# Drill Bits



## Dustygoose (May 8, 2012)

I know I will need various sized drill bits to go kitless.  I found a 115 piece set with fractions (1/16 to 1/2) all letters (A to Z) and wire sizes (1 to 60).  

My question is: will this set be good for the various sizes of taps needed for feeds/ sections/ and caps?

I plan on using the library's cross reference for the Metric conversions.

Thanks for any info /comments


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## Andrew_K99 (May 8, 2012)

This was brought up recently.  The concensus seemed to be buying a metric set in 0.1mm increments.  This will cover all variables you encounter.


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## IPD_Mr (May 8, 2012)

You can get away with the 115 piece set and would do better to add a standard metric set at .5 increments.  But if you have the funds then as Andrew said, the metric set at .1 increments is the best option.


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## Andrew_K99 (May 8, 2012)

I finally found the thread I mentioned ...

On page two the conversation turned to drill bits.  http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/collet-chuck-~-metric-imperial-96848/


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## watch_art (May 9, 2012)

I got the 115 to start with, and am replacing bits with better quality and adding bits as I need.  I've bought 17/32, 19/32, and 11.5mm drill bits.  I'm about to get a 21/32" and replace the O and Y bits to better quality bits.  I guess it all depends on what you want to do and how big you want to go.


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## glycerine (May 9, 2012)

Will you be using them for anything else? You won't need nearly 115 drill bits for kitless work, so you'd have a ton sitting around not being used. What I did was purchased drill bits for the specific taps that I bought. For instance, for a 9mm X .75 tap, I bought an 8.25mm drill bit. An 8.3 or even an 8.5 might work (barely), as well as 21/64, but I like to be more precise, so I purchased exactly what was needed for the task instead of buying a set and using one that was "close enough". You could go either way, but in my opinion, if you're only going to be using a handful of the drill bits anyway, why buy 115 and have a handful of "close enough" bits instead of just buying the ones that you KNOW you will need?  Just my humble opinion...


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## TerryDowning (May 9, 2012)

glycerine said:


> Will you be using them for anything else? You won't need nearly 115 drill bits for kitless work, so you'd have a ton sitting around not being used. What I did was purchased drill bits for the specific taps that I bought. For instance, for a 9mm X .75 tap, I bought an 8.25mm drill bit. An 8.3 or even an 8.5 might work (barely), as well as 21/64, but I like to be more precise, so I purchased exactly what was needed for the task instead of buying a set and using one that was "close enough". You could go either way, but in my opinion, if you're only going to be using a handful of the drill bits anyway, why buy 115 and have a handful of "close enough" bits instead of just buying the ones that you KNOW you will need?  Just my humble opinion...



Food for thought and a good idea.


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## Andrew_K99 (May 9, 2012)

That's a good idea, probably cheaper and you'll get quality bits.  The only downside would be if you're in the middle of something and need a bit you don't have, then you'll be cursing not having a set.


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## OKLAHOMAN (May 9, 2012)

Here is the set of metric that George (Texatdurango) has recommended set # 30155A59 a 41 piece set McMaster-Carr scroll down .


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## Smitty37 (May 9, 2012)

*Over Kill*

If all you are interested in is pen blank drilling *AND* you want to use really good drill bits I would pass on the set and buy the individual sizes you need.

For me a set I have makes perfect sense - I drill a lot of holes other than in pen blanks and if that's you, then a good set would make sense along with a drill doctor. 

But for pen blanks you need maybe a dozen sizes and getting them by one of the top notch manufacturers will probably serve you better than having 100 others lying around collecting dust. Also I've heard that brad point work best for pen blanks (and I've had good results for that purpose myself) - they don't for a lot of other things though so you might want to think about that too.


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## jdporter99 (May 9, 2012)

Some of the suggestions I have seen include drilling on the lathe and using a center drill first. I didn't think the brad point bits would be good for that, although I just got the center bits and haven't tried yet?


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## Haynie (May 9, 2012)

My father-in-law was in love with those 100 plus kits. Four sets all of them missing the exact same most commonly used bits.


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## Smitty37 (May 9, 2012)

Yep....if you drill for screws that will happen.  I use mostly #6 or #8 square head wood screws so the drill size for them gets far more use than any other.  So I do have to replace those bits much more often for wear and break more of those sizes as well.


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## WWAtty (May 9, 2012)

Smitty37 said:


> Also I've heard that brad point work best for pen blanks (and I've had good results for that purpose myself) - they don't for a lot of other things though so you might want to think about that too.



Agree.  I find that standard twist bits cut too aggressively in blanks.  With wood blanks, you are typically drilling into end grain, and standard bits tend to get "grabby" with the wood.  A good brad-point will drill at a more reasonable speed and allow you more control over the workpiece.

Buy the large set if you are going to do other work besides pen making.  But as others have mentioned, you will only need a relatively small number of bits for drilling pen blanks.  About $50 or so will get you the most common sizes in brad point.


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## Dustygoose (May 9, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies.


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## Gilrock (May 10, 2012)

Buy a set...you're gonna do enough stuff around the shop that you'll need it.  I started out trying to follow the advice of only buying a few bits I needed.  You know what it's like being in the middle of a project and not having the correct bit on a saturday and having to wait till a new order arrives?  My biggest argument for buying a set is this...I've run into materials and/or segmented blanks I've built where the best result for drilling the interior hole out was achieved by starting with a small drill bit and moving up one or two sizes at a time till you reach the size hole you need.  So I've used a vast amount of my 115 bit set in a short amount of time.


