Brad Point Bits (Again)

[Jim Eller]

About three years ago I was in the market for a set of brad point bits and ended up buying a set that comes from one of the big mail order companies with store locations also.

Well, the price was right but the bits have had issues. The smaller ones seem "good enough" but most of the have issues with the point. That being they are not ground in the center and tend to wobble in the hole when drilling.

After much research again, it seems that the Lee Valley set is the way to go. The most resent post I came upon was a couple of years old so the question is, are the Lee Vally bits still the best brad point bit for woodworking?

Thanks,
Jim

[John Coloccia]

They're not the only game in town, but you can't go wrong with Lee Valley.

W.L. Fuller also makes some high quality bits. Can't go wrong with them either.

www.wlfuller.com (http://www.wlfuller.com)

Either one.

BTW, I own one of the giganto sets of brad point bits....20 of each bit in a nice case. Good thing it comes with lots of duplicates...the vast majority of them are absolutely useless because they wobble so badly. I can't believe they can sell that garbage with a straight face.

[Matt Meiser]

I just got the LV set but have drilled exactly 1 hole just to try them. Someone said they start with Fuller bits and regrind the tip. That would imply to me that they feel they have a better tip design.

[Gregory King]

Jim, when I bought a set of Hickory bits from HD, I thought that I would never use another type of bit again. Lo and behold, it seems that I go back to regular old run of the mill bits more often in wood than I do my Hickory sticks. There seems to be a lot of tearout that fellow creekers have mentioned in the past. Granted, I have not tried other brand names, so maybe in my drill press, I need to change speeds in hopes of reducing tearout. The Hickorys seem razor sharp to feel. I'm wondering if the grinding angle needs some fine tuning. Greg

[Paul Stoops]

Love my Lee Valley set. They are really sharp!! One feature that I really like is that the center point is long so it is much easier to set it to layout lines. The holes appear to be very round and the spurs really reduce backside chipout. You won't go wrong buying them.

[John Nesmith]

I love my Lee Valley BP's too.

[Bill Huber]

About three years ago I was in the market for a set of brad point bits and ended up buying a set that comes from one of the big mail order companies with store locations also.

Well, the price was right but the bits have had issues. The smaller ones seem "good enough" but most of the have issues with the point. That being they are not ground in the center and tend to wobble in the hole when drilling.

After much research again, it seems that the Lee Valley set is the way to go. The most resent post I came upon was a couple of years old so the question is, are the Lee Vally bits still the best brad point bit for woodworking?

Thanks,
Jim

Well I am in the same boat, I got the set in the blue box and as you pointed out the points go everywhere. Last night I needed to drill some hole spot on in the center of a wheel and with the bit I needed I could not hit the center. So just last night I ordered the set from Lee Valley, I am sure they will be much better how could they be worse.

[Ryan Mooney]

+1 on the Lee Valley bits. The sizes are much more exact than the cheap ones I have, the cut is cleaner and the exit holes are even very clean with little tearout. I can't compare to any other premium bits as they're the only quality ones I have but they've been good enough I haven't felt compelled to explore.

[Jim Eller]

Bill,

As usual, you are so right again. Blue is the company's color.

I was drilling some holes with forstner bits and then wanted to drill a smaller hole through the board using the point of the forstner bit as a guide to keep the second hole centered. With the point of the "blue box" bit making ellipes, it didn't work.

Jim

[Steven Hsieh]

Those German made drill bit are dead on

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2084930/39124/germanmade-7piece-fractional-inch-brad-point-drill-bit-set.aspx

[glenn bradley]

There are a few quality makers to choose from when you are ready for a step up in drills. Any of them will be superior to bits that go for something like $50 for a set of 29. Making them properly takes time and a little skill so a couple bucks per bit is not going to buy you quality. I went with the Lee Valley lipped bits for the super clean entrance holes but, these are not the right bits for everything. Lipped bits don't do well on ply or layered assemblies for example; the lipped outer cutters cut a disc on exit of one layer and it just spins on top of the next layer stalling smooth progress. I have the lipped bits and a set or so of "others" that I use when a utility-type geometry is more appropriate. There is a trade off; the more elegent the geometry, the less likely you are able to sharpen them yourself if required. On the other hand I have run my lipped bits for years and never required a touch-up.

[Gary Venable]

Another happy user of the LV bits here. They work great and are a nice set to have.

-Gary

[Mike Cutler]

Jim

Matt just asked the same question a week or so ago. I recommended WL Fuller, and I kinda thought that they supplied LV, but wasn't certain. If LV has an improved tip that's amazing.
If Matt is happy with The LV, and are others, it seems you can't wrong. But,,,,,,,,,, I have a set of Bradpoints from WL Fuller with stop collars and they are some kind of smooth.
I think either choice would be a good one. LV's customer service s very good after the sale , something else to consider. I've not heard many bad things about LV. WL Fuller is very close to me, so it's easy to pop in if they're open , at least for me. You're kinda far away from Providence;).

[Cary Falk]

Another Lee Valley bit user.

[Carl Beckett]

I have had good luck with the black and decker 'bullet' bits.

Mine are older, and have served me well over the years

( when I was a machinist and doing any sheet metal work, I would just grind my own brad point from a regular bit. freehand. It's not as hard as you might think)

[Bill Huber]

My Lee Valley Brad Points came in and I will agree they are really nice, the points stay spot on with no movement at all. They are very sharp and drill in hard maple like it was butter.

Only one complaint, the index they come in is the standard metal drill bit index that you have to use your finger to pull each layer up. Now with normal bits that not a big deal but with brad points and sharp brad points at that, it is a little problem, they stick right in your finger really easy.

So now I have a blue plastic case full of Lee Valley bits that as you open the case it lifts each layer up.

[Ron Kellison]

I think the LV bradpoint bits are reground in-house by starting with their standard Triumph twist drills. "Starting with a top-of-the-line American-made twist drill, we reshape and sharpen the tips on a state-of-the-art Swiss CNC grinder."

Great bradpoints!

Ron

[Dave Novak]

Darn you guys, now I have a set of the LV's on it's way to my house.

[Jim Eller]

Bill,

Thanks for the follow-up.

I would put mine in the same blue case when I get them, but the cheap little plastic thingys attached to the lid that pull the index up, broke two days after I got it.

Thanks again for the followup.

Jim

[Gary Herrmann]

Raises his hand for the LV brad point set.

[Bill Huber]

Bill,

Thanks for the follow-up.

I would put mine in the same blue case when I get them, but the cheap little plastic thingys attached to the lid that pull the index up, broke two days after I got it.

Thanks again for the followup.

Jim

I wonder if you could call Rockler and told them it broke maybe they could sell you or send you a new one.