Any suggestions for drill bits brands? Perhaps any Black Friday deals

[Rick Pinzon]

In need of new bits. I have the standand assortment of Dewalt drill bits found at Home Depot. Little by little they are no longer sharp so time to replace. Any suggestions?

[Van Huskey]

What sized set do you want and how much are you willing to spend, without a budget recommendations are going to be all over the place.

[Rick Pinzon]

What sized set do you want and how much are you willing to spend, without a budget recommendations are going to be all over the place.

The standard set sizes from the big box stores work. I really do not have a budget in mind but I am a diy’er so I don’t want to break the bank either.

[David Bassett]

What sized set do you want and how much are you willing to spend, without a budget recommendations are going to be all over the place.

Also, what material(s) do you intend to drill? Here, the assumption is wood.


The standard set sizes from the big box stores work. I really do not have a budget in mind but I am a diy’er so I don’t want to break the bank either.

For general purpose, around the house,use, I notice Ryobi, DeWalt, & Makita sets in (my paper's) Home Depot's Black Friday ad. I'm sure others do too.

For woodworking the Lee Valley brad-point bits are outstanding, though they run more.

[Rick Pinzon]

Also, what material(s) do you intend to drill? Here, the assumption is wood.



For general purpose, around the house,use, I notice Ryobi, DeWalt, & Makita sets in (my paper's) Home Depot's Black Friday ad. I'm sure others do too.

For woodworking the Lee Valley brad-point bits are outstanding, though they run more.

it wood be wood but certainly there maybe situations where I may drill into metal. But for the sake of this post let’s assume wood.

[John K Jordan]

In need of new bits. I have the standand assortment of Dewalt drill bits found at Home Depot. Little by little they are no longer sharp so time to replace. Any suggestions?

I think a lot depends on what you want to drill and how often you use them. I drill wood, plastic, and a variety of metals on drill presses, milling machine, lathe, and with cordless hand drills. I probably have a dozen different sets in my drill bit and threading cabinet.

I bought two sets from different industrial suppliers that I keep at the drill presses. They are among the best quality bits I've ever used, and include sizes up to 1/2" by 64ths. They were over $100 a set. I don't remember the brand but I could go down and look if you want. What I have are similar to these but different brands:
https://www.amazon.com/d/Jobber-Drill-Bits/Drill-America-DWD29J-CO-PC-Qualtech-Plastic/B00FXGOMIW

If you want cheap and good, I use the Bosch Ti18 titanium set around the farm and house, 18 bits from 1/16" to 1/2" in common sizes, 3/8" shank on the largest. When building my shop I drilled multiple holes in 3/8" steel with one bit. Handy case. I like them so much I bought several sets to have spares in the drawer, on sale or Amazon lightning deal when they were about $20.

I also keep a set similar this, extremely useful when I need special sizes - it has fractional, letter, and number sizes.
https://www.amazon.com/Lapha-pieces-Titanium-Fractional-Number/dp/B07KBY38L7

JKJ

[David Bassett]

it wood be wood but certainly there maybe situations where I may drill into metal. But for the sake of this post let’s assume wood.

If I used your words to describe a need I was shopping for, I think I'd hit Home Depot, (I live blocks from one,) Friday afternoon after the crowds have died down a little to get a sale set of twist drills. From what I see in the ad, I'd be planning on the 14pc DeWalt set for ~$10, but would choose based on what's in stock. (I think I'd prefer Milwaukee, but none in the ad.) That would tide me over, until:

I'd also plan on getting a small to medium sized set of the LV brad-point drills, either HSS or HCS depending on budget, and a set of the HSS twist drills next time LV has free S/H. (If I got the HCS brad-point bits, I'd plan on replacing any I used enough to dull with single HSS bits in the future.)

Once I had the LV bits in hand, I'd downgrade the black friday set for rough work, (holes in sheet rock, studs, etc.), use the brad-points for nicer wood projects, and the LV twist drills for metal and other similar projects. But a lot of this (hypothetical) plan is based on my convenience. YMMV!

[Rick Pinzon]

thank you. I will look into your advice


I think a lot depends on what you want to drill and how often you use them. I drill wood, plastic, and a variety of metals on drill presses, milling machine, lathe, and with cordless hand drills. I probably have a dozen different sets in my drill bit and threading cabinet.

I bought two sets from different industrial suppliers that I keep at the drill presses. They are among the best quality bits I've ever used, and include sizes up to 1/2" by 64ths. They were over $100 a set. I don't remember the brand but I could go down and look if you want. What I have are similar to these but different brands:
https://www.amazon.com/d/Jobber-Drill-Bits/Drill-America-DWD29J-CO-PC-Qualtech-Plastic/B00FXGOMIW

If you want cheap and good, I use the Bosch Ti18 titanium set around the farm and house, 18 bits from 1/16" to 1/2" in common sizes, 3/8" shank on the largest. When building my shop I drilled multiple holes in 3/8" steel with one bit. Handy case. I like them so much I bought several sets to have spares in the drawer, on sale or Amazon lightning deal when they were about $20.

I also keep a set similar this, extremely useful when I need special sizes - it has fractional, letter, and number sizes.
https://www.amazon.com/Lapha-pieces-Titanium-Fractional-Number/dp/B07KBY38L7

JKJ

[Bill Dufour]

Easy enough to sharpen by hand drills over 1/4". You could even buy the general drill grinder fixture which has been around for 70 years or more.
Bill D.

