Drill Bits...For Steel

PeterInSa · Guru

Drill Bits...For Steel

Whenarewethere · Guru

Are you using cutting fluid?

Sutton supplies it or Rapid Tap Cutting Fluid. Makes a big difference.

Are you drilling slowly, & for stainless even slower.

PeterInSa · Guru

Re Sutton supplies it or Rapid Tap Cutting Fluid. Makes a big difference.

No, use to.

Re: Are you drilling slowly,

Yes in a Drill press, but in a drill:

Could be slower, but using High Speed Drills.

Thanks for the reminders.

Plain Truth · Guru

Trefolex cutting paste, great for drilling and tapping

Whenarewethere · Guru

A drill drill press in good.

HSS (high speed steel) does not mean drilling fast.

Drill slower say 300rpm, the drill should not be a blur, basically as slow as you can, cutting or tapping fluid, further cool the drill bit as necessary.

Often one just uses a few of the same size drills over & over, ie for tapping etc, just get those bits you need as the best quality.

I have a set from 1mm to 6mm in 0.1mm increments. It is basically the same few sizes I regularly use. Actually bought some replacements recently. Quality bits aren't cheap, but they prevent irritation!

Whenarewethere · Guru

I misplaced my Sutton 3 flute countersink & bought a cheap one. It barely countersunk 2 holes as it was being cut by the material. Avoid the rubbish tools!

Cross hole countersinks are great.

PeterInSa · Guru

In the good old days ( PMG Tech in Training) I was a wizz at sharpening drills, I think over the years I have partly lost that skill ( and dipping into water to keep the hardness up). Bought a device that could sharpen them but the internal grind stone wore down and then was NBG.

Like Sutton Drills from the Green shed.

and carry a good 240vac drill in the caravan and a set of drills, will still give the cutting fluid a miss though ( its either that or gasket glue or...or...)

dabbler · Guru

I don't rate the Ryobi very highly. I bought a larger set to cover a bigger range of dia but I'm not convinced the titanium coating does much. It's a second set for the house to avoid unpacking the travelling set. I'm a Frost user but buy single Suttons for odd jobs. Still better than Craftsman bits though !!

Mike Harding · Guru

I made a post on this very subject about two years past which elicited some great replies, do a search.

I bought a set of 19 metric Viper bits from Bunnings for $89 which have performed well although they have had a fairly easy life.

yobarr · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
I made a post on this very subject about two years past which elicited some great replies, do a search.
I bought a set of 19 metric Viper bits from Bunnings for $89 which have performed well although they have had a fairly easy life.

Comes under "Twist drill bits recommendations please" dated May 6 2020. Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Saturday 5th of March 2022 09:05:57 PM

oldbloke · Guru

More than likely just sh!t steel from China. Try a place that specialises in tools.

-- Edited by oldbloke on Saturday 5th of March 2022 09:24:22 PM

Rob Driver · Guru

PeterInSa wrote:
Purchased 2 sets of drill bits ( 20 drills each, 1 set Gold metric, the other Black imperial) from A.. from memory around $32ea was told they were good value. But found they do not like steel.
Recently needed a 3 mm, purchased from the Green Shed $3.90.
Noticed that The Green Shed is selling 13 piece High Speed Steel Drill Sets for $14.98 anybody used these on steel.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-13-piece-metric-high-speed-steel-drill-bit-set_p0056804?sfmc_id=290092783&sfmc_key=17AB0942-D4D5-4723-9737-78765C8B91EF&utm_source=sfmc_retail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=136409.AU_220303_New_Campaign_Lowest_Prices

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Saturday 5th of March 2022 02:53:13 PM

Hi Peter,

I checked the product reviews on the Bunnings site and surprisingly most said that they were happy with their purchase.

The price that they are offered at may have an influence on least som of the 4 and 5 star ratings.

As mentioned above if I wanted quality drill bits I would be enquiring at a supplier like Blackwoods or similar.
I do believe when it comes to drill bits and other cutting tools then you generally only get what you pay for.

