Question Of The Week... (2015 Week 50)

[ripjack13]

How many complete sets of drill bits do you have, and what is the best brand of bit?
(Multiple drill bit answers are acceptable.)

**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course the and the bald guy too...

 

[manbuckwal]

None, all three are missing bits

 

[SENC]

0 original, but I have an old triumph set that has some add-ons to keep it complete.

I've become a fan of norseman drills having had really good luck with them. I like colts, too. Other than the old triump set, I mainly bought whatever was on cheapest - but have come to learn drills (and mills) are much more accurate and easy to use when they are sharp and made of quality materials.

My favorite specific drill is a 3/4" norseman drill with an mt2 shank. No chuck necessary, just mount it directly in my tailstock and go. Almost totally eliminates runout and cuts holes even in very dense wood like butter.

 

[justallan]

I have quite a few sets, but none complete. I buys sets when I see them at yard sales, CHEAP. For my tools that the ranch has access to I buy HF bits and sharpen them on the bench grinder. My sets at home and in my shop are a little better off and I sharpen them on my Drill Doctor, which does a pretty decent job.

 

[Brink]

Three sets of auger bits, mix of Stanley, Jennings, and Irwins.
And a minimum of 5 sets of twist bits.

The best ones? The ones that are sharp.

 

[Mike1950]

The box on the right is full of bits and drill accessories- plus I have a couple sets of Forstner bits and a box here and there of bits. To sum it up -The has no idea how many sets he has!! Brands- some are much older (some are Dad's and some are gramps) then I am and some long out of biz. If they drill they are good- if not they go in the trash.......

 

[Schroedc]

I have probably two complete sets, probably enough in the drawer to build a dozen more sets. My favorites are some older Viking ultra bore bits I bought back in trade school

 

[Tclem]

Hold on I'll be back in a few ..... Weeks. I'm headed to count them.

 

[Tony]

I've got 3 complete sets and enough loose bits to make a dozen more. No idea on brands, I've got a Forstner set of Porter Cable that I really like. Tony

 

[woodman6415]

Bits come in sets ?

 

[barry richardson]

Uh... I used to have some complete sets as far as brands, I like the Colt forstners, and the Fuller counter-sink sets, everything else is random, I have a couple of buckets full I haven't even gone through yet that I got at an auction.....

 

[woodtickgreg]

I have different sets for wood working and metal working, and a ton of loose bits that I sharpen and destroy as needed, lol. I have a set of forstners from rockler, brad points from rockler I think, I keep a complete set of dewalt drill bits on the wood shop. I think I have 2 sets of spade bits in the wood shop and a bunch of loose spade bits I use for electrical work. I have a couple of sets of twist drills in the garage for mechanical stuff but the smaller sizes always seem to get broken and not replaced, drilling out broken bolts and such. I do like cobalt bits for metal working as they stay sharp longer. They say you need to wear a respirator when sharpening them though. I learned a long time ago how to sharpen drill bits by hand and by eye, an old school tool maker taught me how to do it when I was a young pup, that has proved to be one of the most used things I was ever taught. I don't need fancy jigs and such for metal bits, but I do need my glasses for smaller sizes now, lol. I just have muscle memory for the angles and hold the bits to the grinder by hand. Oh, almost forgot about hole saws, lol, got a bunch of them too. Ok this was weird, I never really gave much thought to how many drill bits and types I have. Maybe I should make a list and complete the drill indexes I have........yeah right, like I'll remember to do that..........

 

[Schroedc]

I have different sets for wood working and metal working, and a ton of loose bits that I sharpen and destroy as needed, lol. I have a set of forstners from rockler, brad points from rockler I think, I keep a complete set of dewalt drill bits on the wood shop. I think I have 2 sets of spade bits in the wood shop and a bunch of loose spade bits I use for electrical work. I have a couple of sets of twist drills in the garage for mechanical stuff but the smaller sizes always seem to get broken and not replaced, drilling out broken bolts and such. I do like cobalt bits for metal working as they stay sharp longer. They say you need to wear a respirator when sharpening them though. I learned a long time ago how to sharpen drill bits by hand and by eye, an old school tool maker taught me how to do it when I was a young pup, that has proved to be one of the most used things I was ever taught. I don't need fancy jigs and such for metal bits, but I do need my glasses for smaller sizes now, lol. I just have muscle memory for the angles and hold the bits to the grinder by hand. Oh, almost forgot about hole saws, lol, got a bunch of them too. Ok this was weird, I never really gave much thought to how many drill bits and types I have. Maybe I should make a list and complete the drill indexes I have........yeah right, like I'll remember to do that..........

Some days it seem that sharpening bits has become a lost art, Was helping a neighbor out and he couldn't find a sharp bit, He's all ready to go to the hardware store for a new one and I grab it, a minute at the grinder and we're off and drilling. He looked at me with this strange look and said, "I didn't know you could sharpen them, thought they were throw away"

One of those little skills taught in trade school that's save me tons of money and time over the years. It was part of a class that taught stupid things like basic wiring to repair lamps and replace switches and outlets, how to sweat pipes, sharpen your bits, knives, chisels, etc. All those little handy skills that kids these days have no idea existed...

 

[SENC]

some are much older... then I am

 

[Kevin]

I won't even try to guess.

 

[Sprung]

Too many to go through - a number of sets, tons of loose bits!

Have been happy with the brad point set I purchased from Rockler. But, my favorite bits have been the handful of Fisch bits I've purchased in specific sizes for drilling out for pens - those have been my favorite bits yet.

 

[CWS]

I'll get back to you. Got to check in my wife's shop for a few strays

 

[DKMD]

I have a complete set of Forster bits(Porter Cable) and a nearly complete set of Dewault brad point bits with a smattering of loose stuff here and there. One of these years I'll invest in a nice set of drill bits, but the current big box sets seem to be holding me just fine.