I am in the market for a hyper step bit set. I am looking for recommendations/reviews for both of these brand bits. The Astros are cheaper but do they last longer? Is there a lifetime warranty on 17/64" and up like with the Matco brand? How have they held up with long term use? Also, cobalt vs. steel for the Matco. Thanks.
DRILL BITS: Matco Hyper Step vs. Astro Pneumatic Turbo Step
- Thread starter NYBODYMAN
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dnschmidt
Well-known member
It is my understanding that ASTRO makes the Matco bits under a private label agreement. As you might know Matco makes nothing themselves except for their tool boxes.
Yeah I've read that Matco only makes their tool boxes and that's about it. They do, however warranty 17/64" and up. Does Astro warranty theirs at all?
jayemm
Well-known member
He has an earlier video also from 2020 testing step bits.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
What you're paying for with Matco is infinite replacements. I have 2 sets of Astros, and some Matco singles. When the Astros are worn out, which isn't impossible to do while hand drilling, into the trash they go. Matco may not break a set for you to replace a single, but they'll warranty them when dull via ordering a replacement or having a stock of singles to give you.
Piloting the holes is key. 1/4 and down they're all consumables IMO, protect the larger bits and avoid downtime for replacements. The wear is always the tip. I used an M18 drill and a Matco 3/8 bit to drill maybe 20 holes in Transit frames to mount brush guards, and the performance was noticeably degraded. Still cut, probably drilled out another half dozen lug nuts before I warrantied it. Which was the whole point of buying a single $30 drill bit.
In automotive hand drilling, where I exist, speeds/feeds doesn't work. You're laying down with one arm completely extended trying to get the down-pressure (now up-pressure overhead) you need and fighting the drill as it grabs. It's completely unreasonable to raise a drill fully overhead, and then measure your speed/feed progress while you can't even see what you're looking at or see the chip/curls to determine how the bit is cutting. That's why the tool trucks offered these warrantied bits. Previously I bought bulk USA made bits, which I still use, but it's generally more cost effective if you're doing a lot of drilling in subpar conditions to have some bits with a warranty.
Both the Astro and Matco just hog out material and it's very nice. Drill out a few transit frames or lug nuts in 90F with 90% humidity and you'll experience the true joy these bits deliver. They also grab less on break through than normal split points IMO. I can sharpen the split points, but they also cut much slower.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
I don't know but ASTRO has a great reputation for standing behind their products. So the answer could be maybe.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
I would personally go with the Matco cobalt mechanics length set.
The huge price difference is what's getting me. Decisions decisions.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
If you have reliable truck service, and think you can really use the warranty, buy some common larger singles from Matco and a regular use set from Astro. 1/4 and below don't have a warranty, so you have a ~$300 price difference for 17/64-1/2. If you don't have good truck service then the warranties don't make a lot of sense IMO. You can buy 3 sets of Astro for 1 set of Matco, so you better be swapping bits regularly. Grab a 12 pack of something like 1/8 and 1/4 in a quality USA made brand for pilots and you'll extend your bit life significantly.
Cobalt tends to break easier than steel bits and therefore isn't typically recommended for using in a hand drill.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
^^^^^ True fact.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
Cobalt is just fine in a drill. You thinking of carbide?
Plastikosmd
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Cobalt is a bit(no pun intended) less forgiving in a hand drill. Especially as you go smaller. A bit of operator fatigue creating wobble or having it hang up on an edge=snap. Not quite as bad as carbide but not as forgiving as HSS
I have a mix of sizes from Astro and Matco I used at CAT on a daily basis drilling through hard steel. I have a few of both the cobalt and HSS versions from Matco.
I will be honest, I didn't notice a difference between any of them in terms of durability or cutting performance. I also didn't break any of them.
I will be honest, I didn't notice a difference between any of them in terms of durability or cutting performance. I also didn't break any of them.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
I realize its more brittle but I’ve never had a problem snapping bits. Chipped cutting edge, yeah. I even have cobalt drills with hex shanks that I have hammered on with my impact driver. My Dewalt cobalt bits have been through hell and back on the job, small and big, and have held up to everything I have thrown at them, all with handheld drills. Not to mention the other sets I use in the shop.
That's seems to be the consensus. I think I am going to go with the Astro set.
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I’ve got the 29 piece Matco branded set. Best $300 something I’ve ever spent. Everyone in the shop borrows them because they all have drill bits that ****. But some have dulled or broken even the small ones and my driver has just replaced them even when he wasn’t supposed to just as a good dealer would. I’ve never had one defeated by another drill bit. The price maybe more but the warranty and availability on the truck to me as a professional is worth it. And they will also cut the **** out of your fingers getting them out of the case so be very careful I have cut myself plenty of times on them.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
The only downside to these types of bits is that they are impossible to sharpen. I'm pretty good at sharpening a normal drill bit but there is no possibility of sharpening these types of drills. When they go dull you buy new ones but I'll admit I have yet to have one go dull so that's a good thing.
Plastikosmd
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I’ve snapped plenty of smaller ones vs the “pure” hss but I love the higher % cobalt for the hard stuff. I seem to be running into some work hardening lately and the cobalt chews through that. I haven’t used any cobalt in an impact setting. I’m glad to hear it works
Plastikosmd
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I have found a way that works for me (both the straight flute and the helical ones.
I think I got the idea off a web video. I will look for the link
Great review. Only thing for me is that if they're the exact same as the Astro ones which are much cheaper, then that's what I will go with.
They are the same bits, at least the HSS version. Only difference is the Astro's have a black oxide type finish, and the Matco version is silver/chrome.
Matco also offers a cobalt version, which is gold. Astro does not offer the cobalt directly though.
This thread from 2023 has some info you might find useful, directly from Chris @ Astro.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/new-astro-turbostep-drill-bit-sets-29pc-21pc.503779/
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drokihazan
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None of the above!
Norseman Vortex. I just buy Norseman for all my drills and have for years, they're phenomenal. HJE is a great vendor for them, too. I generally just use a 118° split point, but I've picked up a few individual Vortex sizes like 13/64, 17/16, 3/8, 5/16, and 1/2 that I use a lot and have really enjoyed them. If you've gotta pick a drill for how well it cuts, Norseman.
If you really want a truck warranty in order to abuse the drills, apparently Mac is the choice. A lot of Mac dealers carry KnKut step tips now, and Mac warranties the whole set - even lil 1/16" drills.
Norseman Vortex. I just buy Norseman for all my drills and have for years, they're phenomenal. HJE is a great vendor for them, too. I generally just use a 118° split point, but I've picked up a few individual Vortex sizes like 13/64, 17/16, 3/8, 5/16, and 1/2 that I use a lot and have really enjoyed them. If you've gotta pick a drill for how well it cuts, Norseman.
If you really want a truck warranty in order to abuse the drills, apparently Mac is the choice. A lot of Mac dealers carry KnKut step tips now, and Mac warranties the whole set - even lil 1/16" drills.
tonicaltool
Member
When I was a Matco Distributor - I left around 2010, Over size 1/4" was warranty and the smaller ones were not. The vendor for drill bits was Hanson/Irwin, which at that time was still USA made. I do not know whether Astro is the vendor today but a current Matco distributor could look this up on their laptop. I see some of these vintage Matco bits for sale on the ProtoolsNW eBay store here: https://www.ebay.com/str/tooltruckdealdepot They were fine, nothing too special but solid bits.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
That's the current Hyperstep bit warranty, above 1/4 is covered as lifetime warranty.
As Drokihazan said, if you buy the stepped bits from MAC they warranty even the smallest bits.