Hex bit sets?

[xladkalkd]

I needed some additional hex bits for a project.

Many of my tools are Craftsman but have a few industrial quality tools picked up from factory auctions.

I haven't looked at hex bits for quite a while. After looking around at hex bit sets I ran across both good and poor quality, where most seem to made in China. Even the Craftman sets appear to be made in China.

Good quality bit are often from German manufactures such as Wiha and other German brands, as well as some USA based manufactures. However even the known US name brands many of their tools are now being imported from China.

I looked around at Irwins which appear to be better quality than Craftsmans, and several others brands, however all the sets are under 50 piece sets with a higher price tag than the Craftsman's with what appears to be borderline quality.

Since I don't work with hex bits very often and don't get into heavy construction, projects and equipment any longer. I decided to get an inexpensive set of Craftsman hex bits as they would only be used infrequently, once in a while around the home.

If they sit around most of the time, not being used, I don't really care if their cheap or expensive quality. If one breaks it won't cost an arm and a leg to replace if necessary.

Also these Craftsman sets have a greater variety of bits than other hex bit sets looked at.

Craftsman 208-Piece Ultimate Screwdriver Bit Set $17.99 at Sears.com, with free shipping.

Craftsman 300-Piece Drill Bit Accessory Kit
Craftsman Speed-Lok ™ 300-pc. Drill & drive set $22.49 at Sears.com, with free shipping.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-300-piece-drill-bit-accessory-kit/p-A010342737

Parts list for 300-Piece

156 1-in driver bits,
17 1-in security bits,
20 1-in tamper security bits,
7 titanium high speed steel drill bits,
5 carbide tipped masonry drill bits,
5 brad point drill bits,
4 drill stops,
1 allen wrench,
3 wood boring bits,
16 allen wrenches,
1 magnetic bit holder,
14 nut drivers,
1 speed-lok quick connector".

 

[Chevy-SS]

Holy ****, $22 for 300 pieces? Man, each piece would cost $22 if it was Snap-On, hahahahaa. That's a Helluva deal, it seems...........

 

[four.cycle]

"...$22 for 300 pieces?..."

what are they made out of? cheese?

okay, but seriously.... it's one of those "consumable" things like drill bits.
believe it or not a cheapie set I bought probably 20 years ago in the middle of some job somewhere is still holding up. only ones I buzz through are the #2 phillips - best purchased by the box.

 

[Chevy-SS]

what are they made out of? cheese?

Heck man, even if they WERE made out of cheese, they'd still be more than that, LOL. My God, how are some of these prices even possible?

 

[mudflap]

Like Four Cycle said....they are consumables.. The Craftsman ones will work fine 95% of the time.. The other 5% of the time no brand will work, not even almighty Snap-on gets the job done.. We see this on the big chipper blades, or floor/dash panels on heavy equipment. We usually have to weld a nut or bolt to the Hex heads to get them out. With hex fasteners it pays to take a little extra time to use a small pick and really clean them out. Grease, grit, mud, etc that keeps the bit from fully seating..learned that after many stripped holes...sometimes slower is faster...

 

[bonneyman]

I've had good luck with APEX bits, but can't confirm that they're USA. And the Makita Gold series of screwdriver bits are really nice.

If a fastener is worn I've heard that a small dab of valve polishing compound on the bit gives it some extra "grab".

 

[mmason7764]

xladkalkd,

If one of your projects involves driving deck screws into wood, let us know how long one of these bits last (how many screws before needing to be replaced).

 

[derosa]

xladkalkd,

If one of your projects involves driving deck screws into wood, let us know how long one of these bits last (how many screws before needing to be replaced).

If its not a torx head deck screw it isn't worth the effort to work with in my experience, in which case even the cheap ones will last through a 5lb box with no problems. I've got a number of t25 bits that the Ace deck screws come with due to working through a cheap set like this. Liked having the quick change extension on the driver and didn't like the extra length of the ace bits. It's not a bad junk drawer set for having just the right bit for the few times you may need it.

