Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Tool Talk Discussion Forum

want good drill bits, what to get?

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Andy

10-10-2003 17:04:54




Report to Moderator

I am looking for a good set of drill bits ,(up to 1/2") that won't break or chip when drilling hard materials like stainless. I have a couple cheap sets and they are break or the chip constantly. thanks. Andy




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Nolan

10-14-2003 03:59:00




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
I don't know who makes it, but the Bosch drill bits are *very* nice in my limited experience. I had to do some critical flywheel drilling on my race car and shelled out some solid cash for one of their bits based on a recommendation.

I expected to spend a good hour on this drilling job. I was done in a few minutes. It was like drilling through air. No chattering, no chipping, just smooth quick cutting and the job was done. After going through about 2" of steel the bit looked brand new. I was *quite* impressed!

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Fred OH

10-13-2003 05:44:38




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
The information you have received seems good...I can mention that the harder the material...the more the included angle of the twist drill. 118 degrees is the accepted standard for general purpose drilling and the tough and harder stuff is usually ground to 135 degrees and it has a thicker web (center part of twist drill)...and harder to off hand grind if you are not used to them. Some of the exotic metals will work harden if your drill gets a little dull and you don't have enough feed pressure. The water based coolants seem to take away the heat better. If you want a real challenge try drilling a fairly deep hole in a a piece of berylium copper without coolant...it will seize up and grab the drill and maybe break it. You would be better off to use the machinist's handbooks recommendations when you are sharpening for stainless. Some stainless cuts like butter, some gives you fits...depends on what number it is. Seems like 304 is the easiest one. I'll also mention that you should use a new drill if possible, because some of the drills in your regular drill set (if you mic them) will be a thousandth or two smaller across the flutes from wear (near the end) and that won't help at all. Fred OH

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
pjw

10-12-2003 05:41:57




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
Buy a drill index at a tool supply store and stay away from the hardware or general purpose stores. I work with stainless and the trick is cutting fluid, low rpm and a decent feed rate or pressure. I learned my trade working in a machine building shop. Thought carbide was the answer to everything. Then I went to work at a pharmaceutical company where everything is stainless. An old toolmaker proved me wrong on the carbide. High speed steel with cutting fluid low rpm and a decent feed rate will outperform carbide every time. At the end of the cut your tool will not be chipped or dull. The best advantage with high speed is it can be purchased inexpensively and can be sharpened or shaped for form cutting.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
KURT (mi)

10-12-2003 04:32:42




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
I would order bits from a tooling supply place like J-L industrial, production tool, MSC, etc. Dont buy from Home Depot and those kinds of places. When you buy get high speed steel with cobolt, Several good brands are Clevland twist drill, Chicago Latrobe, Hertel-- I think they make drills. Made in the USA cutting tools are the best.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
wdTom

10-11-2003 18:10:49




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
I would say learn to sharpen drill bits free hand using a drill point gage. I used to have a job where we drilled a LOT of stainless, everybody learned to sharpen drill bits because drilling stainless is tough. The material work hardens when it is cut and the next pass of the cutting edge must be under the hardened surface. This means enough feed to produce a good chip. Even so you will find that the drill bit will dull faster than in softer less tough materials. As soon as it begins to dull, sharpen it because it will only get worse, dulling and heating up and producing a hard surface you will have to drill through when you do sharpen it. Hold a good new drill up to a belt or wheel that is not running to help you learn the angle. I find a upward motion helps. Try to grind both edges the same, check with a drill point gage (available from any tool/industrial supply).Make sure you have a bit of relief, that is the cutting edge is above the trailing edge or the drill will never cut. You don't need much, as long as you can see it it will work, too much and it will dig in too easy and the edge is weaker. Get a good cutting oil for tough materials. You can get a Drill Doctor or some such, and some love them, but for the money I say learn to do it by hand. We had a Drill Doctor at work for an area that used a lot of drill bits and it worked for a while, (I admit they cheaped out and didn't buy the best one) but then it stopped working, the bushings that held the drills and fit into the machine wore, the wheel wore, and it wouldn't grind the correct angle. I know it could be repaired and would be OK. However I got a drill point gage for the woman who dose most of this and she has learned to use a 2x48" belt sander and now can out produce the Drill Doctor.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
SamH

10-11-2003 13:27:10




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
You have already gotten some very good answers to your question, so I will just add that the keys to drilling SS are >use the right cutting fluid (somebody already covered this) >keep your bit sharp.
>use the right RPM
>Don't buy the bargain basement bits. Stainless has a high Chrome/Nickel content so it builds up heat quickly. Cobalt bits are more heat resistant than other grades of High Speed Steel. Tungsten Carbide is a lot harder than Cobalt, but is more expensive and more brittle.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Rod MI

10-11-2003 13:26:03




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
Chicago-Latrobe brand from MSC is the best I think but any good brand will serve you well. I would go with cobalt bits to.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
jim

10-11-2003 06:51:04




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
The absolute best bits I have found are from a man by the name of Max Winters. Re runs a company called Winters Drill Bit City. Not sure where he is at, but I found him at a tractor show and thought here is another farce. I bought an 2 1/8 bits from him, thought I will try them out. He had a display set up shwoing all the things he had drilled, but I am still the sceptic. So I took these 1/8 bits home, put in a drill press and the first thing a grabed was a lawn mower blade, man, like a knife through hot butter, next I found a block with a broke off muffler bolt, grade 8. again, like a knife through butter. So I was hooked, I bought more, and I have been inpressed, I even had a leaf spring, again, knife through butter. I have not used in SS, but I have not found anything yet that it will not drill, with efficientcy. They have kept an edge better than anything I have ever had. I own a lawn mower repair shop and some of the techs I have are not the sharpest tack in the box when it comes to drilling steel and they have not even been able to burn them or dull them, now, I also use a lot of coolant when I drill, that might have helped a lot also. Anyway, enough rambling, you can call Max at 800-950-3938 and if he is not there, leave a message and he will get back to you, nice guy to talk to.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Glen in TX

10-10-2003 23:50:16




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
I agree with the others. Cobalt bits or a plasma cutter. MSC, mscdirect com has a lot of different styles to choose from. I have a set from Lawson that are really good bits but you have to be careful as those really hard bits will snap and aren't cheap. Been using the Lawson bit set a year now and only broke one and salesman replaced it. Don't know if they always do that. lawsonproducts com. Tried the Sears bits too but too expensive to replace broke ones in the set later.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
wolfe tx

10-10-2003 20:54:01




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
I work with SS every day. If you work with it very ofen any bit won"t last very long. I bought a used plasma cutter cost me $645. its one of the most used tools in the shop. Cheaper than bits and sawall blades. cobalt bits are the best but not cheap. Good Luck wolfe



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Chris-se-ILL

10-10-2003 20:11:42




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
I have started buying Cobalt bits (in complete sets) from Sears. The sets have been on sale a few times... complete set for about $54... That is alot cheaper than buying individual bits. Cobalt are realy tough bits! Also, use plenty of cutting oil to cool the bits!

Forget about the Titanium bits... they are only a thin titanium coating over a HSS (high speed steel) bit. I have never had much luck with titanium.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
rhudson

10-10-2003 19:16:23




Report to Moderator
 Re: want good drill bits, what to get? in reply to Andy, 10-10-2003 17:04:54  
it takes a pretty good drill to drill high grade ss. a hole set of high cobolt drills would cost a pretty penny. try MSC for any quality you would want from cheap to unaffordable.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy