Recommend a good quality large size drill bit set

[BigBlue1]

I have a decent quality hole saw kit like this:

Those annular cutter or Hogan Rotacut kits look nice too. Probably hold up a whole lot longer than a standard hole saw blade. I may have to consider that Hogan kit...

Rob

 

[BukitCase]

Rob, here's a few "helpers" -

How to Remove and Reinstall a Drill Press Chuck - YouTube

Annular Cutter Holders | Morse Taper & R8 Annular Cutter Holder

A version with built-in coolant
Jancy Slugger IABR8 R-8 Taper Industrial Arbor With Coolant Inducer And 3/4" Annular Shank Bore: Slotting Cutter Arbors: Amazon.com: Home Improvement

Dimensions of Standard Tapers - LittleMachineShop.com

BTW, your 300 rpm DP should be good up to a bit over 1" annular cutters (with coolant, anyway) - my Hougen 917 mag drill manual (that model has 2 speeds, 250 and 450 RPM) says to use the lower speed for cutters over 1" diameter.

If you find that you need to drill much stuff that will NOT fit in a DP, an inexpensive (relatively) mag drill might be your best option... Steve

 

[pmsmechanic]

Well I'm cheep/frugal! What I did to slow my drill press down was to weld on the largest "B" pulley I could to the bottom of the quill? pulleys. I then ground out the smallest rib for the "A" belts on the intermediate?middle pulley so that I could run a "B" belt in the bottom grove. I just use an "A" belt off the motor and I still have a few speed options there. I "lost" a few speed options on the last set of pulleys but I never used them anyways.

 

[LouNY]

An easy way to slow down a drill press is to buy a small 3 phase motor and a VFD,
if you go real slow add an auxiliary fan to cool the motor.

 

[Big Barn]

pms you may be cheap/frugal but I am embarrassingly lazy.

I have a few cheap DPs set up at different speeds and I NEVER change belt adjustments for speed even when I should.

Good practice? NO.

Lazy? YES.

Additional MILLER Time? Yes

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Here's another way to slow a drill press down,

But, my big one slows down to 120,

so I've not altered the others that I have...

SR

 

[Big Barn]

Here's another way to slow a drill press down,

SR

I LIKE that

 

[dfkrug]

If necessary your DP RPMs could be reduced by adding a jackshaft assembly.

View attachment 647625

Love your jackshaft, BB.

I have the same setup (Weldon adapter, MT3, Champion annular cutters, etc.) with the same drill press. My DP came from HarborFright years ago, and it was the biggest belt driven unit out there. Still too fast at 180RPM IIRC. Way less money versus a sweet gear-head DP like SAWYER's.

Anyway, I have not slowed my DP down (yet), but I have a 2-speed washing machine motor that I scavenged just for that purpose. Did you consider a slower motor instead of a jackshaft?

As for the OP's Q, I have the Silver & Deming HSS set, and it is lousy. If made in M42, it should be much better. I have M42 64-piece bit sets from HF, and they are pretty good. Best bet for me was annular cutters, tho I also have some hi-quality MT3 taper bits, made in USA, up to an inch. Mostly purchased used on eBay. Bi-metal hole cutters work, too, but you really need to get speed below 100RPM.

 

[Big Barn]

If you find that you need to drill much stuff that will NOT fit in a DP, an inexpensive (relatively) mag drill might be your best option... Steve

Good advice. I should have bought one 20 years ago or at the very LEAST when you first got your Hougen.

 

[Big Barn]

Love your jackshaft, BB.

.

Did you consider a slower motor instead of a jackshaft?
.

Thanks Dave. I did consider a slower motor but only briefly. I did the jackshaft mostly because I used stuff on hand. I had pulleys belts and shaft but for some reason no pillow blocks the right size among my stash.


And I agree. Sawyer’s would be pretty much one of the best ways for drilling big holes with a stationary machine.

Since installing the jackshaft I ended up trading an electric bike for a Bridgeport clone.


Now any NON Mag drill annular cutter use is accomplished with this. Benefits are large table for clamping. Infinity variable speed and power feed.

 

[dfkrug]

Now any NON Mag drill annular cutter use is accomplished with this. Benefits are large table for clamping. Infinity variable speed and power feed.

Yeah, a milling machine is a great DP, too.

As you know, mag-drills are no longer super-expensive, as they were decades ago. I used one in a lab back in the 70s. You can buy a new mag-drill today, with Weldon chuck, and a large set of cutters for hundreds less than just the large twist bit set posted above. They allow coolant flow thru the middle of the cutters as well.

 

[Big Barn]

I also have some hi-quality MT3 taper bits, made in USA, up to an inch. Mostly purchased used on eBay. .

Same here. I was REALLY fortunate to find these Made In Canada hi-quality taper bits back in early February for $50 CDN.

 

[fried1765]

Same here. I was REALLY fortunate to find these Made In Canada hi-quality taper bits back in early February for $50 CDN.

View attachment 647686


View attachment 647687

I sure do hope that you have a son who will appreciate inheriting all your wonderful tools.

 

[dfkrug]

Same here. I was REALLY fortunate to find these Made In Canada hi-quality taper bits back in early February for $50 CDN.

That's a WAY better collection than mine....and neater, too.

Back when Lockheed was the biggest employer around here, I used to see large MT3 drill bits at the flea market often. Not so much anymore, and Apple, Google, Facebook, Intel, etc. don't drill any holes.

 

[Big Barn]

I sure do hope that you have a son who will appreciate inheriting all your wonderful tools.

Just a daughter (almost 19), fried and her career/ interests don’t intersect with mine which I’m very happy with. .

 

[Sawyer Rob]

My DP came from HarborFright years ago, and it was the biggest belt driven unit out there. Still too fast at 180RPM IIRC. Way less money versus a sweet gear-head DP like SAWYER's.

Best part about my Solberga is, I milled some logs for a customer friend, he paid me by giving me that big drill press, so I really only have my labor into it... And, that's a BIG

SR

 

[Big Barn]

Back when Lockheed was the biggest employer around here, I used to see large MT3 drill bits at the flea market often.

Boeing would be the equivalent in the PNW. Canadians use to make the trek down to their surplus store.

Last time I tried I couldn’t buy anything surplus on line as I needed a credit card with a US address as well as a matching residential address.

 

[dfkrug]

Canadians use to make the trek down to their surplus store.

Last time I tried I couldn’t buy anything surplus on line as I needed a credit card with a US address as well as a matching residential address.

It is tough living in Canada. But you are no slouch at finding some very good deals. I have seen (on TBN) the inside of your workshop!

 

[Big Barn]

Best part about my Solberga is, I milled some logs for a customer friend, he paid me by giving me that big drill press, so I really only have my labor into it... And, that's a BIG

SR

I love GOOD DEALS like that where BOTH parties are winners

 

[fried1765]

Boeing would be the equivalent in the PNW. Canadians use to make the trek down to their surplus store.

Last time I tried I couldn’t buy anything surplus on line as I needed a credit card with a US address as well as a matching residential address.

A Canadian friend (Nova Scotia) had the same credit card issue with a US Home Depot.
He wanted US$3,500 worth of HD windows but HD would not order the windows using his credit card.
I ordered them with my CC, and authorized him to pick them up in Maine.

He saved almost half, (compared to HHdwr.) including the even back then, horrible exchange rate.
I was also able to get my 10% HD discount on the special ordered windows.

He is a great guy, and has done me some favors, so I was very happy to be able to help him out.