 

[wkndwarrior29]

https://m.harborfreight.com/100-pc-security-bit-set-with-case-62657.html

I have these but branded from pep boys, they work just as good as any other bits I have used. The set is pretty inclusive too, I bought them for the triple square bits.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[Wamsutta]

However even the known US name brands many of their tools are now being imported from China.

Nice try. Apex and Zephyr are still made in USA. Better quality too.

 

[xladkalkd]

Nice try. Apex and Zephyr are still made in USA. Better quality too.

Yeah, I'm mostly referring to sets you find in big box stores marketed toward home users, etc.

Apex, Zephyr and other brands I couldn't find anything even close to a 200 to 300 pc. bit set.

Zephyr Screwdriver Bit Set - ZMS-28 (28 piece) $59.95
24BITKIT Apex 24 Piece Screwdriver Bit Kit $79.63

After some research I did purchase some microbits from KC Tools, looked around at the Chinese sets between $10.00 and $20.00, however there are varying reviews, with one star reviews stating that the bits would shatter, become twisted, head would wear out after one or two uses, etc.

I came across a German made microbit set from Wiha that was on sale with an orig. list price of $109.98.

https://www.kctoolco.com/wiha-75971-68-piece-microbit-master-tech-set-in-zipper-case/?_vsrefdom=adwords&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3dTQBRDnARIsAGKSflkCCT2paFVnFOQn70qLUgTPVJmksIPD5I71iQxu1LUlbqUDZHQDfcoaAlnYEALw_wcB

Total cost came to $60.00 with shipping

These sets use a 4mm (5/32") hex bits with smaller sizes than 1/4" hex bits.

0.8mm - 4mm , #000 - #2, T1 - T20, PL1 - PL6, 0.71 - 4mm, 0.050 - 5/32, 2.0 - 5.5mm, 5/64 - 7/32

Anyway I think the Craftsman will work ok for around the house, working on vehicles, boat, trailer, RV, etc. If I need some bits for a major project then I'll stop down at home depot and pick up some bulk bits in sizes required for the project.

 

[firworks]

Heck man, even if they WERE made out of cheese, they'd still be more than that, LOL. My God, how are some of these prices even possible?

I WISH I could buy that much cheese for 22$.

 

[Tonyuk]

I bought a large set like that posted from a shop called Screwfix over here, it was about £25 and looks pretty much the same. Half the bits i've never used and i've worn some out, the ones i use the most i ended up just buying them in the small boxes of 10, latest were dewalt bits and they're good for the money.

 

[dkroth]

Just found this thread...

From my post over in the Sears thread:

Someone posted this 300-Piece Drill Bit Accessory Kit a few days ago. It's still at $22.49.

I picked it up today. It's hard to underestimate the quality of this set. Bad, bad. The drill bits have grinding flash on the points where they were sharpened. Some of the security bits have the recess hole off-center. The box is that cheap, flexy plastic that barely holds it's shape.

Someone at Sears picked this out of a Chinese catalog, ordered a few thousand and had them slap a Craftsman sticker on them before they went on the boat.

I suppose it's good enough for puttering around the house - tighten a loose hinge, run a screw into a loose chair leg. Don't rely on this if you're changing more than a deck board or two.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-300-piece-drill-bit-accessory-kit/p-A010342737

.

 

[sk farmer]

chapman has a great black friday deal on their sets. american too if that is what you like.

 

[xladkalkd]

Just found this thread...

From my post over in the Sears thread:

Yes your right, it's Chinese cheese. I purchased both sets so now I have over 500 bit with different bit types, including security bits, etc. for $40.00 of China Junk bits.

However what would it cost me to go out and purchase the same or similar bits of higher quality? Imo, higher quality would be either industrial or professional grade, which are designed to last.

I'm assuming each cheese bit can be used at least a couple of times. Others will sit unused until a particular type of bit is needed for one time use. Many bits probably won't ever be needed.

If screw bits are needed for project of extended bit use, hours at a time. I can go down to home depot and purchase a bulk pack of a certain bit type.

