Hex Shank Drill Bits. Anyone here use them?

[uart]

Just wondering if many people use hex shank drill bits like the ones pictured in the attachment.

I've got a tiny set here, only 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0 mm (obviously not the set pictured). TBH I'd never used them much in the past, but I've recently noticed that they do seem fairly useful for "home handyman" type stuff. Like having just one drill/driver up a ladder and being able to easily swap out a pilot drill, a countersink bore and a driver bit with a quick release collet.

I was thinking about getting a more complete set but I'm in two minds about it. Though they seem fine for undemanding stuff (like a screw pilot into wood for example), I'm wondering if the larger sizes might be less useful. I'm tending to think I'd always prefer a more solidly chucked drill bit for larger sizes and more demanding stuff.

So just wondering what other people think of these quick change artists. Do you use your larger sizes very much?

 

[383 240z]

I have a set of those, I keep them around for when I'm to lazy to go get a drill, and I pop them in my impact driver. Not very precise by ANY stretch. However if all I need to do is pop a hole in something they get the job done. Keith

 

[cburnscrx]

I use them for little task around the house that only require a few different size holes. I use them with my cordless screwdriver, think hanging blinds or curtains. Anything that requires precise drilling...too much wobble unless you use them like a regular bit in a chuck.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I've recently noticed that they do seem fairly useful for "home handyman" type stuff. Like having just one drill/driver up a ladder and being able to easily swap out a pilot drill, a countersink bore and a driver bit with a quick release collet.

I use them for that on a very regular basis, as I'm building a house. They are VERY handy with the quick-detach assembly made by Irwin.

 

[Zeke]

I use them for little task around the house that only require a few different size holes. I use them with my cordless screwdriver, think hanging blinds or curtains. Anything that requires precise drilling...too much wobble unless you use them like a regular bit in a chuck.

This^^^^^ wobble. You end up breaking them.

 

[jjjrmx5]

I personally hate them due to the slop in the 1/4" hex drive, thus wobble like those above..

If doing a repetitive low torque drilling task followed by installing a fastener, they may merit some time savings in the construction or repair world, but for anything but wood, drywall or light plastic drilling they have no use in my world.

I have a small set I picked up a the local jumble sale and sharpened them and really only use them if I;m being really really lazy. Really really really lazy.

 

[uart]

Sounds like most people both love them and hate them for the same reasons I do. Great for a quick change from pilot drill to driver when you're working something soft, like wood or drywall. But hopeless with too much wobble for anything more demanding. This kind of confirms my feeling that I wouldn't use larger sizes very much anyway. If I see an individual 5 or 6 mm bit going cheap then I'll probably pick it up, beef up my set just a little bit. But I don't think I'll bother with going for a significantly bigger set now.

BTW. Does anyone know how these are normally attached to the hex shanks. Are they brazed or silvered soldered? Or something else perhaps?

 

[MJB24]

I was thinking about getting a more complete set but I'm in two minds about it. Though they seem fine for undemanding stuff (like a screw pilot into wood for example), I'm wondering if the larger sizes might be less useful. I'm tending to think I'd always prefer a more solidly chucked drill bit for larger sizes and more demanding stuff.

So just wondering what other people think of these quick change artists. Do you use your larger sizes very much?

Dont forget you can still chuck them in a regular collet as well and they will be sturdy. But they do typically cost more.

 

[uart]

Dont forget you can still chuck them in a regular collet as well and they will be sturdy. But they do typically cost more.

Yeah that's a good point. So it's not like they'd be totally useless if I decide I don't want to use them as slide in or quick release, maybe just a bit more expensive then need be.

Back to the other question. Does anyone know how they're typically attached (to the shank).

 

[jmm]

I have a set of those, I keep them around for when I'm to lazy to go get a drill, and I pop them in my impact driver. Not very precise by ANY stretch. However if all I need to do is pop a hole in something they get the job done. Keith

My thoughts exactly. I've got a Kobalt set that are actually pretty decent. I'm not using them for any holes that'll need tapping, but for making a quick hole you really can't beat em.

 

[Adam.C]

I have 2 problems with those:
1) the sloppy hex chuck
2) they don't fit in my drill doctor.

Once you either learn to sharpen bits freehand or get a Drill Dr, you can never go back to using dull bits again.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I don't see the point in the quick change feature...Drill bits in the cordless drill, driver in the impact driver. One in each hand = High Speed Low Drag

 

[mrjaw14]

I use them in a right-angle 1/4 adapter when I need to drill a hold between studs or joists. The right-angle attachment helps get the bit where the drill won't fit. I have a right-angle chuck adapter as well, but I've had obstructions where even that was too fat. So those hex chanked bits can be a life saver in a situation like that. Or I could just buy a right angle drill. those can be $$$ though. for occasional use a right-angled adapter seemed more cost effective.

