advice: very good quality drill bits

[citroenxm]

As there's no "general chat" section on fcf or no obvious one II'd thought I'd ask here.

I'm on the look for a set of decent quality drill bits..

I'm fed up of searching and only finding blunt ones or ones that snap easily.

Cheers

[Xaccers]

Moved to French Car Chat and updated the forum description to make it's purpose clearer, as you say Paul, although we used it as a general chat section, the description didn't make it clear that is it's purpose.

[citroenxm]

Ok Thanks Xac, no advice on some makes of drill bits though???

[myglaren]

I have been recommended Würth drill bits. Expensive but excellent. Haven't tried them personally yet.

[Xaccers]

Ok Thanks Xac, no advice on some makes of drill bits though???

I bought some recently from B&Q with a view of installing our satellite dish myself, but Danielle phoned Sky instead and as we have our own equipment they'll install it for free, so I'm hoping I've got the receipts for them as they weren't cheap.

[isisalar]

If you're talking about High speed Steel bits for drilling into metal, with a hand held drill, breaking and blunting is just the way it is I'm afraid. Drilling into anything thicker than sheet steel with a bit smaller than 3mm is very tricky, over 4mm it's a lot easier. Sharpness is the key. As long as they're straight, and some of the very cheap ones aren't, they're all pretty much the same. If you can re sharpen then it's worth getting some high quality bits such as Bosch, Irwin or Erbauer, if you can't, buying boxes of ten of the sizes you use most, from a local tool or trades merchant will give you a decent quality (they won't stock rubbish) and a ready supply of sharp bits.
Masonry bits, as above re the makes, Faithful are pretty good too and if the length suits, the best masonry bits I've ever used are these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-TM710 ... drill+bits" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
They're sold as tile drills, and they're very good at that but for drilling rawlplug holes they have no equal.
They have asymmetrical cutting edges and if someone could explain to me how/why they work so well I'd be very grateful. It's exactly what you don't want when sharpening a HSS bit.
Cheers
Paul

[CitroJim]

I can't recommend any but I've found a bloody good test of drill bits; drilling out the 13mm stud (or the remains of it) that hold the handbrake cable guide plate onto the top of an XM hub.

I ruined a set of supposedly everlasting drill anything bits I foolishly bought at the NEC once. The stall selling them were proudly demonstrating drilling brake discs with them.

Obviously not as hard by a long way as French M8 studs...

[Chris570]

I can't recommend any but I've found a bloody good test of drill bits; drilling out the 13mm stud (or the remains of it) that hold the handbrake cable guide plate onto the top of an XM hub.

I ruined a set of supposedly everlasting drill anything bits I foolishly bought at the NEC once. The stall selling them were proudly demonstrating drilling brake discs with them.

Obviously not as hard by a long way as French M8 studs...

French studs are tough.

The other WFA members have drilled anything and everything with them and we've not broken them. Just saying.

Next time we see them we can go and make a fuss in the middle of one of his demo's and get a replacement set.

[/jimwindup]

[CitroJim]

Next time we see them we can go and make a fuss in the middle of one of his demo's and get a replacement set.

Hey yes, I still have the remains of the ruined ones. let's take a hub with us an say "let's see your drills go through this Sunshine!"

I'd almost guarantee we'll end up with a new set!

[citronut]

i find the Lidls gold plated whooops i mean coloured ( supposed HSS ) drill bits in the blue tin are absolute crap,

although they seem ok in my vintage Wolf wrist breaker drill gun, it is very slow, but saves those cheap and nasty Lidls bits

[CitroJim]

Normally Lidl stuff is Ok for the average user Malcolm. Not many Lidl customers go round drilling out sheared studs from XMs I guess

I remember those Wolf "Wrist Breakers" well. Excellent tools. Look after it. Nothing like that available today...

[lexi]

Presto or Dormer are good. Then you are onto Carbide and Cobalt.
Slow steady with lube is the way. Some studs seem to wear out even the best of drills.

I have done in Cobalt drilling out studs in old Landrover hubs. I think a 10.9 grade bolt is just so much harder than mild steel plate.