Decent drill bits and sharpening tools

[pcatterall]

I need to replace ( again) all my smaller size drills. (for drilling steel)
I've tried cheapo ones on ebay and more expensive ones from my local tool firm.
Many people will tell me 'you get what you pay for' but I have found sometimes that paying a lot does not automatically mean quality. Painting them gold and calling them titanium
seems to be the usual practice!
Can any one suggest a good place to buy decent drills at fair prices?

Moving on..... I do sharpen my larger drills ( using my bench grinder) but don't seem to have the eye for smaller ones can anyone suggest a little sharpener that I could buy?

Many thanks

 

[sailorman]

Specsavers gets me down to around 3m/m

I need to replace ( again) all my smaller size drills. (for drilling steel)
I've tried cheapo ones on ebay and more expensive ones from my local tool firm.
Many people will tell me 'you get what you pay for' but I have found sometimes that paying a lot does not automatically mean quality. Painting them gold and calling them titanium
seems to be the usual practice!
Can any one suggest a good place to buy decent drills at fair prices?

Moving on..... I do sharpen my larger drills ( using my bench grinder) but don't seem to have the eye for smaller ones can anyone suggest a little sharpener that I could buy?

Many thanks

 

[V1701]

I bought some cobalt bits for drilling through stainless, expensive but they worked very well...

 

[Stoshak]

Tracey Tools of Torquay. Much used by model engineers.

 

[Poignard]

http://www.mscdirect.co.uk/CGI/INPDFF?PMCTLG=00f

 

[Niander]

I also recommend cobalt drill bits off fleebay no probs

 

[Laurie]

If they are suitable for drilling through stainless (removing stainless bolts?) please could you say from where you obtained them?

Thank you...........

 

[sailorman]

Any good quality HSS twist bit will drill ss, as long as you drill slow & well lubed. drill a small ( say 3m/m first to remove the area the larger drill centre / tip takes ) then drill the size you require.

If they are suitable for drilling through stainless (removing stainless bolts?) please could you say from where you obtained them?

Thank you...........

 

[Hugh Foulis]

Plus one for cobalt drills but also the need for lubrication. I have had good success with cutting fluid but I am currently very impressed with a paste version. A little on the drill bit and it is very effective.

HF

 

[Laurie]

Any good quality HSS twist bit will drill ss, as long as you drill slow & well lubed. drill a small ( say 3m/m first to remove the area the larger drill centre / tip takes ) then drill the size you require.

Thank you so much for reply. Had bought some quality bits as you describe(HSS) but now finding access is going to prevent my plan....not the drill bits!!

 

[Sneaky Pete]

Nearly all twist drills are made from HSS high speed steel some have coating some don’t and some have carbide tips etc. Good brand names are Presto, Dormer, Sandvic don’t run them too slow otherwise they will blunt quickly there are speeds for particular materials and diameters of holes as said plenty of cutting oil to keep the drill point cool reduces wear. I always sharpen my drills by hand I find the smaller ones sharpen better on a fine grit wheel.

 

[richardabeattie]

I bought a £20 drill bit sharpener from Lidl. I poke the bit into the top, switch on, twiddle the bit a bit and out it comes sharp.

 

[BERT T]

Drill sharpening

Try one of these:

 

[Niander]

cobalt drills are better than HSS ive seen it for myself many times
a coating or not they work well
and are brilliant for drilling stainless

 

[30boat]

cobalt drills are better than HSS ive seen it for myself many times
a coating or not they work well
and are brilliant for drilling stainless

I only use cobalt bits these days.Normal HSS ones don't like stainless much.They can be made to work but will fail sooner than cobalt ones.

 

[VicS]

I bought a £20 drill bit sharpener from Lidl. I poke the bit into the top, switch on, twiddle the bit a bit and out it comes sharp.

I bought one too. Not bad. Sharpened a few drills that need doing but my trouble was that most of my drills are fractional, not metric, and the machine really only takes the common metric sizes from, 3mm to 10mm, or the fractional sizes that are close.

Some care is need to sharpen both sides evenly other wise you get a drill that drills oversize holes!

My reason for choosing it was that it is self powered, not attached to an electric drill.

Silverline make something similar. Clarke too

I think the best device is probably the one that attaches to a bench grinder .. but you have to have a bench grinder first... as post #13, short of a proper machine costing best part of £200

 

[William_H]

I have had some success sharpening small drill bits by puting it in a vice point upwards then using an oil stone to carefully grind away the shoulders of the cutting edge. Problem with a powered grinding wheel is that it takes too much off too quickly. good luck olewill

 

[sailorman]

not if you know what you are doing

I have had some success sharpening small drill bits by puting it in a vice point upwards then using an oil stone to carefully grind away the shoulders of the cutting edge. Problem with a powered grinding wheel is that it takes too much off too quickly. good luck olewill

 

[rob2]

I used to have one of those sharpeners that attach to a drill and found it effective, particularly on small HSS bits. Haven't seen it in years as my mate is adept at sharpening on a wheel - at the yard, I hold a belt sander for him while he sharpens them up on that! Had to do some stainless drilling and was sharpening more than drilling so bought some cobalt drills, came as a batch of ten of ebay. Using cutting fluid, did the whole job without any sharpening required!

Rob.

 

[aitchem]

Always remember, when drilling stainless, the drill speed is critical.
Stainless "work hardens" very quickly, so you need a lower speed and constant firm pressure.