Drill Bits

[japody]

I bought a set of Dewalt drill bits thinking they would work well. Boy, was I wrong. Had a hard time drilling through 2 x 4's and some even broke with little pressure. Does anyone have recommendations for a quality set that won't break the bank?

 

[Industrial Toys]

Watching Farm something on Youtube do tests seemed to give Dewalt bits pretty good test scores as I recall.

Project farm maybe. I don't know why all videos are not clearly labeled as for the creator and also a DATE clearly indicated.

 

[Monster5601]

I bought a set of Dewalt drill bits thinking they would work well. Boy, was I wrong. Had a hard time drilling through 2 x 4's and some even broke with little pressure. Does anyone have recommendations for a quality set that won't break the bank?

Dewalt for the win
Which Drill Bit Brand is Best? Let's find out! - YouTube

 

[mcfarmall]

Any U.S. made High Speed Steel bit with a 135 degree split point will do just fine. Even had good luck with some imported drills. Operator technique DOES play a part in drill bit longevity. Stay away from "high carbon" drill bits.

 

[stuckmotor]

I've been using the the gold titanium bits from Harbor Freight for years. On a lark, I tried their black HSS bits and they seemed cut mild steel better. When they break, small loss with either one.

 

[hayboy48]

HF works for me. I can't sharpen one anyway. They all might come from the same place.

 

[fidowanttobe]

Maybe you got a dud set?? All I buy is Dewalt bits and I have had good luck with them. :confused3:

 

[PILOON]

When I want quality bits my 'Go To' is Dormer.

While I have found may other good bits most tend to be in the 'hit and miss' category.

 

[p0diabl0]

I had to drill a bunch of 3/8 holes in a cargo container so I figured I'd splurge as I'd only ever used whatever junk was lying around/on sale before. I got the " Cobalt Milwaukee 3/8 in. Thunderbolt Cobalt Twist Drill Bit " from Home Depot. Spendy, for a drill bit, but it was like drilling aluminum compared to the usual junk. Drilled fast and true and has kept its edge with minimal lubrication used.

 

[Doofy]

There is nothing more infuriating than a drill bit that will not cut. I need to try my hand at using the Drill Doctor to sharpen some of mine. Also, it has taken me almost 70 years to realize the importance of lubricating that bit.

 

[Cycledude]

I will have to agree with buying drill bits is often hit and miss. But overall I’ve had best luck with Milwaukee bits.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I am still using a thirty year old (well used) Milwaukee Step Drill. Meanwhile I have a pile of chinesium junk ones. You can't as a rule, get good cutting tools cheap.

You try and treat expensive bits well, but good stuff will endure abuse and cheap stuff simply calls it a day.

 

[EddieWalker]

DeWalt should be called Disappointment. They always disappoint me. My current set of medium priced drill bits is Milwaukee. For the money, I've been very pleased with them.

In my opinion, DeWalt is a home owner grade tool that a lot of contractors use when starting out, or for crews that lose, destroy or steel the tools all the time. You can get them everywhere, but when you buy them, you know that you are settling because you need it right now, and driving an hour to where you can get a better quality tool isn't really an option to finishing the job.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Yet, Project Farm, often finds Dewalt stuff quite good. Never seen any video to suggest they were simply NOT good. Most of his videos are often too convoluted with conflicting data to make a clear choice though.

 

[Oldpath05]

I mostly buy Quick Change drill bits and try to avoid Titanium coated bits, but last year I took a gamble and bought these Milwaukee drill bits, I was surprised on how good they dril though regular steel let alone wood. I wanted Dewalt because I have Dewalt batt tools but couldn't find any like this selection, they have point tip that helps precise starts. (SHOCKWAVE IMPACT DUTY Titanium Drill Bit Set)

SHOCKWAVE IMPACT DUTY Titanium Drill Bit Set (15-Piece) 45242353316 | eBay

 

[Tinhack]

No drill bit will hold up to side thrust. If you happened to cock the drill sideways after starting straight, you'll break the bit. By straight, I mean perpendicular to the surface you're drilling. Or if you start cocked over and try to straighten the drill, you'll break the bit. Even carbide will break.

Most faulty drill bits are the fault of the driller.

If you can't drill straight, use a drill press. There used to be portable drill presses available. They attached to the drill and had a flat base similar to router.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Somewhat off topic. My stepdad had a portable 120V drill that had a bubble level. I don't know why every drill doesn't have that. I am incapable of accurately judging plumb or level when drilling a hole it seems. One friend in particular is notorious for coming along and adjusting my drill angle, which always seemed to be WAY off.

 

[Tinhack]

My old B&D electric has that bubble level. But it only works if you're drilling straight down. Not so useful if you're drilling into a wall. :laughing:

I like these Dewalt bits. They call the tip "Pilot Point". I also like them because they're one-piece. Not the "glued together" two-piece.

Dewalt 10-Piece drill bits.

 

[LouNY]

I bought a batch of these a couple of months ago.
So far I have been pleased with them.I got several of the multi packs of different sizes.
That little order got over $200 real quick but we will see how they do.

 

[bcp]

For the OP with bad DeWalt bits, I wonder if someone bought a DeWalt set and a cheap set, switched bits, and returned the cheap ones in a DeWalt box for a refund.

Bruce