cobalt drill bits - central maine area

[lostcause]

a little off from welding specifically, but since this forum includes general metalworking:

i know there's a few of you from this area who read here, so i figured i'd post this. i stopped in the bargain room at lakeview lumber in china today and they had two displays of irwin/hanson cobalt drill bits on the counter. prices for 1/16-1/4 ranged from $0.24 to $0.89, and going up to 1/2" it went up to $3.09.

basically that means you can get a 13 piece (up to 1/4") for under $7.00, and a full 29 piece set (up to 1/2") would be a little over $40.00. for decent quality cobalt drills that's not bad. the big plus is that they are all sold individually - you can buy lots of the ones that break easily for $0.25 to $0.50 each. they probably had 20-50 each of the smaller sizes and 10-20 each of the larger. great things if you have to drill stainless or other hard stuff.

 

[5030]

Many different grades (alloy's) of cobalt steel for tools.

The preferred alloy is M42 Cobalt alloy for stainless.

 

[lostcause]

Many different grades (alloy's) of cobalt steel for tools.

The preferred alloy is M42 Cobalt alloy for stainless.

to be honest i didn't look for specific markings to see whether they are m35 or m42, but if you want to replace an old hss drill bit set, then you probably won't do much better than this price, and whichever grade they are, it's really irrelevant. it's a decent bit at a cheap price. where else can you buy any 1/8" cobalt bits individually for $0.39?

 

[valley]

I find these way soft for stainless and angle iron from bed frames that is also hard.
I had occasion to drill bed frame today, the first hole the drill handled well the second hole the drill was damaged and couldn't finish the hole. I know that angle is very hard, but.

 

[lostcause]

I find these way soft for stainless and angle iron from bed frames that is also hard.
I had occasion to drill bed frame today, the first hole the drill handled well the second hole the drill was damaged and couldn't finish the hole. I know that angle is very hard, but.

i dunno what to say, other than not to worry. you're 3000+ miles from where they are being sold, so you probably aren't going to be jumping on a plane to get them anyways. i actually just had the occasion to bore a small hole along the axis of a stainless bolt i had chucked up in the lathe, and the drill handled it just fine. i never tried to say that these were the end all of bits, just that they are available cheaply for anyone in the area. you can't buy individual hss bits for this price anywhere around here, and for less money i'd still choose these over plain hss if i had something tougher to drill. i'm not sure what you are using, but i don't doubt that you've got some sort of unobtanium alloy bits that do wonders in the hardest of materials.

i guess it's officially time to stop making any posts trying to offer useful information on this site. the contrarian population will try to nullify anything said. the purpose was only to tell anyone in the local area that there were some decent drill bits for sale at pretty reasonably prices. i never realized that telling someone that there was something for sale would cause a debate.

 

[Baby Grand]

the contrarian population will try to nullify anything said.

No they won't. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Lostcause - Keep posting good intel like cheap Co bits. For that price it's tempting to get in the car & go for a ride.

 

[jake98]

I'd like to get my hands on a set of unobtainium bits.. good one!:laughing:

 

[5030]

i dunno what to say, other than not to worry. you're 3000+ miles from where they are being sold, so you probably aren't going to be jumping on a plane to get them anyways. i actually just had the occasion to bore a small hole along the axis of a stainless bolt i had chucked up in the lathe, and the drill handled it just fine. i never tried to say that these were the end all of bits, just that they are available cheaply for anyone in the area. you can't buy individual hss bits for this price anywhere around here, and for less money i'd still choose these over plain hss if i had something tougher to drill. i'm not sure what you are using, but i don't doubt that you've got some sort of unobtanium alloy bits that do wonders in the hardest of materials.

i guess it's officially time to stop making any posts trying to offer useful information on this site. the contrarian population will try to nullify anything said. the purpose was only to tell anyone in the local area that there were some decent drill bits for sale at pretty reasonably prices. i never realized that telling someone that there was something for sale would cause a debate.

No, it's not. If I lived close by and needed some drill bits, I'd truck over and grab some, but alas, I'm too far too.

There is a fine line between poking fun and debating as shown by the current crop of professional politicians......

Frankly, I never heard of Unobtaninum Alloy drill bits. Are those the ones that can drill Kryptonite?

