hand drilling metal, where the bullet (pilot) point design penetrates with a lot less pressure than a standard 118 degree point bit would (unless you pre-drilled a pilot). If you want them mostly for wood though, I'd look elsewhere.

RedRabbit · Feb 13, 2015

Thank you everyone for the replies, I decided on the Bosch set and will hopefully get it today.

uart · Feb 13, 2015

RedRabbit said:
However, I saw a Bosch 21 piece titanium set at the same price.

That set would be preferable to the Dewalts if you drill a lot of wood.

I also saw the Ryobi set and it's a great price at $14 but I worry about the quality despite the positive reviews.

That's an insanely low price for a full 29 piece set (to 1/2" by 64ths). Here in Australia you can't get even the most garbage cheap Chinese set in that size for much under $50. At that price I'd buy a set just to see what they're like, and as a backup set if you need something better.

uart · Feb 13, 2015

d.mcfarland said:
http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/DrillBitSets/J-29.html

Yes, or even the 21 piece set http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/DrillBitSets/J-21.html if he wants to stay within the same budget as with the Bosch or DeWalts.

Don't limit your choices too much RedRabbit. In particular, don't limit your choice to only coated bits. Especially at that price range the gold coating is more of a gimmick than anything else. The quality and processing of the underlying steel, and the grind and finish, those are by far the most important factors. Coatings play a much lesser role.

If you look at that J-21 Norsman set it's US made and probably a really good fit to what you need. It lacks the one 1/2" bit that the DeWalt and Bosch set offers, but it actually has more sizes over 1/4" than either of the above. I'd definitely consider this set as an option.

TomB19 · Feb 13, 2015

In the last few years, Bosch bits have been some of the worst bits I've ever used. At least, the ones that come from HD.

I've found both Ryobi and DeWalt to be pretty good. Particularly for wood, they are more than sufficient. If you drill much steel, it's worth while to step up several quality levels from the box store bits.

Which Drill Bet Set Should I get

Which Drill Bit Set

Dewalt

Bosch

Ryobi

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