Crossthread
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2007
- Messages
- 103
I only want to buy a set once and be done, so it's frustrating when the only thing I see is the **** that chineeeese put out. So who makes good ones and where can I find them?
left hand drill bits
- Thread starter Crossthread
- Start date
Stuey
Well-known member
Enco, McMaster, and other industrial suppliers carry 29 piece sets and wire gauge sets, but the pricetag is very high, in the $150-$250 range for US-made bits.
OP
Crossthread
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2007
- Messages
- 103
Only problem with McMaster is you can't ever tell if it's USA made or China until you get it because they never post up the brand. In my experience, I thought Enco only sold **** china stuff.
Stuey
Well-known member
Enco usually specifies between "Enco" (aka import) and brand name. Enco has left handed sets by Triumph Twist Drill.
For the price Triumph bits go for, they had better be made in the USA. I guess you can always call up and ask, I'm having difficulties getting country of origin info from their website.
For the price Triumph bits go for, they had better be made in the USA. I guess you can always call up and ask, I'm having difficulties getting country of origin info from their website.
Merkava_4
Banned
I like MSC for a non-local industrial supplier. They have the high quality American Made stuff and their shipping times are lightning fast. I ordered a set of Jergens flange nuts from them one time and they were here the next day! I didn't pay for over night shipping either.
Uncle Buck
Banned
I doubt you really need full 29pc left hand drill bit sets, and in fact I do not know that such sets are even offered. Perhaps you can do as I did and select many of the more popular sizes such as 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 1/2 and that will likely cover most of what you need.
I think I bought either Greenfield or Cleveland brand I do not recall which. As long as you stick with them or something like Triumph or the like you will not go wrong. You can find them from any of a number of suppliers such as MSC, Enco, Travers Tool, or a host of others. Good luck
Uncle Buck
Banned
Not true, usually the USA version is available if you are willing to pay $. Enco is owned by MSC.
I have 29 piece set at northern I am sure it is Chinese.
works fine for me.. I am not a machinist though.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_34759_34759&issearch=150273
works fine for me.. I am not a machinist though.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_34759_34759&issearch=150273
Uncle Buck
Banned
If Northern sells them I guess everyone else must as well. Perhaps I knew that at the time and just forgot which is likely the case. I know I would still buy only select sizes because I could not justify the high cost of a 29pc quality set so I reasoned that I would do better to buy the specific sizes I would likely need but buy high quality ones. This is definetely not a good place to skimp on quality since you are already in trouble or you would not be reaching for one to begin with!
rsanter
Well-known member
you could start with 5-6 of the basic sizes you might need and go from there. look and the set that snap on sells for a clue as to the most common sizes that you should want.
most of the time the heat and the reverse twist will be enough to get the thing out unless it is rusted in place. for broken off stuff these are great.
bob
most of the time the heat and the reverse twist will be enough to get the thing out unless it is rusted in place. for broken off stuff these are great.
bob
I bought most of my drills, right and left hand, from MSC. I wanted to know exactly what I was getting. I keep them locked up, and you all know why.
Having said that, I also do a lot of business with McMaster Carr, usually in the form of one-off taps, dies, mills, tool bits, and replacement drills for the general use sets that my crews use. I've always gotten a high quality product made by Chicago Latrobe, PTD, Triumph, Cleveland Twist Drill, Greenfield, or the like.
McMaster Carr sometimes offers lower cost alternatives to their top of the line stuff, but they always identify it as pro-value, economy, or something such as that.
Ordering from McMaster Carr can be fun. You don't know exactly what you're going to get, but you know it's gonna be good.
Paul
Having said that, I also do a lot of business with McMaster Carr, usually in the form of one-off taps, dies, mills, tool bits, and replacement drills for the general use sets that my crews use. I've always gotten a high quality product made by Chicago Latrobe, PTD, Triumph, Cleveland Twist Drill, Greenfield, or the like.
McMaster Carr sometimes offers lower cost alternatives to their top of the line stuff, but they always identify it as pro-value, economy, or something such as that.
Ordering from McMaster Carr can be fun. You don't know exactly what you're going to get, but you know it's gonna be good.
Paul
Moose-LandTran
Well-known member
Snap-on make a set of left-handed drill bits.
5-piece set uses the product code DBCL105A. Found on page 341 of the catalogue or here:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...=15533&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all
Hope that helps,
Moose.
