A (BIT) of a question for you all what bits do you use

[blade2174]

What drill bits do you all use and where is the best place to get them , also who is your favorite hardware supplier, and whats there best deal at the moment , i hoping with this thread that we can all find the deal of the week and save our selves a few bob. (it might work and it might not ) but all info is good info . ( in a related manner i have just seen that screw fix have a new place opening on the purley way in croydon (thornton heath end) that might save on waiting and paying for postage . ) well guys let me know your thoughts ... chris b 2

[bonez]

drill bits for what exactly?

[Shrub]

Yes, same here,

Do you mean hard plate bits or wood bits?

[mrdan]

For drilling out retaining pins I use a carbide tipped masonry bit. I burned through a ton of HSS bits till I used the carbide bit. Mucho better.

As for drilling cylinders, well we don't talk about that here. But I do not use a 1\4" HSS or coated bit when I don't drill them out.


Actually, now instead of not drilling them out, I pick them and replace with a common cylinder. (company policy to replace with new cylinder) This way instead of trashing the carcasses of old locks, I have more practice locks.

[jb68]

If you mean wood bits... cheap flat bits from Homebase, (I'm sick off boring a hole and finding a nail or pin with your brand new bit.

Decent quality auger bits for work on new or quality wood, ie oak etc

Piranah metal bits from Homebase, pricey but long lasting if you don't hit brickwork or concrete.

Piranah bullet tip masonary bits in the cordless, again long lasting although not for concrete.

SDS bits in me electric drill for concrete and hard brickwork.

The reason for using Homebase is that they have 10% off days and on these days I stock up on my drill bits and stuff.

I also use screwfix for some stuff and a couple of local toolshops for quality tools.

[!*AMP*!]

I guess my advice wouldn't help you seeing as you're in London. I was going to say HomeDepot...but I'm assuming HomeBase is the same general kind of place?

Are you looking for bits to drill locks? Uh oh, another driller, LOL.

[linty]

for drilling brass or steel good quality hss (bought in large amounts when they go on sale) is the way to go. but learn how to sharpen them yourself or you'll be throwing a ton of money away.

titanium coated doesn't really help as much as you'd hope it would.
carbide tipped is good but it's gone once you've re-sharpened your bit for the first time, so don't spend too much more on it.

[cbuk2k]

I used to “borrow” jobber drills from work, I have such a huge stash I haven’t really experimented. But try eBay for them they have a good reputation among fitters and electricians. Auger grills can be a little violent for my liking and you can’t really start small and work up. Spade drills aren’t bad have had a few split cheapie doors though.

[cbuk2k]

Probably as much down to what your spinning them with. I have a big Metabo drill that would drill concrete with a bread stick. SDS is a great of your drilling brick (especially old ones) but be careful if you ever need to drill straight through as they can take the best part of a brick out on the other side. Screwfix have a nice 18V Makita on offer if your looking at cordless.

[jb68]

Set your cordless on lower speed for augers, I find that works for me (mainly with larger diameter bits)

[cbuk2k]

Yeah, just a bit of a beast of a drill, big improvement though. I tend to go forward and reverse and take it slowly.

Chris’s Tip Of The Day
If your trying to drill something that’s really hard use a centre drill from a lathe they munch through anything I have ever used them on.

[CaptB]

strongly recommend Auger Bits for general woodwork. Not only is it like a knife through butter but also a lot easier to keep level. But don`t use on high speed good chance of rip out.

[CaptB]

For cutting mortice and hinges recommend a good makita router with jigs.
I prefer using a smaller router for ease of use, larger units can be awkward sometimes, especially when cutting for fire strips.