moronmountain
Well-known member
Who makes the best bang for the buck, but still high quality drill bits? Please don't fight, I just want some good opinions lol! 
Drill bits?
- Thread starter moronmountain
- Start date
evintho
Well-known member
You'll get a lot of good recommendations on here. What are you gonna use them for. Metal, wood, hobby, production? I just collected bits over the years, now I have hundreds and keep 'em sharp with a Drill Doctor. But, of course, I'm cheap!
Cougar
Well-known member
I've had good luck with Precision and Cleveland.
Stuey
Well-known member
Same here.
Enco and MSC's sales flyers often have sales on certain USA-made drill bit sets - it's worth a look.
OP
moronmountain
Well-known member
Mostly metal is what I'm looking for. I have plenty of cheap ones that work fine in wood.
OP
moronmountain
Well-known member
Yeah I've actually thought of this because a friend had a good experience with his. I don't have direct access to a MAC dealer however.
Case IH
Well-known member
I like Milwuakee
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
Almost all metal usage and I've been buying and using Dormer bits for years.
All USA made.
http://www.dormertools.com/sandvik/2531/internet/s003591.nsf?OpenDatabase
All USA made.
http://www.dormertools.com/sandvik/2531/internet/s003591.nsf?OpenDatabase
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AZ_Catskinner
Well-known member
I've got a set of Craftsman titanium coateds that are probably the best bits I've ever owned.
JML2
Well-known member
The Hanson/Irwin "Turbomax" bits are superb; unfortunately, what was once a US-made product is now coming from China. If you can find a set of the US-made bits, grab them. They're HSS bits with a unique point grind that is much like the pilot-point design from DeWalt, but they're far better.
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american lockpicker
Banned
Alpen from Austria.
american lockpicker
Banned
They used to be German made now Chinese.
Hammer1963
Well-known member
Any USA, Brazilian, German, British, Canadian made High speed steel bit. Learn how to sharpen them, use the proper coolant or lubricant and they will last for many many years.
american lockpicker
Banned
Brazilian is good?
Hammer1963
Well-known member
It seems that several manufactures have formed a co-op to have some drill bits made in Brazil. I was shocked when I stumbled across a few and flat out put them to the test. They held up as well as my Clevelands and Union. I was surprised and impressed
american lockpicker
Banned
I'll have to give them a try then. I noticed some Irwins used to be made there before being outsourced to china.
Carl B
Well-known member
The best Drill Bits I've used - as well as Best Bang For The Buck - are sold at Harbor Freight. No kidding...
DrillMaster Titanium Nitride Coated. Matter of fact they are ON SALE for $19.99 for a 29 Piece Set right now. For the money I've never had anything that came close.
http://www.harborfreight.com/29-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-drill-bit-set-5889.html
I had been using my Snap-On Bit Set for years and slowly I had broken a few, a few others were burned and most were getting dull. These DrillMaster's are in my opinion Superior to the Snap-On set I had. These DrillMasters have cut through hard steel like butter - and many many times without losing their edge. I was so impressed with them - that the following year when HF had a sale - I bought a second set just to be sure I've have some for later years.
I also bought a few packages of their small bit sizes - as I tend to break small diameter bits as I lean the wrong way on the drill..... da.... I use them for pilot holes in thicker steel.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-8-ei...itanium-nitride-drill-bits-10-pack-93079.html
I also then bought a set of the Drill Master Step Drills - I use these all the time on sheet-metal !!
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-96275.html
Hummm..... I see they now have a 115 Piece Set for $49.95. I may have to grab these as backup's/spares.
http://www.harborfreight.com/115-pi...d-m2-high-speed-steel-drill-bit-set-1611.html
I've spent ten times this much money on Drill Bit Sets - that weren't nearly as good.
FWIW,
Carl B.
DrillMaster Titanium Nitride Coated. Matter of fact they are ON SALE for $19.99 for a 29 Piece Set right now. For the money I've never had anything that came close.
http://www.harborfreight.com/29-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-drill-bit-set-5889.html
I had been using my Snap-On Bit Set for years and slowly I had broken a few, a few others were burned and most were getting dull. These DrillMaster's are in my opinion Superior to the Snap-On set I had. These DrillMasters have cut through hard steel like butter - and many many times without losing their edge. I was so impressed with them - that the following year when HF had a sale - I bought a second set just to be sure I've have some for later years.
I also bought a few packages of their small bit sizes - as I tend to break small diameter bits as I lean the wrong way on the drill..... da.... I use them for pilot holes in thicker steel.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-8-ei...itanium-nitride-drill-bits-10-pack-93079.html
I also then bought a set of the Drill Master Step Drills - I use these all the time on sheet-metal !!
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-96275.html
Hummm..... I see they now have a 115 Piece Set for $49.95. I may have to grab these as backup's/spares.
http://www.harborfreight.com/115-pi...d-m2-high-speed-steel-drill-bit-set-1611.html
I've spent ten times this much money on Drill Bit Sets - that weren't nearly as good.
FWIW,
Carl B.
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american lockpicker
Banned
We need a "groan" feature on here. 
RHOPPER
Active member
Whatever you buy, get a drill doctor and keep them sharp. If I'm drilling alot of holes I'll dress them up on the DD just to keep them cutting.
american lockpicker
Banned
I've been thinking of buying one of those, just need to find one on sale.
Busted Bolts
Well-known member
try looking at WTTOOL.COM, they have both US and import, jobber, mechanics length, all different types and hardness.
dede2897234
Well-known member
I have owned the Irwin 29 Piece Cobalt M-35 Metal Index Drill Bit Set (item# 3018002) for a few years. They were made in Brazil and have held up well drilling in steel (using cutting oil is the key). I bought them for a little less than $100. Here are current prices for the Irwin set: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Irwin+29+Piece+Cobalt+M-35&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=7413410993793965855&sa=X&ei=IeW4TeuADYTTgQew9s14&ved=0CFwQgggwAA#scoring=p.
Dave
JayL
Well-known member
The Alpen drill bits are readily available my side of the pond. I switched from Dormer to these primarily because of cheaper cost ( for drilling metals mostly mild steel ). None the less I'm very happy with the Alpen performance and am sticking to these now.
I have not tried their upper end product line yet.
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american lockpicker
Banned
I have to import mine from England. Still they are pretty affordable for what they are.
Cougar
Well-known member
Not all of them. The cobalt's I'm using are made in Brazil.
I was reluctant to use them but they were in stock and I needed some drills. Ran them against some Michigan Twist Drills that are supposed to be Made in the USA. Precision are way better than the Michigan.
Didn't want to go with the import but I have to use what works best.
wheats71
Well-known member
i bought MAC bits about 8 months ago they are by far the sharpest bits i have ever had
and MAC will warrenty every one of the bits i realize that 1/2 bits don't break very often but 1/8 bits snap like pretzals
the bits stay sharp long after any cheap *** bits wouldnt cut butter
but on the same hand the warrenty is only as good as the dealer
and MAC will warrenty every one of the bits i realize that 1/2 bits don't break very often but 1/8 bits snap like pretzals
the bits stay sharp long after any cheap *** bits wouldnt cut butter
but on the same hand the warrenty is only as good as the dealer