Replies

1. 
   Peter36 | Jan 15, 2005 06:52pm | #1

   I don't know if you are looking for brads or regular twist style, but I find that the ones that Lee Valley sells are good quality. There is more than 1 quality choice so naturally you may want to opt. for the expensive ones.

1. 
   rasko | Jan 15, 2005 09:31pm | #2

   Thank you Peter. I appreciate the suggestion. I was looking for the spiral. Lee Valley is new to me, but I appreciate the fact that they dont specialize in power tools and then sell the bits to go with, like DeWalt or Ryobi.......

2. 
   WayneL5 | Jan 16, 2005 12:53am | #3

   This is a little beyond what you are asking, but it might be helpful.

   Twist drills are good for general drilling (for fasteners, construction, etc.) and drilling end grain.  And they are cheap.

   For larger holes, spade bits are very fast but very rough.  Usually used for drilling holes in building framing to run electrical wiring.

   For better quality holes in woodworking try brad point bits and Forstner bits.  Brad point bits look like twist drill bits but have two little spurs at the outer diameter of the bit.  The cut a much cleaner hole.  They are good when the hole will show, such as filling with a dowel.  Forstner bits are for larger diameter holes.  They cut very cleanly, with nearly flat bottoms.  They can be started at an angle.  They are fairly expensive, but you can get a cheap Asian set for low volume work until your budget and skill allow expensive tools.

3. 
   OneofmanyBobs | Jan 16, 2005 09:26pm | #4

   You get what you pay for.  High-carbon steel (HCS) is the cheapest and does not last.  The cheap imports are often badly tempered and will snap or are so soft they won't cut.   High-speed steel (HSS) is better.  Titanium Nitride (TIN) coating helps a little.  Cobalt steel is yet better.  Carbide tipped is also available.  Carbide lasts the longest and stays sharp except if you hit a nail.  Then its history.  Also hard to sharpen.  I prefer cobalt.  Easily sharpened.  Very tough.  Will cut the occcasional nail without damage.  But, very hard to find as brad-points.  Carbide is OK if you are gentle with them.  American or German made bits are far better than the cheap asia imports.  Lee Valley has HSS and carbide.  Reasonable quality stuff.  Grizzly has HSS, TIN and carbide.  Cheaper.  Advantage Drills will make cobalt sets or carbide or anything you might want.  Most expensive.  Maybe $100 for a set of 8.   The others are half or a third of that price (and quality). 

1. 
   rasko | Jan 17, 2005 04:42pm | #5

   Good information Bob. I appreciate the help. Thank you.

   ben

4. 
   woodensplinter | Jan 17, 2005 06:00pm | #6

   My nephew gave me a set of the lipped brad point bits from Lee Valley a number of years ago.  LOVE them.

   Also bought a set of cheap Forstner bits, for larger holes.  They actually surprised me and worked very well.  Plan on replacing the ones I use most with good bits.

   My brother-in-law got a set of the HSS Forstners from Lee Valley.  Tells me their performance is well beyond what he expected.

   I use regualr HSS jobber bits for non-critical applications or where I'm afraid of damaging my brad points.

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 17, 2005 07:19pm | #7

   HSS is fine for soft metals and wood if you can live with a bit of tearout. Cobalt is great for hard metals, plastics, composites and these are available from Black and Decker/DeWalt. Not terribly expensive but they last a lot longer. Bullet point bits have a pilot tip and the actual cutting diameter starts a little higher with a scoring edge at the outside. These kick butt and if you can find them in cobalt, you'll be using them for a long time. TiN are good for drilling stainless and fiberglass, longer lasting than cobalt in abrasive materials. You can get these at Sears and a lot of other tool sellers. There are really bad drills bits with Titanium coating and if they seem too cheap, they are. The metal on teh good oned is a lot harder and the finish is a lot smoother. On the cheap ones, the surfaces are very coarse and the tips don't even feel particularly sharp. Irwin and some other companies make spade bits with a scoring point on the outside edge. Pretty clean hole in most materials if you let it score before bearing down on them. Good brad point bits, and I stress good, cut cleanly and won't collect wood fibers as they go into the hole. This is important for drilling shelf pin holes. Most Forstner bits can last a long time, although the cheap ones dull fairly quickly. They can be sharpened, but how often you want to resharpen your bits is up to you.Don't waste money on cutting tools just because they are inexpensive. They'll annoy you and whatever they're cutting won't turn out as well as you want. Look around for best pricing and get them on sale. The cheapest twist drills can be bent by hand, or straightened if they bend.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."