I mainly got them for one, two perhaps three time use of different bit types of which many will may not be needed until e.g. ~10 years from now.

I suppose I could go out and spend upwards to a grand or more for quality bits of different bit types that too, many would just sit there for years until needed to be used from once to a few times.

I'm retired and don't work on projects as much any more. Back in the days when working full time I worked in the shipyards on 30+ ton modules, superstructures and inner bottoms (metals up to 3" high 80 steel plating) . The quality of tools were much different than consumer products. Though I used Industrial electric power tools such as grinders, etc.

My primary tool set was a gas torch, welder, hammer, tri-square and water level. (also bottle jacks and come-a-longs). I read navy yards such as back in Norfolk, Va water levels have been replaced with lasers that are accurate to a billionth of an inch. Wonder the cost difference between is between a water level and a laser tool that's able to determine differences of the interior of a ~30+ ton module by billionths of an inch.

When I first hired in I learned alot of the trade from old timers who originally started out as riveters before ships were welded together)

However I also have respect of wood boat building. I once met this old guy while living on an Island that was from a family of 17 generations of boat building. With some crude tools, no blueprints or plans, he built himself a beautiful 35 foot ocean going sail boat with mahogany cabin and teak decks. Didn't require any fancy modern tools, power tools, etc.

I guess many people who work with power and electric tools may not realize humans have worked for a long time with tools when there was no such thing as electricity which has been in use for approx. ~100 years, same is true of gas and oil which we rely heavily on for human existence and survival.

Many of my better quality tools are my older ones, it's becoming difficult to find quality tools unless purchasing tools of industrial or professional quality.

 

[xladkalkd]

Received the Craftsman 208-Piece Ultimate Screwdriver Bit Set today and quality is better than originally perceived.

Though I haven't yet used any of the bits. The bit set appears to be better than other Made in China bit sets I've purchased in the past.

The bits have no sliver coating and are a darker grey color.

The bits are more refined than other made in China bits I've used and owned and each bit has notches that clip into an included hex bit drill driver.

I'm uncertain of the grade metal being used as their are several different types of metal and combination of metals used. S2 grade has become more popular, however there are various qualities of S2 bits.

I would actually need to use the bits for a while in order to stress test them.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I bought the 208-piece set a while back with some points I had that were going to expire, I think it cost me $8 out the door.

The quality of the bits are actually half decent... But you get what you pay for, I'm sure the metal is pretty soft and will strip easy. I honestly didn't care about all the philips & flat-head pieces, I have better Dewalt bits for that purpose, I just wanted the assortment of other bits.

I've used it a few times when I needed some small oddball size / style. I've also loaned it to my neighbor a couple times when he needed a bit and I ask him, "What kind?" and he just shrugs his shoulders because he's not a tool guy... lol.

 

[xladkalkd]

I bought the 208-piece set a while back with some points I had that were going to expire, I think it cost me $8 out the door.

The quality of the bits are actually half decent... But you get what you pay for, I'm sure the metal is pretty soft and will strip easy. I honestly didn't care about all the philips & flat-head pieces, I have better Dewalt bits for that purpose, I just wanted the assortment of other bits.

I've used it a few times when I needed some small oddball size / style. I've also loaned it to my neighbor a couple times when he needed a bit and I ask him, "What kind?" and he just shrugs his shoulders because he's not a tool guy... lol.

I found some bit manufactures provide data sheets or at least a torque values for their bits.

e.g. I was looking around at Wiha hex bits and found a spec sheet for iirc for a torx hex bit and it had a torque value of between ~8 (10.85Nm) and ~10 foot lbs (13.56Nm)

Heres a list for wiha tools blades, which is suppose to be the same as hex bits. I guess some people refer to bits as blades?

https://www.wihatools.com/max-torque-blades

Even if a manufacture doesn't provide a spec sheet for their bits most likely during manufacturing someone came up with a torque value range of some sort for a particular size and type hex bit. Most popular are the 1/4" hex bits and also 4mm microbits. 4mm = 5/32", 1/4" = 6.35mm

There are different grades of metal used to create hex bits
e.g.

