# Drill Index



## Easysport (Nov 24, 2005)

Would the 29 piece brad point drill set from Harbor Freight be a good buy? Sizes 1/16 to 1/2" by 64ths. $9.99. Would this cover most pen blank drilling?  Looking to buy drill bit set instead of one at a time as I move from one kit to another.  Thanks for the responces in advance.


----------



## TomServo (Nov 25, 2005)

edit: what eagle says


----------



## ctEaglesc (Nov 25, 2005)

Wait till the 116 set goes om sale, then you will have a LOT of bits.
(I reccomend the DrillDr)


----------



## btboone (Nov 25, 2005)

I also agree with that philosophy.  Get the full set.  You won't regret having it.  I just got a full cobalt set because I kept ordering oneseys, and they add up in cost.


----------



## rtparso (Nov 25, 2005)

Hey guys he said brad point. The way I look at it if you by the set you have all the 29 sizes. Other sets are closer to $25. At $9 if they dull quick buy a good one when dull one. Not a bad deal. Eagle doesn't like brad points but he has a point the sharper the drill the better the hole and with a drill doc you always have a sharp bit.


----------



## Rifleman1776 (Nov 25, 2005)

I've had good luck with import sets of brad point bits. I have found that a lot of high priced merchandise is simply the same as low price stuff with different packaging. Tom put me on to the sets. Mebbe I havta re-read the instructions that came with my Drill Doctor, but I don't believe brad points can be sharpened with it. I sharpen mine with a hand held EZ-Lap diamond stick.


----------



## alamocdc (Nov 25, 2005)

I first started drilling my 7mm blanks w/a 7mm brad point bit. I now use the "I" bit from the set that Eagle references (TN coated) and have for the last two months or so. I noticed that the brad points wanted to drift on me a bit more than the others. Especially split points.


----------



## Rifleman1776 (Nov 25, 2005)

> _Originally posted by alamocdc_
> <br />I first started drilling my 7mm blanks w/a 7mm brad point bit. I now use the "I" bit from the set that Eagle references (TN coated) and have for the last two months or so. I noticed that the brad points wanted to drift on me a bit more than the others. Especially split points.



This has been e-discussed much in the past. Eagle has his technique (with results that cannot be argued), I have mine. I prefer brad points. With drill off, I find my center and lightly place the point of the bit into the wood then turn on. No drift. This probably falls into the category of 'whatever floats yer stick'.


----------



## BigL (Nov 25, 2005)

Originally posted by alamocdc

"I first started drilling my 7mm blanks w/a 7mm brad point bit. I now use the "I" bit from the set that Eagle references (TN coated) and have for the last two months or so. I noticed that the brad points wanted to drift on me a bit more than the others. Especially split points."

As a new guy trying to learn what works, do you mean that the split points drift more than the brad points or they are better than the brad points.  Are split points a type of brad point?  There is just so much to learn.  Thanks for the help.  Lane


----------



## rtparso (Nov 25, 2005)

> As a new guy trying to learn what works, do you mean that the split points drift more than the brad points or they are better than the brad points. Are split points a type of brad point? There is just so much to learn. Thanks for the help. Lane


I believe that alamocdc meant that the brad points drift. The split point is a slightly different geometry for grinding a standard twist drill.  The drill doc does a split point or a regular point.





> Split Point drills usually have 135 degree included angle points and are designed to cut metal.  Standard point drills have two cutting edges but there is a section in the center of the drill point called the chisel edge that does not actually cut, but chisels the material. The chisel edge can also cause the drill to walk across the material when you are trying to start the drill cutting on a particular spot.  The Split Point drill has two additional edges ground into the chisel edge which make the entire point of the drill one long cutting edge. This reduces the amount of pressure needed to make the drill cut. The Split Point is also self centering which means the drill starts cutting exactly where is comes into contact with the material.  These characteristics were designed for drilling in metal but could be beneficial in some harder wood. http://www.bitsnbores.com/html/drill_points.html


----------



## alamocdc (Nov 25, 2005)

Thanks, Ron, that's exactly what I meant.


----------



## BigL (Nov 26, 2005)

Thank you for the reply.  I'm always amazed at how articulate the answers are to my questions.  This is a great place.  Lane


----------



## Easysport (Nov 26, 2005)

Thanks for all the opinions.  I went ahead and ordered the set anyway. Will let you know how it turns out when I get them.  I figure for $9.99 its worth a try.


----------



## Easysport (Dec 1, 2005)

Well the drills arrived this evening. Looks like it will meet my needs. Now if I could get my new drill press out out of the back of the truck I'll be happy. Maybe tomorrow.[?]


----------



## TomServo (Dec 2, 2005)

Glad to hear it!


----------



## Mac In Oak Ridge (Dec 2, 2005)

I bought a $9.99 brad point set on ebay.  Two of the drills in the set are bent and can't be used.  It isn't worth what it would cost to send it back and one day one of the ones that isn't bent may come in handy.

Had I purchased from a local Harbor Freight store it would be much easier to return the defective set and get a new one.  

Live and learn, always the most expensive and hard way. (That's the Mac motto.)


----------



## Easysport (Dec 6, 2005)

Used the new drills the other day and they seem to work just fine.  I think for the price they were well worth it. I'm a satified Harbour Freight customer. []


----------



## alamocdc (Dec 7, 2005)

Another convert! []


----------

