#645699
Mon Feb 01 2016 02:22 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,423 Likes: 18
Veteran Member
|
OP
Veteran Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,423 Likes: 18 |
it seems im always fighting with my current drill bits when drilling through different metals...
anyone have recommendations of a great brand or line of drill bits for driling into metals?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,391 Likes: 4
Veteran Member
|
Veteran Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,391 Likes: 4 |
Bryce , I just use standard high speed steel ones and just give them a quick dressing as they dull . I have bought higher priced bits but they all dull sooner or later it seems. Get you a fine wheel for your bench grinder . Practice makes perfect !!!
I like SINCLAIR and old American made stuff ... No china items.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 990 Likes: 1
Petro Enthusiast
|
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 990 Likes: 1 |
I think most people have no idea how to sharpen a drill bit. It would be a good idea to take a few minutes to learn about drill bit sharpening and drill speeds for longer drill bit life. I wanted to be a professional drill bit sharpener when I was six and a half.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,659
Veteran Member
|
Veteran Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,659 |
A couple of suggestions for you.
1. Invest in a drill sharpener if you are using drills all the time, otherwise you need a stationary wheel grinder with an angle-set to make sure you are grinding the proper edge on your drills.
2. Choose the right type of drill for the metal you are drilling through. Softer metals don't need a carbide drill but harder metals do.
3. Keep a can of thread cutting oil at hand while drilling. Mark where you are drilling with a center punch then put a drop of oil there from the start.
4. Drill speed and pressure applied should be conservative. Using too fast or with too much pressure can cause the bit to round out and not bite the metal.
5. Drill a starter hole and move up in size will allowing larger bits bite well and reduce chance of slipping.
Collecting anything keeps you young at heart!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,961 Likes: 17
Moderator
|
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,961 Likes: 17 |
I use drill bits every day here in the shop. I learned long ago how to sharpen a drill bit on a bench grinder. The smaller the bit, the harder it is to sharpen. I purchased a drill sharpener and all it did was ruin bits. About a year ago I went shopping for a new set of bits for the shop. Mac/snap-on were quite spendy. I ended up buying a set of colbalt bits at sears. To be honest with you they are the best bits I have ever used and they were under a hundred bucks!
FREEDOM oil items wanted.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,423 Likes: 18
Veteran Member
|
OP
Veteran Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,423 Likes: 18 |
so long story short... you guys are saying my bits are dull.
makes sense, lol. ill do some research on sharpening them.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 990 Likes: 1
Petro Enthusiast
|
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 990 Likes: 1 |
Theres a tool you can buy that helps make sure you are at the right angle and the right length of the flute or cutting edge.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,137 Likes: 10
Veteran Member
|
Veteran Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,137 Likes: 10 |
Another important bit of information when sharping bits by hand, is to grind the relief cut behind the cutting edge, without it the bit will not cut.....The best way that i can explain it is, as you hold the cutting edge up to the grinding wheel and start to sharpen the cutting edge, you tilt the bit to take off more as you grind from the cutting edge and behind...I don't know if that makes any sense...
Rare pumps, Chevrolet items, Goldon Tip Gasoline, Marathon (running man) Cell # 1-502-396-3435 email lowright@aol.com
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,391 Likes: 4
Veteran Member
|
Veteran Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,391 Likes: 4 |
Another important bit of information when sharping bits by hand, is to grind the relief cut behind the cutting edge, without it the bit will not cut.....The best way that i can explain it is, as you hold the cutting edge up to the grinding wheel and start to sharpen the cutting edge, you tilt the bit to take off more as you grind from the cutting edge and behind...I don't know if that makes any sense... That's exactly how I do them Owen .
I like SINCLAIR and old American made stuff ... No china items.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,162 Likes: 46
Veteran Member
|
Veteran Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,162 Likes: 46 |
I was never able to get very good at sharpening bits on a wheel by hand so I finally bought a Drill Doctor sharpening machine. It really works pretty good and I got the larger model that will sharpen all my bigger bits up to 3/4". I had a guy that worked for us for years that could hand sharpen a bit to cut better than a new one but he's dead and gone now so I had to do something or buy a lot of bits. It's kinda like sharpening a knife, you are either good at it or you aren't. I'm the latter........GB
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 260
Petro Enthusiast
|
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 260 |
I use cobalt drills almost exclusively in my machine shop. Can take more abuse than high speed and is much more forgiving than carbide. Cost is not that much more than high speed and much, much less than carbide. When I went to machine shop school 35 years ago, one of the first things the instructor did was to hand us a box of dead drills and had us sharpen them on the grinding wheel. In lieu of that, as Gary said, a Drill Doctor works fairly decent.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 142
Petro Enthusiast
|
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 142 |
High Speed Steel. Throw them away when dull, buy new ones. Not all that expensive. Typically I find I use 1/8, 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 most often. Other sizes in a set don't get all that much use.
-Dave- Collects Dino era Sinclair & Mopar items
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,457 Likes: 24
Veteran Member
|
Veteran Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,457 Likes: 24 |
I have been using stepped bits for quite a while now. They work very well on sheet metal, aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron and mild steel. Priced right at Harbor Freight. Can be sharpened easily on a wheeled grinder. When they get work out, just toss them. Paul www.severngaspumps.com
|
|
|
|
|