For the life of me, I never could figure out why anyone would use (or attempt to use old bed frames (which have to be the cheapest form of angle steel ever made) to make anything except a trip to the scrap yard. That stuff is crap.

 

[deereman75]

uld figure out why anyone would use (or attempt to use old bed frames (which have to be the cheapest form of angle steel ever made) to make anything except a trip to the scrap yard. That stuff is crap.

I can see using them if you are one of those artists who makes scrap metal sculptures.:laughing:

 

[jake98]

I can see using them if you are one of those artists who makes scrap metal sculptures.:laughing:

wouldn't that make them 'crap metal sculptures'?

 

[deereman75]

wouldn't that make them 'crap metal sculptures'?

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[Baby Grand]

<snip>

For the life of me, I never could figure out why anyone would use (or attempt to use old bed frames (which have to be the cheapest form of angle steel ever made) to make anything except a trip to the scrap yard. That stuff is crap.

Because I keep finding them on the side of the road on Trashday morning, going to work, and I can fit them in my car. And something inside me can't resist trash picking, bin diving and getting some "steel" on the cheap. Have you priced angle iron lately? I have - I won't pay! Just joking, mostly. It would probably be apt to adopt a crow as my avatar. No bird of prey for me - no soaring with eagles here - a glossy black scavenger is plenty lofty for this bird, thank you very much.

It's hard steel, and I suspect it's dirty steel, but I have made some very sturdy "things" out of it. It's best worked with a torch, cutting to shape & hot punching holes with a drift & die plate rather than sawing & drilling. If you must weld it, then use 6010, the hotter the better. This gives your project a somewhat "knocked together" look. It's an acquired aesthetic.

 

[wdchyd]

i guess it's officially time to stop making any posts trying to offer useful information on this site. the contrarian population will try to nullify anything said. the purpose was only to tell anyone in the local area that there were some decent drill bits for sale at pretty reasonably prices. i never realized that telling someone that there was something for sale would cause a debate.

Please don't stop, We appreciate all the inside scoops....:thumbsup:

 

[5030]

A few days ago, the wife tossed an old angle steel bed frame and the scrouge in me wanted to do something with it (not that I don't have 20 ton or so of structural around) all the time for the shop, so, I took a rail and tried to saw it with a hack saw..... no luck. Tried to drill it (with an M42 Cobalt Parabolic flute drill) by the way....no luck. I did manage to BREAK a piece off in the vise with a stillson as a lever. That stuff has a Rockwell in the high 80's....

Been sleeping on a tool steel bed frame for years. We now have a Tempur-Pedic and no farame at all.

Put ir on the curb and it was gone in a half hour. Obviously there are some other 'scroungers' in the neighborhood.

 

[jake98]

It's good for plasma practice..

 

[crazyal]

Wish I was close enough, I'd pick up plenty of them that get used the most.

As for bed frames, love the stuff. Anything that gives me the excuess to show it whos the man with the plasma cutter and welder.

 

[Skyco]

I wish I had a source of good inexpensive drill bits....the HF stuff, the gold ones, are hit or miss, the larger sizes actually hold up pretty well the smaller ones are junk.

Bed frame steel- never forget my first encounter with that stuff back when I had not yet acquired decent metal working tools.
Still hate the stuff but like some just can't bring myself to throw it out:laughing:

 

[5030]

I wish I had a source of good inexpensive drill bits....the HF stuff, the gold ones, are hit or miss, the larger sizes actually hold up pretty well the smaller ones are junk.

Bed frame steel- never forget my first encounter with that stuff back when I had not yet acquired decent metal working tools.
Still hate the stuff but like some just can't bring myself to throw it out:laughing:

Garage sales and Craigslist.

I always pick up dull bits at garage sales. Most people discard drills when dull or the ends are roasted. Picked up a full set of fractional drills (Cleveland Twist) in the index for 5 bucks last week. A couple were shot (for the seller). None were shot (for me).

So long as you have the ability to offhand sharpen, any bit of useable length is a good bit.

I run mine until too short and then scrap 'em.

 

[J_J]

Here is some data about rail steel.

Chemical & Mechanical Properties of Rail Steel Angles | Jersey Shore Steel

http://www.jssteel.com/content/rail-steel-vs-mild-steel

http://www.jssteel.com/content/take-tour-jersey-shore-steel

 

[5030]

Anything coming from Jersey is questionable......:laughing: