Drill Bits

TerryinMD · Nov 27, 2001

Harv,

That is the same poster my neighbor has in his shop garage. He's a transplant from the LA area. Works for the remnants of Fairchild Aerospace. We used that chart a couple of weekends ago working on a project. Too cool!!

Terry

therrien · Nov 28, 2001

Thats an old phone #. I think those type of numbers came after, picking up the phone and saying "Margaret can you get Sams feed store please".

Doug T B1700 TLB

Bird · Nov 28, 2001

That's not an "old" phone number. We were still using that kind of number until just recently; at least until the late '60s - or was it the early '70s?/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

And I wish the drill bits were my only concern. The motor just died on my 6 year old drill press and the electric motor repair shop said it would be cheaper to buy a new motor than to repair this one. I found it would also be cheaper to buy a complete new drill press than to buy a new motor./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Harv · Nov 28, 2001

cheaper to buy a complete new drill press

But as you well know, the new one may not be the quality of the old one. I'd take a really close look at the new one before plunking down the cash. A new motor might still be the way to go. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Bird · Nov 28, 2001

new one may not be the quality of the old one

I certainly understand that, Harv, however I'm afraid it doesn't apply in this case (quality wasn't one of the old one's features/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif). Fortunately I can't lose too much since the old one was about the smallest, cheapest thing Tractor Supply Co. had at the time, with a supposedly 1/2hp, brushless, Chinese made motor. And the company that made it is one Tractor Supply Co. no longer does business with. Their new one is actually $10 cheaper than what I paid for the old one 6 years ago, and looks to be even better, except it's a smaller 1/3hp motor. I decided to take my time and look around a little more before I buy anything though.

Bird · Dec 10, 2001

I'll post a reply to one of my own messages./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif When my 6 year old Tractor Supply Co. Chinese made drill press motor wouldn't run a couple of weeks ago, I took it apart, checked the switch, wiring, connections, etc.; never could find anything wrong (it wasn't even dirty inside), but also never could make it run. So . . ., I took it to a local electric motor repair shop. The guy called the next day to tell me it had a couple of major problems (didn't say what they were) and that I could buy a new motor cheaper than they could fix that one. I shopped around for motors and drill presses and figured I could buy a whole new drill press cheaper than I could buy a motor alone, but didn't buy anything. So I left the old motor, disassembled, and all the other parts in a box sitting in the shop figuring I'd haul it off someday.

However, I got to thinking that if I ever have a garage sale, some fool would probably give me $4 or $5 for it for parts. So this morning, I re-assembled everything and put it back together. I started to walk off, but then just on a whim, I plugged it in, hit the switch, and to my surprise . . ., it works fine! I turned it on and off several times and can't make it malfunction. Now if it were computer controlled, I would expect that, but I've gone completely through that thing and can't find a computer anywhere in it./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif I guess it's just got to be those darned gremlins again./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Harv · Dec 10, 2001

Hey, Bird!!!

I have a VCR I'd like you to take apart and put together again. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird · Dec 10, 2001

Harv, you'd probably have better luck with an exorcism for that VCR than for me to take it apart./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

jlong · Mar 27, 2002

HRMUTT--

Have you or anyone ever tried using those drill bit sharpeners? Saw one in Sams for about 30-40 dollars. Was thinking of buying one, but wondered if they worked.

Bird · Mar 27, 2002

wondered if they worked

Sometimes. Don't know what you were looking at, but there's quite an assortment on the market. The Drill Doctor may be one of the better ones. Some are adjustable to put a different angle on the tip; some are not. I've got about a $25 gadget (I bought mine elsewhere, but Sears also has them) that's adjustable, and I bolt it down in front of the bench grinder and sharpen mine. It's better'n nuthin' but I wouldn't say it's great. Of course, the operator might be part of the problem./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Golfgar4 · Mar 27, 2002

"Of course, the operator might be part of the problem."

Bird, is that what's known as Operator head space and timing?? /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Bird · Mar 27, 2002

Something like that./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Did you just add something to your signature?/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Now that I don't have a tractor, and if I can sell this place, I might start using a golf cart again./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Golfgar4 · Mar 28, 2002

Did you just add something to your signature?