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## Smitty37 (May 10, 2012)

Gilrock said:


> Buy a set...you're gonna do enough stuff around the shop that you'll need it. I started out trying to follow the advice of only buying a few bits I needed. You know what it's like being in the middle of a project and not having the correct bit on a saturday and having to wait till a new order arrives? My biggest argument for buying a set is this...I've run into materials and/or segmented blanks I've built where the best result for drilling the interior hole out was achieved by starting with a small drill bit and moving up one or two sizes at a time till you reach the size hole you need. So I've used a vast amount of my 115 bit set in a short amount of time.


 You must drill differently than I do -- I have a 20 year old 115 piece set and have still not used more than 20 of the bits....and I've built every thing from doll house stuff to a summer cabin in the woods since I bought it.:redface:


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## Gilrock (May 10, 2012)

Smitty37 said:


> Gilrock said:
> 
> 
> > Buy a set...you're gonna do enough stuff around the shop that you'll need it. I started out trying to follow the advice of only buying a few bits I needed. You know what it's like being in the middle of a project and not having the correct bit on a saturday and having to wait till a new order arrives? My biggest argument for buying a set is this...I've run into materials and/or segmented blanks I've built where the best result for drilling the interior hole out was achieved by starting with a small drill bit and moving up one or two sizes at a time till you reach the size hole you need. So I've used a vast amount of my 115 bit set in a short amount of time.
> ...


 
But still you do own the whole set. 

Just last week I had a segmented wood with aluminum separators and needed to drill a 12.5mm hole.  If you start off a with 12.5 mm bit it's probably gonna rip something apart when you hit that aluminum.  But if you drill a 1/4" hole and then work up 1/32" at a time everything stays intact.  Now I'm sure I could build a log cabin with 1 drill bit using all the same size bolts.  I built a roll-off roof observatory with an automated control system to move the roof off if we're bragging...lol.


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## WWAtty (May 10, 2012)

I have one of those 115 bit sets ($40 at Costco).  Had it for a few years and I've probably used only 30 or 40 of them.  But when I need that oddball bit just a hair bigger or smaller to make a bolt or dowel fit just right, I'm glad to have them.


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## Rich L (May 10, 2012)

WWAtty said:


> I have one of those 115 bit sets ($40 at Costco).  Had it for a few years and I've probably used only 30 or 40 of them.  But when I need that oddball bit just a hair bigger or smaller to make a bolt or dowel fit just right, I'm glad to have them.



And it depends on how old a packrat you are. I have letter, wire, metric and fractional and I have them all because I just know that I'll need the oddball size one day. So far I've used most of all of them for various things but I do a lot of machining. Recently I started getting stub length drills piecemeal and found that I very quickly needed one I didn't have. You'll spend more in gas and inconvenience to get that 2 dollar drill you could have gotten as part of a set. If you like doing this stuff, you'll probably do a lot and I'll bet a dollar to a donut you'll need what you don't have - often enough.

Cheers,
Rich


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## Rich L (May 10, 2012)

Gilrock said:


> ...  I built a roll-off roof observatory with an automated control system to move the roof off if we're bragging...lol.



Observatory, huh? What's the aperture (of the scope)? Sorry. Off topic.


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## Smitty37 (May 10, 2012)

Gilrock said:


> Smitty37 said:
> 
> 
> > Gilrock said:
> ...


Actually I have two sets and a third that is all quick change drill bits that I only in the two cordless that are set up only for quick change. If I were on a tight tool budget (which I am not by any means) I wouldn't have them. --- remember I said the one set was 20 years old --- well 20 years ago I paid the last college tuition for my kids --- after that it was like having manna from heaven and I could start buying anything I felt like having.:biggrin: Not bragging - illustrating--- have you ever built doll house furniture?  You use some mighty small drill bits (some too small to use a drill at all)....and building a cabin (or house) you can use some pretty big ones - I used up to a 1 1/2 inch spade bit and had to use a hole saw to get to 2 1/4 to bring the main power in.


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## Gilrock (May 11, 2012)

Well all I can say is you might only need 20 bits of the 115...but you're never sure which 20 you will need when you start out.  There are plenty of times where I measure something to find the best drill bit.  And the drill bits don't always show up the exact size they need to be.  I measured my converter's at almost exactly 0.25" but neither my 1/4" or "E" drill bits would work.  I checked them with calipers and they were both a few thousandths too small.  So I ended up using an "F" which is slightly too large but worked ok.  I've just recently bought the 0.252" reamer but haven't got to use it yet.  FYI for anyone considering a set here's a link to the one I ordered:  Model # DSUS-115A, Price $167.

29 Piece 1/16 to 1/2 inch high speed steel jobber drill sets

So I don't pollute this thread with off-topic items I'll post a new thread in casual conversation about my observatory.


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## Andrew_K99 (May 11, 2012)

Gilrock said:


> Well all I can say is you might only need 20 bits of the 115...but you're never sure which 20 you will need when you start out. There are plenty of times where I measure something to find the best drill bit. And the drill bits don't always show up the exact size they need to be. I measured my converter's at almost exactly 0.25" but neither my 1/4" or "E" drill bits would work. I checked them with calipers and they were both a few thousandths too small. So I ended up using an "F" which is slightly too large but worked ok. I've just recently bought the 0.252" reamer but haven't got to use it yet. FYI for anyone considering a set here's a link to the one I ordered: Model # DSUS-115A, Price $167.
> 
> 29 Piece 1/16 to 1/2 inch high speed steel jobber drill sets
> 
> So I don't pollute this thread with off-topic items I'll post a new thread in casual conversation about my observatory.


 The 41 pc. metric set on that site is less than half of the one linked too earlier.  6-10mm in 0.1mm increments for $85


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