Drill Bit Set

[Woody1320]

All, I'm looking for a solid set of drill bits to use around the house. My Ryobi set is showing its age, and I've lost three of the bits recently to breakage. I take full responsibility for that, as they have served their purpose quite well during the seven years I've had them. BUT, I'd like a durable set of bits to handle most DIY tasks. I don't need the Cobalt bits, as I don't have a need to drill into metal. I was thinking a set of titanium coated bits would probably last me quite awhile. I would obviously aim for HSS, as that should handle most anything I could throw at it in this capacity. Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[Copymutt]

I also have a set of Ryobi, there ok on mild steal. Either HSS or titanium coated are my go to. Invest in a good motorized sharpener. Expect bits under 3/16 to be expendable and by jobbers packs from someone like Fastenal or Grangers. Use cutting oil. Of the hundred or so bits I have most are from garage sales and resharpened.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I just buy the $15 Dewalt pack (like pictured) and treat them poorly. It's not the best practice, but they do well and I don't feel as bad when something goes wrong.

 

[dnschmidt]

Somebody makes drill bits besides Norseman? That's interesting but irrelevant.

 

[Walkers]

I buy champion locally. I have one of the round screw top cans by them. Around $90 or so. Good drills, and I can replace them with identical at the same store. I see Norseman has a similar set. I really like the round plastic screw top containers, they are handy and durable.

 

[dogdog]

All, I'm looking for a solid set of drill bits to use around the house. My Ryobi set is showing its age, and I've lost three of the bits recently to breakage. I take full responsibility for that, as they have served their purpose quite well during the seven years I've had them. BUT, I'd like a durable set of bits to handle most DIY tasks. I don't need the Cobalt bits, as I don't have a need to drill into metal. I was thinking a set of titanium coated bits would probably last me quite awhile. I would obviously aim for HSS, as that should handle most anything I could throw at it in this capacity. Any input is greatly appreciated.

an average quality HSS 108 bit set will last you for a while... the last sets I bough lasted me almost 20 years and still haven't needed all of them, broken some due to operator error rounded, some due to the material drill is harder than the bit. My set is $50 from Costco years ago. almost the same as the 108 piece set from HF. Don't look for Titanium / Colbalt or shinny looking bits etc marketing wanks. they are just coating on unknown metal that looks like drill bits. Might be good might be bad or crappy base metal, either case they are not supposed to be re-sharpened. and lastly drill bits are consumables as well as dependent on materials being drilled, and also the person operating the drill bits... thinks like pushing too hard, too little force, too much speed, too less speed not using lubes on the wrong materials, using the wrong lubes.



If money is no object go for a spurge and go for a snap-on lol ... or Noseman

if you are saying you are doing machining, that is a bit different. I would buy it from dedicated industrial supply or machinist supply...
like MSC, Gringer, mcmaster or https://www.travers.com/

 

[Woody1320]

if you are saying you are doing machining, that is a bit different. I would buy it from dedicated industrial supply or machinist supply...
like MSC, Gringer, mcmaster or https://www.travers.com/

I appreciate the input. Also...I WISH I was looking for machining mills/bits lol. I have some time on a vertical end mill (15 years ago in another life), and I miss it.

 

[Outahere]

Viking, Norseman, Triumph, Cle-Line, Chicago Latrobe, Cleveland

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EHLS22/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Rinspeed]

I've had such good luck with Norseman over the years I never thought to look elsewhere.

 

[Legion Prime]

an average quality HSS 108 bit set will last you for a while... the last sets I bough lasted me almost 20 years and still haven't needed all of them, broken some due to operator error rounded, some due to the material drill is harder than the bit. My set is $50 from Costco years ago. almost the same as the 108 piece set from HF. Don't look for Titanium / Colbalt or shinny looking bits etc marketing wanks. they are just coating on unknown metal that looks like drill bits. Might be good might be bad or crappy base metal, either case they are not supposed to be re-sharpened. and lastly drill bits are consumables as well as dependent on materials being drilled, and also the person operating the drill bits... thinks like pushing too hard, too little force, too much speed, too less speed not using lubes on the wrong materials, using the wrong lubes.



