drill bits

[kbill45]

who makes a good drill bit now. I have had good luck in the past with bits from Fastenal but the last set I got was so bad I returned them. they gave me a complete new set and they were the same.

thanks bill

 

[Junk]

Precision Twist, Chicago Latrobe...

 

[yycranger4x4]

Walter, Viking, or Norseman. Be sure that they are High Speed Steel bits (they'll all be marked with HSS). 135* split point will make starting them a whole lot nicer.

Drill bits are the one thing I will not cheap out on, I've used the Princess Auto chinese cheapies and the difference is night and day.

Junk....I like your avatar!

 

[kbill45]

Thanks for the replies - the only sources here in Prescott, AZ are Lowes and HD.

 

[Junk]

Try a supply house like Grainger if you have to. Or even Travers, Enco, MSC, JBL etc. google Cleveland drills or Precision Twist for example and look for suppliers.

 

[kbill45]

drills

Thanks junk I will. Drills I have purchased from Fastenal in the past were great but the last I bought were Walmart crap. They would dull right up, chip and I don't over tighten th chuck but it would cut deep into the shank. I took them back for a whole new replacement and they were the same. After opening the box 3 or 4 times it fell apart.
They were pricey too.

 

[george_tlc]

Drill bits have become (yet another) pet peeve. Most of the common major brands have gone down hill rapidly and I will NOT buy drills made in China and pay US prices for them.

All the local hardware stores (HD, Lowes, Orchard Supply) stock various brands - to my disgust all made in China. Even Bosch drill bits state "Made in China" to Bosch specifications - yeah - I'm assuming the Bosch specifications are "meet this cost"...

Very sad, so now I even have my kids looking at the country of origin before we buy tools.

cheers,
george.

 

[Waorani]

Used to pick up high-dollar surplus aircraft industry bits in bullk on ebay a few years ago but have a good supply so haven't checked lately.

How much rain did Prescott get?

 

[kbill45]

x2 on China and their #1 outlet Walmart. Even if I buy online I do so by phone and ask where it is made.

We got aprox 8" of rain in Prescott that was much needed. both of our big lakes, Watson and Willow were down 10 or 11'. They are both now running over with snow melt yet to come.

 

[kbill45]

A friend told me about a new welding supply here. checked it out and they had norseman bits. thanks for the help. Bill

 

[FJ40Jim]

Local hardware store has dropped national brands (all from China now) in favor of Consolidated Toledo Drill co. They have a full line of USA manufactured imperial and metric drills, taps, dies, unibits.
Kinda like Irwin-Hanson had before frickin' Rubbermaid bought them and shifted all production to china.

 

[yycranger4x4]

Acklands Grainger should have whatever you're looking for. Here in Calgary we've got Gregg's Distributors where I've dumped a few pay cheques. LOL Don't rule out any machinist supply places. I've bought some really nice taps and micrometers from these places and although they're more costly than other places, the construction of them is ahead of most others.

 

[kbill45]

bits

Tried 2 of my new Nordsman bits out and they cut really good.

have a good stock of older mics and calipers by Starrett. They were the only brand accepted in the nuke plants. I would like to get them all calabrated but no way here in Prescott