5-piece set uses the product code DBCL105A. Found on page 341 of the catalogue or here:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...=15533&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all
Hope that helps,
Moose.
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
snap on SELLS a set of hanson bits labeled for snap on
i have that set and a set of vermont american. i prefer the hanson's.
Moose-LandTran
Well-known member
yeah, true. stud/bolt extractors etc..
you're paying for the label. i just happen to like that label..
you're paying for the label. i just happen to like that label..
Sack
Well-known member
So let me ask this then, which would you rather have, a high quality drill like Cleveland or Chicago Latrobe that is dull, or a newly sharpened chinawanese drill of unknown origin? Not being sarcastic here, just wondering which is more important - the freshly sharpened or the original quality?
Merkava_4
Banned
I just thought of something, will the Drill Doctor sharpen left hand drill bits too? 
Uncle Buck
Banned
(THE SHORT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS THIS, IF YOUR LEFTYS ARE DULL YOU NEED TO RE-EVALUATE HOW YOU WORK BECAUSE THERE IS NO GOOD REASON FOR BREAKING SO MUCH STUFF THAT YOU ARE USING LEFTYS ENOUGH TO DULL THEM, AND SECOND REGARDLESS OF SHARP OR DULL NEVER TAKE CHANCES WITH A HF QUALITY LEFTY!, NEVER!)
I think the answer lies in whether you are skilled enough to resharpen the bit, or have access to a Drill Dr or someone that has those skills. The reality is when you need a left hand bit you already screwed the pooch or you wouldn't be reaching for it to begin with so it had damned well better be a decent quality bit or you are fixin to compound the issue. Besides, do most of you guys screw up so much stuff that you routinely dull leftys? I know I do not, I have only had one or two occassions to use one so my high quality Greenfields and Clevelands stay nice and sharp!
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Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Also look at J.L. Industrial and Travers. Just like MSC. Or Cleveland Twist drill http://www.cutting-tool-supply.com/ClevelandTwistDrill/Drills/GP/Home.htm
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Merkava_4
Banned
Getting back to my question:
Can left hand drill bits be sharpened on a Drill-Doctor?
Can left hand drill bits be sharpened on a Drill-Doctor?
Yes the drill doctor can sharpen left handed drill bits. You have to buy the left hand chuck adaptor for around 45 dollars and have to have the newer model 500s and larger I think. Check out their website it has all the info you need on it. I have a 750X with the right and left chucks. I love the drill doctor. After drilling a couple of SS studs I have/ need to resharpen my drill bits to get good cutting action.
If you are a professional diesel mechanic you use ez outs, bolt extractors, stud removers and left hand drill bits on a weekly basis. Yes you do need to buy quality left hand bits, you break a cheap drill bit off in the broken bolt/stud you'll wish you never bought the cheap drill bits. They break easy but are some of the hardest drill bits to drill out.
Back on topic, I would buy a small 5-6 peice set like Irwin, SO, Matco, etc sell. You generally just use the basic size drill bits with the common extractors. If you end up using them more often you can build upon the set or justify buying the larger set.
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Merkava_4
Banned
Sack
Well-known member
Travers has a set on sale, TTC, 1/16-1/2 by 64ths.
kvom
Well-known member
I'm a "bit" dense on this. Why is a left hand bit useful? You get a hole either way it would seem. The bolt/screw extractor goes into the hole. Or do these bits act as drill and extractor?
They in a sense work as both because as the drill goes into the stuck bolt, the counter clockwise drilling tends to work the fastener loose. A lot of folks don't realize when they drill in then try to use an easy-out that as they are drilling in it's actually making the bolt tighter.
rsanter
Well-known member
the left handed drills work well on broken bolts and not as well on rusted bolts. the left drills will generate heat as well as an unscrewing torque due to the friction. often when the drill bit grabs it will remove the bolt without having to use an easy out
bob
Good grief, I broke a tap off in a Remington receiver once. The guy had damaged the threads in one of the holes for the scope mount. I thought I would use a thread forming tap to get things squared away. The job was all but done...I just couldn't resist...just a little more...pop.
As I recall, that led to my first carbide bit purchase. Now I'll go to a considerable amount of trouble to avoid breaking off a drill or tap in a workpiece.
Paul