If money is no object go for a spurge and go for a snap-on lol ... or Noseman

if you are saying you are doing machining, that is a bit different. I would buy it from dedicated industrial supply or machinist supply...
like MSC, Gringer, mcmaster or https://www.travers.com/

I was helping my boss at my old job and we were sinking anchors into the cinder block walls. He chucked up the "masonry" bit that came with the anchors. The first hole went in just fine, put in the anchor and drilled the next hole which seemed to take FOREVER. He pulled the drill out of the wall and it had been "sharpened" like a pencil. The cheap chicom trash bit was just a piece of "metal" cast in the shape of a masonry bit. We then chucked up a VA masonry bit and continued on without any other problems. Of course another time he was trying to drill a hole for a screw in some SS square tubing and despite having a new VA drill all he managed to do was create a bit of a dimple. He decided a corded drill was needed for the job. I brought in one of my sets of drills and my cordless Ridgid drill and proceeded to place a hole in no time flat.
You really can't go wrong with any drills made in the USA (having USA in the company name =/= made in the USA) and while harder to source sets made in Japan and western (non-warsaw pact countries more or less) Europe are great as well just a bit more difficult to source in the states. Basically anything Outahere recommended above is GTG.

 

[dogdog]

I was helping my boss at my old job and we were sinking anchors into the cinder block walls. He chucked up the "masonry" bit that came with the anchors. The first hole went in just fine, put in the anchor and drilled the next hole which seemed to take FOREVER. He pulled the drill out of the wall and it had been "sharpened" like a pencil. The cheap chicom trash bit was just a piece of "metal" cast in the shape of a masonry bit. We then chucked up a VA masonry bit and continued on without any other problems. Of course another time he was trying to drill a hole for a screw in some SS square tubing and despite having a new VA drill all he managed to do was create a bit of a dimple. He decided a corded drill was needed for the job. I brought in one of my sets of drills and my cordless Ridgid drill and proceeded to place a hole in no time flat.
You really can't go wrong with any drills made in the USA (having USA in the company name =/= made in the USA) and while harder to source sets made in Japan and western (non-warsaw pact countries more or less) Europe are great as well just a bit more difficult to source in the states. Basically anything Outahere recommended above is GTG.

LOL sounds like your boss needs to buy class pass on how to drill stuff than new drill bits. Bits are consumables, and people have to understand one thing, The Tool Monkey breaks everything no matter what or where it is made.

 

[Legion Prime]

Oh yeah, he's a chef not a carpenter. LOL I found a Viking 10 pc drill set on Amazon for $4 a ways back and got the 2 left in stock and gave him one. I also got him a Komelon Speed Mark tape measure with the fractions printed on it since I got tired of his measurements "34 and a half plus one." Plus one WHAT? LMAO He's from France so he constantly complains about how no one here uses metric for much of anything. He does use imperial for stuff though because he knows if he went to the store asking for 2 meter 100 by 50's no one would know what he was talking about.

 

[RickyPetite]

Norseman for metal, Triumph for wood.

 

[lkjk]

+1 for norseman, worth the price. for wood or random household stuff you can get away with whatever. I have some crappy HF bits that work fine even in hardwoods

 

[JradM]

I mean, this is GarageJournal, so you're getting enthusiast responses.

If your last set was Ryobi and you're replacing it due to wear and lost bits - then I second d.McFarland's recommendation for the cheap Dewalt set. He's overpaying though - even here in Canada those are $10 at Home Depot during any sales event (e.g. Christmas, Easter, Father's day, valentines day, Saturday...)

 

[goldtang]

the drill bit sets I have bothered metric and imperial I was given when I started my apprenticeship I have replaced most drill multiple times ( some time free) always with HSS still happy after 43 years I don’t drill as many holes as I use to but if one need replacing I just go and get one and sharping them is still easy just harder to see

 

[Grokew]

I just buy the $15 Dewalt pack (like pictured) and treat them poorly. It's not the best practice, but they do well and I don't feel as bad when something goes wrong.

Plus you get a great case.
Those things are useful.

 

[four.cycle]

Since "Norseman" has been mentioned several times, I will take the liberty of reminding you gentlemen about the Bowers Tool deal of the month - he carries the Norseman line of drill bits.

 

[RegalX]

CLE Line

The 3 flats are really nice.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFQWUF2/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[dogdog]

I wonder how many actually read the OP's OP and needs.


This is what I am reading....

OP: .... Guys need a recommendation of a vehicle to go from point A to Point B.
SomeGuy: Dude... You needed a Ferrari, nothing else.

