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Drill bits...Transfer Punch

Tom Kitta

Ultra Member
I just got 29 piece set for just $98 of cobalt Dewalt drill bits:
http://www.amazon.ca/DEWALT-DW1269-...8477&sr=8-1&keywords=cobalt+dewalt+drill+bits

Given that just 14 bits cost like $60 in big box stores this is a good deal.

Only thing I don't like is the pilot point - but I guess I can just remove it when I have to re-sharpen these bits.

I wasted too much money on cheap bits to continue buying them - through it is sooooo tempting to do so. Good results (for price paid) from cheap 29 piece set from CT. Bad results from CT $10 sets of "black" bits in a small box. Bad results from "cobalt" NEIKO tools.
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Buying the offshore 'golden bits' (Ti-whatever coated) is getting to be such a crap shoot these days. Its virtually impossible to tell what you will get and cost is not necessarily indicative of quality. The sad part is there are some decent ones & there is some real Hung-Flung garbage. My last set, fortunately bought on sale, is pathetic. The run-out & mis-matched point geometry makes them suitable for drilling drywall as far as I'm concerned. I started re-sharpening them t o correct & this told the whole story. I probably redressed the lip 5X the normal amount before the other lip even made contact with the grinding wheel. (note to self, when you see one spiral shaving coming off & the work piece is vibrating, that probably not a good thing). Also, cheap coating or incorrectly applied coating, actually puts a radius over what should be a sharp flute. I had a countersink like this that just refused to engage the work. Aluminum in particular seems to like real sharp edge. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the new technology. I've actually done better work with my plain vanilla HSS set (unfortunately 10 year old USA Precision Twist & they are getting spendy). On the plus side, my bargain set yielded a nice drill case I will fill with other bits. And you can cut up the bit shanks to make cheapo gages & cutting tools.
 

Tom Kitta

Ultra Member
Peter reminded me of the issue with cheap stuff beyond simply luck of cutting power. Heck, some sets from Steelex (cheap brand owned by Grizzly) have repeat sizes vs. actual size marked in the box. Also some drill bits are even visually not straight.

I would be not so harsh as to say it is drywall only material - seems to work well in soft pine wood as well ;)

Quality HSS - be it M2 or M7 (without cobalt) is hard to find cheap. I wish we had industry here in Alberta and ability to get some drill bits from the 80s.... My dad has some old drill bits from communist Poland and they easily outperform cheap stuff from CT - I will put them maybe a small step down from premium cobalt drill bits by Milwakee/ Dewalt or premium HSS from Norsman.
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
The Norseman bits are very good. Made in USA. KMS has them on sale on and off, grab em if you can.
 
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