Lets Get Basic- Drill Bits For Lathing

[Swerdk]

Is there bits or certain companies worth buying from? What is the difference between jobber and " Silver & Deming" bits?

Don't want garbage bits - where to buy, brand name, type of bit?


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[scsmith42]

I like Greenfield and Magnum bits from Norseman. Silver and Deming bits have reduced shanks. I have found full sized bits to be more accurate.


Scott

 

[Chipper5783]

Jobber are regular length, ordinary drill bits. S&D are generally considered larger than 1/2", but with 1/2" straight shank (it may be they are any reduced shank drill bit).

I suggest you get a 1/16 - 1/2", "middle of the road" HSS set of bits (don't get the real cheap ones, but expensive bits are easy to damage - go for the middle). Your favorite tool supplier will have some that will be fine. Only get cobalt or carbide for specific tasks. Drilling is pretty rough / crude (extremely useful) activity. Drill bits get consumed, for all sorts of reasons. You'll get used to sharpening, grinding to a different point (i.e. for flat bottom holes), burning the corners off, cutting the shank short, cutting the entire bit short - after a few years you'll end up with hundreds of drill bits (I have a lot that other people have thrown away - cut the chipped & burnt end off, repoint, clean up the shank - away you go).

 

[Doubleeboy]

You could google Jobber bits and S&D bits if you have internet access. For brands buy something made in USA or Japan if you want quality. Want to save money buy China and take your chances. Chicago-Latrobe, Cleveland, Precision Twist all make the good stuff, none of them cheap.

michael with the lame avatar

 

[JimDawson]

I buy the Harbor Freight drill bit sets, on sale! I have bought several sets of both the black and TIN coated. I also have a S&D set from HF. The black bits are normally sharpened correctly, but many times the TIN coated ones don't have enough relief and need to be sharpened before use. Not a big deal, only takes a minute. I don't have any, but I have heard the the HF cobalt bits are pretty good.

Drill bits are expendable so for normal everyday use, cheap is better IMHO. If I need good drill bits or specials for a job, I buy them in the sizes I need and normally buy a package of 10 or whatever they come in.

 

[coolidge]

For a lathe I'd want the bits short and stout. The average off the shelf standard length cobalt bits in larger diameters don't work well in my lathe even if you drill in steps e.g. centering bit, 1/4 the 3/8, then 1/2 inch. The 1/2 inch bit is too long, add the chuck, add the tailstock slop and the hold will be off center. I gave up and just use a boring bar now for holes beyond a certain size.

 

[Swerdk]

Thanks guys


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[Ulma Doctor]

I have drills for specific purposes and materials- everything from carbide to HSS to Cobalt to Carbon Steel, Cheap to Expensive
for your everyday drilling, i'd suggest HSS drill bits for most applications.
2 reasons,
they are relatively inexpensive,
and they are easily resharpened by hand with a bench grinder (i have sharpened them with a 4.5" angle grinder too)

if you are going to be drilling harder materials, i'd suggest a set of cobalt bits from a reputable manufacturer (but the HF cobalt bits are not bad for the price)
i got some great ones from a Snap On Tool truck 25 years ago, but they were an arm and a leg even back then,
i still have the set, but i have had to replace a couple dozen of them at one time or another. the small bits get abused/break more than the larger ones.

I have never had any luck with TiN coated anything, maybe it's ignorance on my part- but i avoid TiN unless i'm going into wood or aluminum

McMaster has some good bits too, a little pricey but good quality
Chicago-Latrobe makes good bits
Black and Decker Industrial bits are surprisingly good too
Triumph make excellent bits
KnKut makes some excellent bits as well

 

[David S]

I do a lot of clock work and find the short screw machine bits to be helpful. They are stiffer and if you are using a small lathe they give you more room for longer work pieces between the headstock and tail stock chuck.

David

 

[Franko]

Once you sharpen or grind a TIN coated drill bit, it is no longer TIN at the business end.

I have a set of cobalt drill bits that I keep back and only use on special occasions.

In the wood shop, I have an inexpensive set of TIN coated bits.

I've also gotten drill sets that were on sale and looked pretty good, only to find that not even on of them was straight and would wobble at the business end.

I've noticed that S&D shanks have increased in diameter over the decades. The first drills had quarter inch chucks, so stepped shank drills were 1/4". Later the standard electric hand drill increased to 3/8". Nowadays, many compact drills have 1/2" chucks.

One thing I've noticed regarding the drill sets I own, is that the higher quality bits have tighter spiral flutes than the cheap sets.

I'm very fond of Dewalt "Pilot Point" drill bits. Not appropriate for every job, but they seem to be very good quality bits.