 

[Legion Prime]

Perhaps you need to work a bit on your reading comprehension. He stated no cobalt, I didn't read any recommendations for cobalt bits. He did say he wanted HSS bits, most any quality drill bit recommended here is going to be HSS. You want we should recommend him some ************* drills from the dollar store? If he wanted disposable bits that won't drill more than 2 holes in anything harder than a 2x4 he could go and buy a drill set from the dollar store. He didn't, he came here and asked for recommendations so we recommended manufacturers worth buying from.

 

[dogdog]

Perhaps you need to work a bit on your reading comprehension. He stated no cobalt, I didn't read any recommendations for cobalt bits. He did say he wanted HSS bits, most any quality drill bit recommended here is going to be HSS. You want we should recommend him some ************* drills from the dollar store? If he wanted disposable bits that won't drill more than 2 holes in anything harder than a 2x4 he could go and buy a drill set from the dollar store. He didn't, he came here and asked for recommendations so we recommended manufacturers worth buying from.

Again, if you are able to dull a drill bit that is drilling anything a bit harder than soft wood of the 2x4 after one of two holes., you needed to work on your drilling methods and skills.
problem with most of the recommendations is not understand the need, or most doesn't even understand what they even recommended other that jump on to a band wagon, most of the time. I am surprised that you have not recommended him a set of solid carbide drill bits from Kyocera for his masonry needs. (that would be the wrong bit for the wrong job even if there are carbide tipped concrete drill bits)

BUT, I'd like a durable set of bits to handle most DIY tasks. I don't need the Cobalt bits, as I don't have a need to drill into metal.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I wonder how many actually read the OP's OP and needs.

I also read it as basically drilling into wood, drywall, plastic, and maybe occasionally some thin metal. All of that I assumed based on the Ryobi bits lasting years and years. I'm guessing normal homeowner tasks?

 

[Rickkyyr8]

Ryobi bits are utter garbage. I’m very happy with my Viking bits. Wera and PB Swiss also have amazing bits

 

[Legion Prime]

Again, if you are able to dull a drill bit that is drilling anything a bit harder than soft wood of the 2x4 after one of two holes., you needed to work on your drilling methods and skills.
problem with most of the recommendations is not understand the need, or most doesn't even understand what they even recommended other that jump on to a band wagon, most of the time. I am surprised that you have not recommended him a set of solid carbide drill bits from Kyocera for his masonry needs. (that would be the wrong bit for the wrong job even if there are carbide tipped concrete drill bits)

Maybe no one recommend him a carbide masonry bit because we . . . know how to read. Perhaps you could give that a try sometime, let us know if that works out for you.

 

[JradM]

I wonder how many actually read the OP's OP and needs.


This is what I am reading....

OP: .... Guys need a recommendation of a vehicle to go from point A to Point B.
SomeGuy: Dude... You needed a Ferrari, nothing else.

Ha! That was kind of my interpretation too. "Recommend a drill bit" on GJ tends to become "what's the best drill bit?".

No criticism for buying Norseman, CLE, etc. Just didn't seem like that was the direction the OP was implying.

We need the OP to check back in and tell us whether he wanted a $10 or a $100 drill bit set recommendation.

 

[dogdog]

Maybe no one recommend him a carbide masonry bit because we . . . know how to read. Perhaps you could give that a try sometime, let us know if that works out for you.

LMFAO... yea solid carbide bits are NOT the same as carbide masonry bits. Solid Carbide bits are definitely better than HSS or Cobalt/Titanium coated ones for metal of any brand. How do you read ?

 

[dogdog]

Ha! That was kind of my interpretation too. "Recommend a drill bit" on GJ tends to become "what's the best drill bit?".

No criticism for buying Norseman, CLE, etc. Just didn't seem like that was the direction the OP was implying.

We need the OP to check back in and tell us whether he wanted a $10 or a $100 drill bit set recommendation.

Yea that was my take too, in my first respond, I did mention the 2 ifs...
average home owner/diyer really have no need for expensive bits, especially if he is drilling dry walls, wood stuffs or average home stuff. Sure it is nice to have... but need and want and nice to have are different things.

 

[Woody1320]

First, thanks for all of the input. As some have surmised, I am leaning toward a lower priced set of bits (trust me, I'd love a set of the Norseman bits, they're top notch). There are a few HSS sets mentioned, and I have a couple of Cobalt sets I've saved on Amazon just in case I may ever need them. I'll use what's been mentioned here and keep looking. However, I am still open to any suggestions. Also, as mentioned, most threads like this do turn into a "here are the best xxxx" list. That's still educational and helpful, because it may broaden my horizons a bit.

 

[Legion Prime]

Here you go, 13pc CleLine set 1/16-1/4" for $26
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFQWP4S/?tag=atomicindus08-20

ETA: And it appears that they've been on sale a lot recently for under $20.
https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B00PFQWP4S
You can either put them in your saved cart on Amazon and wait for the price to drop again or set up an email alert at camelcamelcamel

 

[BmwTechZiggy]

ive heard crazy things about these guys https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spyder-10pc-Blue-Hex-Shank-Drill-Bit-Set/5000149349

not sure how good they are but heard they quite good.

 

[exmaxima1]

Viking, Norseman, Triumph, Cle-Line, Chicago Latrobe, Cleveland

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EHLS22/?tag=atomicindus08-20

My buddy gave me a new Chicago Latrobe set of 135 degree split points---they are amazing. Drilling steel they have virtually no burr on the backside of the hole

 

[Aaron_W]

For general use wood and other soft materials I find whatever box store brand name twist drills (Dewalt, Vermont American, Irwin etc) are fine, even cheap Harbor Freight bits work. For specialized wood bits (Forstner, brad point etc) I find it worth splurging for better quality.
If you were drilling steel, then I find it work spending the money for better drills, but it doesn't sound like you need that.

I wonder how many actually read the OP's OP and needs.


This is what I am reading....

OP: .... Guys need a recommendation of a vehicle to go from point A to Point B.
SomeGuy: Dude... You needed a Ferrari, nothing else.

That seems to be the custom here.

 

[Bucko]

I've bought alot of various bits over the years and when they got dull I put them aside. For some reason I could not get myself to throw them out and for years I planned to get a drill Dr.. Well I finally did a few months back, and it brought all those old bits back to life. I had multiple cases of bits so I decided to keep one complete set that holds 115 bits (fractional, letter, and numbered). For all the rest I bought a few of the Vevor bit dispenser cabinets so its easier to see what my inventory is.

If I could do it all over again I would of bought the Drill Dr. years ago and likely saved alot of money because I've got more bits than I will use in multiple lifetimes.

 

[vrinner]

Any thoughts on a set like this? Although I'm sure not the best quality, for the occasional use it has a lot of the same sizes that you typically go through.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09N6Q7W59/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Al Borland]

The DeWalt bits are mediocre, Ryobis atrocious, and Milwookies **** too.
Dewalt and Milwookie have nice cases to re-purpose.
If Ryobi lasted 7 years, any should be fine.

 

[Bucko]

Any thoughts on a set like this? Although I'm sure not the best quality, for the occasional use it has a lot of the same sizes that you typically go through.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09N6Q7W59/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Just about all of those sets are junk. I bought a similar one and threw half the bits away due to death wobble. The rest had to get tuned up on the Drill Dr. in order to work decently.

 

[Tiny Jackson]

My buddy gave me a new Chicago Latrobe set of 135 degree split points---they are amazing. Drilling steel they have virtually no burr on the backside of the hole

I have (2) CL 135 split points in Aviation Sets. I got both with the Huot index boxes for $7 each at an estate sale. Both sets are jobber length. One is black oxide steel the other the goldish "Cobalt" bits. There were a few bits missing out of each set but I did not complain when I saw those sets new sell for 500 -600$ each. They both cut masterfully.

 

[Rinspeed]

I mean, this is GarageJournal, so you're getting enthusiast responses.

If your last set was Ryobi and you're replacing it due to wear and lost bits - then I second d.McFarland's recommendation for the cheap Dewalt set. He's overpaying though - even here in Canada those are $10 at Home Depot during any sales event (e.g. Christmas, Easter, Father's day, valentines day, Saturday...)

If I was looking for anything quality Home Depot would be the very last place I would look. All they sell is over-priced made in China garbage. When you beat up every single supplier you have over pennies quality is not going to get better.

 

[Legion Prime]

Here you go, 13pc CleLine set 1/16-1/4" for $26
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFQWP4S/?tag=atomicindus08-20

ETA: And it appears that they've been on sale a lot recently for under $20.
https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B00PFQWP4S
You can either put them in your saved cart on Amazon and wait for the price to drop again or set up an email alert at camelcamelcamel

Just a heads up since this got a bump, the 13pc CleLine set is currently $17 and there are only 2 left. Ready, set . . .