[Orlando Gonzalez]

For regular use, I have a set from DeWalt and a brad point set from HF. My best sets are from W. L. Fuller - brad points, plexi points, and taped point bits. I also have their countersinks and couterbores. Top flight quality.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Don't hate on me for it - - but - - I buy a package of 1/8" bits from Harbor Freight every time I see them on sale.
Far and away, 1/8" is the size I use most often & I find I usually break a bit before it gets to the point of being dull and/or the junk I usually drill through will dull a good bit just as fast as it will a junk bit. Stuff like drywall for example..

[Greg Parrish]

I’ve been buying these sets at Lowe’s for $19.95 and usually buy two at a time. They work well enough for general purpose metal and wood drilling in cordless drill or drill press. They sell them under the Skill brand and the Hitachi brand. Best I can tell they are the same bits in different packaging. Two sets allows for broken bits and damaged or dull bits. You can sharpen them in the drill doctor or toss and replace as needed.

https://www.amazon.com/SKIL-98029-Oxide-Drill-Piece/dp/B004Q0NHV4

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hitachi-29-Pack-Gold-Oxide-Twist-Drill-Bit-Set/1000424433

[John K Jordan]

Don't hate on me for it - - but - - I buy a package of 1/8" bits from Harbor Freight every time I see them on sale.
Far and away, 1/8" is the size I use most often & I find I usually break a bit before it gets to the point of being dull and/or the junk I usually drill through will dull a good bit just as fast as it will a junk bit. Stuff like drywall for example..

Yikes, this sounds odd. I can't remember the last time I broke an 1/8" bit and I do a fair amount of drilling, by hand, drill press, on the lathe. I broke a 1/16" bit a few months ago from being careless.

Just curious, are you drilling hand-held or with a drill press? In wood or metal?

I haven't tried any cheap bits - I wonder if that makes a difference.

[Peter Kelly]

HJE has USA - made Norseman sets for as little as $13 https://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/tool-type/drill-bits.html

Carbide Processors also has Triumph sets for a bit more money http://www.carbideprocessors.com/triumph-twist-drill/twist-drill-sets/jobber-length-fractional-sizes

China drill bits are ideal for special egg-shaped holes.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Just curious, are you drilling hand-held or with a drill press? In wood or metal? - Yes! ;)......honestly, it all depends on the task at hand. I broke all my "Good" (DeWalt, Milwaukee, Craftsman, Black and Decker) 1/8" bits somewhere along the line over the years and just figured I'd go with the cheap ones. No doubt is due to a lot of misuse/abuse - such as drilling a 1/4" hole in something by using a 1/8" bit and a lot of wiggling it around. That happens a lot with hollow wall anchors in drywall.
There's also a good sized chunk of "putting it down while I change from a drill bit to a driver bit & walking away after and forgetting where I out it"... (much rather lose a half worn out $.09 bit than a good one)

[Terry Hatfield]

Super hard to beat these Norseman sets. $78 on Ebay. I have a couple sets and they are really nice and well worth the money.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Norseman-29-pc-HI-Molybdenum-M7-Drill-Bit-Set-w-Case-1-16-1-2-MADE-IN-USA-SP-29P/141994180882?epid=1700578837&hash=item210f834112:g:UEsAAOSwInxXOMmT:sc:USPSPrio rityMailPaddedFlatRateEnvelope!72764!US!-1:rk:2:pf:0

[Ole Anderson]

Does anyone else find that your 3/16" twist drills disappear as fast as your 10 mm sockets? I finally bought a drill doctor after accumulating a cigar box full of dull bits.

[John K Jordan]

Does anyone else find that your 3/16" twist drills disappear as fast as your 10 mm sockets? I finally bought a drill doctor after accumulating a cigar box full of dull bits.

I wish I had a Drill Doctor Mini Me. When making handbell ornaments I use 0.027" bits to drill holes for a brass wire to for the clapper.

I can sharpen most bits but I can't even imagine how to sharpen bits that small!

JKJ

[Andrew Seemann]

I prefer bright finish for wood. It seems like the chips clear better than the oxide or other finishes. Norseman are my favorite; they are probably the best bit I have used. And they are made locally here in St Paul.

[John K Jordan]

In need of new bits. I have the standand assortment of Dewalt drill bits found at Home Depot. Little by little they are no longer sharp so time to replace. Any suggestions?

For those who don't sharpen or enjoy breaking bits, Woodcraft has this 100 piece set of HSS bits on sell starting 11/27 - multiples of each size.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-100-piece-combo-brad-point-and-twist-drill-bit-box
397406

Years ago I bought two boxes of similar sets in std and brad point.

JKJ

[Jim Morgan]

Here's another vote for Norseman twist drills. I prefer the shorter mechanic's length - less runout for more accurate holes ("Viking Drill and Tool by Norseman 66480 SPM-29 Type 250-UB 135 Degree Split Point Magnum Sup Premium Mechanical Drill Set (29 Piece)").

Lee Valley Brad points.

WL Fuller tapered bit + countersink set.

Norseman and Fuller are made in USA; LV is Canadian.