As others mentioned, lots of slop, little precision

 

[er3456df]

Well, I think they're great. I use a real drill with a chuck, though, not a bit-driver.

Swapping sizes is nice, because you don't have to move the chuck all around- just crack it loose, swap bits, and snug it back down. Easy. No slipping in the chuck, either.

I'd be happy if ALL my bits were like this.

 

[64merc]

I have some from HF and they are ok for wood and drywall. Anyone know of any good quality bits in this style, or are they pretty much all the same?

 

[Monte]

if you want to use hex shank drill bits without wobble and if you want a quick change feature: Festool Centrotec

...

 

[neophyte]

Sounds like most people both love them and hate them for the same reasons I do. Great for a quick change from pilot drill to driver when you're working something soft, like wood or drywall. But hopeless with too much wobble for anything more demanding. This kind of confirms my feeling that I wouldn't use larger sizes very much anyway. If I see an individual 5 or 6 mm bit going cheap then I'll probably pick it up, beef up my set just a little bit. But I don't think I'll bother with going for a significantly bigger set now.

BTW. Does anyone know how these are normally attached to the hex shanks. Are they brazed or silvered soldered? Or something else perhaps?

The bit construction varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

For USA manufactured bits, the main supplier is a company called the Jore Corporation that's headquartered in Ronan, Montana. They manufacture the bits under their own brand names, Montana Drill/Montana Brand Tools, and Rocky Mountain Twist. The Jore bits have a shank that appears to be injection cast onto twist drill bits. The Hex shank material looks like it may be some sort of zinc alloy. Jore also manufactures the same bits for a number of other brands or under license to a number of other brands. The brands include Makita, Hitachi, Black & Decker, and Stanley. They also supplied Craftsman but I'm not sure whether they still do. If the Hex shank quick change drill bits are Made in the USA and have a dull grey shank, they were probably manufactured by Jore. The corporation has a number of patents for other drilling items you may see.

The other USA made quick change hex shank drill bits I've found are made by Norseman/Viking. These bits appear to have steel shanks that are brazed onto the Norseman Magnum design drill bits. The Magnum drill bits are Nitro-carburized, black and gold, open flute drill bits that are suitable for drilling a number of materials including some stainless steel alloys. The Magnum drill bits also seem to be well regarded. Brazing drill bits in separate shanks also seems to be used for threaded shank aircraft bits so the design may be capable for industrial use.

Dewalt manufactures some quick change hex shank drill bits in Germany for impact use. In the USA the bits are sold under the name Impact Ready in the UK and possibly other parts of the world the bits are sold as Extreme Impact. The bits are mechanics length, and machined from a single piece of steel. Supposedly the bits were specifically tested for impact use. The bits use the Dewalt Pilot Point tip design that incorporates a smaller diameter split point drilling tip that extends out of a low angle cutting edge further back on the bit. The design allows the bits to start drilling easily and maintain a rounder hole in some drilling situation. Once the bits dull you would either have to resharpen them into regular twist points, or buy a new bit. The bits are really well made.

The older dewalt quick change hex drill bits were sold as Rapid Load. I'm not sure were these bits were made. The bits were typically black oxide finish, with a separate steel shank. I'm not sure how the shank was attached.

A lot of Asian import quick change hex shank drill bits also look to have separately machined steel shanks that are attached. I'm not sure how the bits are attacked to the shank.

Insty-Bit a company that specializes in quick change hex shank drilling accessories manufactures hex shank drill bit adapters that allow regular drill bits to be converted to quick change hex drive. Lawson Industrial relabels these under one of there brands.

 

[uart]

The bit construction varies from manufacturer to manufacturer...

Thanks for the detailed info neophyte.

The few that I have look rather like those in the image I attached in the opening post. Though mine are a mixture of Ti-N and black oxide coated types, as they came from two different drill sets (with each set having just a few of these hex types thrown in). Mine are definitely cheap imports though (probably China). They look very much like they're just a regular drill bits brazed into a separately made hex shanks.

 

[btbsandman]

I use them for ease.

 

[neophyte]

I use them when pre-drilling screw hole in wood were you need to constantly switch drill bit sizes. The shanks being the same size saves me a great deal of time.

 

[dave12b]

I can get 90% of any holes I need drilled around the house with my bosch 12 volt pocket driver and an assortment of these. I keep them both in a tool kit inside the house for honey do projects. Most of the other 10% usually requires me to break out the Hilti which has its own goofy bits. My regular chuck drills get used least of all and that's usually with hex bits.

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