Protanium® Steel is a proprietary alloy steel developed and used only by Bondhus, which claims "It is the hardest, most ductile, and longest wearing steel that exists in the hex tool industry."

8650 is the most common grade in use throughout the U.S. and the Far East. It does not have the hardness or ductility of Protanium® Steel

Chrome Vanadium is about comparable in quality to 8650. It is used primarily in Europe.

Chrome Moly is similar to Chrome Vanadium, but is somewhat stronger and harder. Because it is fairly expensive, manufacturers generally only use it on their higher grade and higher priced tools like ball head products, and substitute lower grades for their other tools. Europe and Japan are the primary users.

S2 harder than 8650, but it is also less ductile, more costly, and far more prone to shattering.

Stainless Steel of which may not considered not to be as good as the steels listed above.

1050 carbon steel is low-grade steel that is inferior to those listed above. It is still used by some manufacturers in Europe and Asia.

There are also combinations of some of the above metals, created by various manufactures. Such as e.g. Wiha (a German company) some of their bits are made of a special chrome-vanadium-molybdenum ... Material: CRM-72 S2 Modified Tool Steel;

This is only a partial list. Tool manufactures in the US are know to import their bits from German manufactures, which produce some of the best tools such as hex bits, etc. Others may import from or have factories in China. Steel products from China aren't necessarily cheap because their products aren't made very well, have poor quality control, etc. Some of their products are less expensive as China doesn't have the same sort of environmental laws as in other countries such as the US. Most if not all of their companies are run and/or controlled by the government. Though China has started to become more environmental friendly factories such as their steel foundries may use older (less environmental friendly) foundry methods without pollution control, etc. that possibly wouldn't be allowed to exist in countries with stricter environmental laws.
________

The Sears set doesn't appear to be real cheap. I don't know what type of tool hex bit steel is being used and how it compares to e.g. Klein, Milwaukee, Dewalt, and other brands sold to consumers.

Factors that affect performance of steel, and the tools are: hardness, ductility, grain size, alloy composition, and heat treating. Behind these characteristics stand deeper concepts of lattice structure, bonding, crystal formation, dislocations, phase transformation, quench rates, and heat treating, etc.

There's quite a bit that goes into the metallurgy of tool steel. I suppose some manufactures just use what tool steel is available at a certain price and don't actually perform any metallurgy in order to create their tool products.

 

[xladkalkd]

Well, the Craftsman 300-Piece Drill Bit Accessory Kit arrived today. From observation the appearance is the same or nearly the same as the 208 piece bit set.

However there is one difference, the bits have CR-V stamped on each bit.

CR-V is a Chromium-vanadium steel (symbol Cr-V or CrV; 6000-series SAE steel grades) is a group of steel alloys incorporating carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, silicon, chromium, and vanadium. Some forms can be used as high-speed steel. ... Chromium also helps resist abrasion, oxidation, and corrosion

Basically it's an iron alloyed with Chrome and Vanadium. It shows high resistance to corrosion and suitable hardness. Chrome is a very hard metal, and adds hardness to steel. Vanadium is more of a brittle metal, adding toughness.

The end result is a steel that holds an edge but doesn't grow dull after repeated use.

This set case is a little better than the hex bit set case as it uses metal rods for hinges rather than all plastic hinges, the snap locks are plastic and actually hinges (not bending plastic). Both cases are better constructed using better materials than some automotive single use tool set I've either looked at or have purchased.

None of the pieces in either set were floating around inside the case or missing. This drill and hex bit set has a clear plastic membrane that's attached with screws that need to first be removed. Possibly can be reused if needed. The other set has clear plastic membrane without screws that fits on one side of the case to membrane to hold bits into place.

However both sets the case is designed to hold bits in place without the plastic membrane.

I would estimate the quality is better to much better than one would find at Harbor Freight, low to mid range quality sets found in automotive, hardware, Home Depot, big box, etc. stores.

I might add in todays world many products including tools are designed to last from one to a few years. Back in my youth in the 50's and 60's manufactures designed products to last a minimum of 30 years. e.g. I use to have a 1956 Coldspot refrigerator that was running well, keeping food frozen and at the right temperature after more than 50 years.

Unless purchasing industrial or Pro grade tools, consumer grade tools often aren't designed to last long or even repaired. Like all most modern consumer products the basic design is to replace the product when it breaks or wears out and not to repair.

As someone mentioned hex bits and drills are considered to be consumables and normally don't carry a lifetime warranty. So even if you purchase Snap-On and similar quality bits which potentially may last longer, will eventually need to be replaced at a cost to the purchaser.

 

[xladkalkd]

Here's some close up pics. Imo, they're not low end cheapies as found in some stores, closer to mid-range quality for a price that I haven't been able to find elsewhere with this many variety of bits in one set.

 

[tym]

chapman has a great black friday deal on their sets. american too if that is what you like.

+1 on Chapman. Their prices are shockingly reasonable even without the Black Friday deal.

 

[xladkalkd]

It's looks like Chapman may be the way to go.

Chapman MFG Model 5575 56 Piece Master Screwdriver Set
$ 97.00 looks like a good deal, however for less than half the price I have two sets with more than 500 pieces , though apparently not the same quality as Chapman tools.

Here's a part list I put together for both sets. Not Industrial or Pro quality. I would estimate the quality as consumer grade. How the two sets compare to other consumer grade tool's? I'm uncertain.

One set has two hex bit lengths while the other comes with three hex bit lengths.

Craftsman 300-Piece Drill Bit Accessory Kit

masonry drill bits - 1/8", 5/32", 11/64", 3/16", 7/32", 1/4"
wood brad drill bits - 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8"
black oxide bits - 1/16", 5/64", 3/32", 7/64", 1/8", 9/64", 5/32", 3/16", 1/4"
spade bits - 1/2", 5/8", 3/4"

50 2-indriver bits, 156 1-in driver bits, 17 1-in security bits, 20 1-in tamper security bits, 7 titanium high speed steel drill bits, 5 carbide tipped masonry drill bits, 5 brad point drill bits, 4 drill stops, 1 allen wrench, 3 wood boring bits, 16 allen wrenches, 1 magnetic bit holder, 14 nut drivers, 1 speed-lok quick connector

Craftsman Ultimate Screwdriver Bit Set - 208 pcs

98 each - 1" Power Bits
Phillips 1, 2, & 3
Slotted 3-4, 6-8, 8-10, & 10-12
Square 1, 2, & 3
Standard Hex 1/16, 5/64, 3/32, 7/64, 1/8, 9/64, 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, & 1/4"
Torx 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 27, 30, 35, & 40
29 each - 2" Power Bits
Phillips 1, 2, & 3
Slotted 6-8, 8-10, & 10-12
Square 1, 2, & 3
Standard Hex 7/64 & 5/32"
18 each - 3" Power Bits
Phillips 1, 2, & 3
Slotted 6-8, 8-10, & 10-12
Square 1, 2, & 3
Standard Hex 7/64 & 5/32"
20 each - Nut Drivers
Standard 3/16, 7/32, 1/4, 9/32, 5/16, 11/32, 3/8, 7/16, & 1/2"
Metric 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13mm
17 each - Security Bits
Spanner 4, 6, 8, & 10
Tri-Wing 1, 2, 3, & 4
Mor-Torq 6, 8, & 10
Clutch 1, 2, & 3
Spline 5, 6, & 8
23 each - Tampered Securuty Bits
Standard Hex 5/64, 3/32, 7/64, 1/8, 9/64, & 5/32"
Metric Hex 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, & 6mm
Torx 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 27, 30, 35, & 40
1 each - 1" Bit Adaptor, 1/4" Hex to 1/4" Square Drive
1 each - 2-1/4" Bit Holder
1 each - 2-1/4" Quick Change Bit Holder see less