Yeah, I saw all these other guys messing around with theirs, so I thought I'd give it a try. I had to come up with something appropriate for my name, since I don't have my tractor yet /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif. I figure when I do get my tractor, I'll change the sig to be more in line with what I get! One thing about my golf cart, though - I don't have to worry about any drink holders /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif!!

JRP · May 5, 2002

I use the same approach as Egon and like this set form TSC. $20 for a set of Titanium Nitride coated bits. I also have the 9/16 to 1" set from Karbor Freight.

To make them last, the most important think is correct cutting speed and lubrication. Cutting speed is how fast the tip of the tool travels. Units if feet per minute and I run high speed drill bits at 100 FPM. To determine RPM, divide 400 by the diameter of the drill. Most people run larger bits too fast and small bits too slow. !/8" bits I run at about 3200 rpm, 1/4" at 1600 RPM, 1/2" at 800 RPM, 1" at 400 RPM, etc. Use this. It works.

Use plenty of oil. I have a plactic cap from a paint spray can with oil in it. After I touch off on the center punch mark I put the cap up to the drill bit (with drill press offf) and it puts oil on the tip.

For bigger hols, go up in steps. Except for hole saws.

For holes larger than 1" iuse hole saws. I recently cut 1 3/4" hols in 3/4" plate with quality hole saws. I like Lennox or Starret hole saws.

TonyC · May 5, 2002

Thanks for the great advice. I will print these RPMs and post them on my drill press for reference. My drill press has an oiler on it. Nothing fancy but it keeps the bit well lubricated That makes it easy and I know this helps a lot. Thanks a lot for the advice...I know I will use it!

5030 · Mar 1, 2003

No matter whether they are cheap or expensive, learn how to sharpen them. "offhand sharpening" is a practiced art that is easy to learn but takes some time. Invest in a drill sharpening gage for checking the angle or you can buy a "Darex" drill doctor but the non-comercial models only go up to 3/4". An important thing to remember is to "relieve the web" on drills over 1/4". relieving the web allows the bit to penetrate the material easier with less heat and less strain on the dill press or motor. Less heat means longer life and if you buy a "cheap" set they will last longer and if you learn how to sharpen them, even a cheap set will last along time. Titanimum, TiN, Titanimum Nitride, Steam Oxide, etc., are just coatings applied to the H.S.S. bits for easier chip flow and less friction. M2 is a designation that represents a european standard for High Speed Steel. The only bits other than HSS that will be available to you are Micrograin Tungsten Carbide or "Hi-roc". They are extremely hard and will drill armor plate and hardened steel up to rc58. They don't come from Lowes, but from a machinery supply house like MSC. I could go on for pages about cutting tools as I own my own machine shop, but the above will give you some idea. If any of you people have any questions, send me a private message and I'll try to answer your questions. I saw a couple of posts about drill sharpeners. Darex Drill Doctors are the best non commercial shapeners as they also relieve the web and they are a "no Brainer" to use. NEVER SHARPEN A DRILL ON THE SIDE OF A GRINDING WHEEL ONLY ON THE FACE. Side grinding is very dangerous as the wheel can shatter from a side load. Vitrified wheels have very little resistance to side loading.

Anonymous Poster · Apr 2, 2003

Here's a site for all you tool junkies.
http://www.mscdirect.com/
Its where we order all of the tools for our machine shop.
Lou

gmason · Apr 2, 2003

I checked a few of there prices and WOW... are they HIGH... $229 for a saw blade that I've gotten off other sites for $79.99

gary

Anonymous Poster · Apr 3, 2003

Ok so our shop may have a bigger budget then most. Look at the drill press we have to feed.

Hoeman00 · Apr 7, 2003

If we were allowed to take pics at work I could show u some BIG drill presses one Ingersoll mill/drill has a 3.5mX20m table.
1m=39.4"
The operators also tap on it down to 8mm.
If it is like GM they get big discounts, I can buy stuff from Grainger w/ the discount too.
McMaster/Carr has decent prices on good quality tooling.