Now having said that, the green shed may have some brands of better quality than the kit you mentioned

dabbler · Guru

Rob, I rarely buy from Blackwoods or similar now. I become accustomed to Bunnings convenience plus there are a few good tool shops like Trade Tools around me that trade longer hours. Bunnings and Trade Tools both offer pretty much the same products as Blackwoods plus a few more.

Rob Driver · Guru

dabbler wrote:
Rob, I rarely buy from Blackwoods or similar now. I become accustomed to Bunnings convenience plus there are a few good tool shops like Trade Tools around me that trade longer hours. Bunnings and Trade Tools both offer pretty much the same products as Blackwoods plus a few more.

Yes a good point.

I think that Blackwoods have been slow to move with the times and some items are at a premium price.

Unfortunately my local choice is only Mitre 10 or HH.

I find that both stores carry exactly the same tools in most cases.

I tend to shop on line for most tool items. I get a better variety and generally free freight.

I know it is not good for supporting local but in the end I do get what I want and not buying something that a purchasing clerk thinks might sell.

PeterInSa · Guru

My 3mm replacement mentioned above was a Sutton Drill bit. At Bunnings a 13 Piece Sutton Drill Kit retails at $52.45, compared to the $14.xx Ryobi set mentioned in my original post.

What surprised me was the Sutton 13 piece Imperial Drill set was $41.xx. $11 Cheaper than Metric, because of the US market?

As someone said above you get what you pay for ( or words to that affect)

www.bunnings.com.au/sutton-tools-13-piece-viper-metric-drill-bit-set_p6360610

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Sunday 6th of March 2022 10:37:48 AM

Whenarewethere · Guru

Luckily I have Hardware & General nearby, a family business. The engineering department is great, website is beyond useless. Not cheap, but at least I can buy stuff not coming from China.

One may pay a bit more up front but it saves endless pain, suffering & torture in the long run.

You also have Total tools & Sydney Tools which are fairly good. Westfarmers should stick with farming in the west!

Rob Driver · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
Luckily I have Hardware & General nearby, a family business. The engineering department is great, website is beyond useless. Not cheap, but at least I can buy stuff not coming from China.

One may pay a bit more up front but it saves endless pain, suffering & torture in the long run.

You also have Total tools & Sydney Tools which are fairly good. Westfarmers should stick with farming in the west!

I find Total Tools (I think they may have changed their trading name just recently) to be a great on line resource for tools.

Edit:

it is *Get Tool Direct* that has a new name *Tools.Com* not the one I mentioned above.

-- Edited by Rob Driver on Sunday 6th of March 2022 11:14:14 AM

Whenarewethere · Guru

Have stumbled across this website, have never bought anything from them so can't comment in any way on their service.

I have a Sutton 3.0mm 10pk D1010300

So maybe a 10pk of few sizes is the way to go. Is it not worth the time sharpening drill bits, unless your only other job in life a arguing with Wifey!

https://www.cltoolcentre.com.au/sutton-tools-d1010300-3-0mm-10pack-hss-jobber-drill-bit.html

Craig1 · Guru

593255-step-drill-6-to-30mm-13-step-hss-tinite-coated-10mm-shaft-93255.1919.jpg I bought a three piece set of these at Gasweld, brilliant so far

Greg 1 · Guru

If you are primarily going to be drilling steel buy cobalt bits. Cost more but worth it in the long run. And use a cutting fluid. I like Trefolex as previously mentioned.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Craig1 wrote:
I bought a three piece set of these at Gasweld, brilliant so far

Mate, you could also use that as a Xmas tree in your van.

Craig1 · Guru

Ah, thanks Chief, no messy pine cones or needles either. But might have to get a suspension upgrade, they are a heavy bit of gear.

Whenarewethere · Guru

It's a bit like architectural sugar *

An architectural tree!

* cubes

unusedname · Member

I have been doing a lot of bodywork on a bus I am converting into a motorhome. I have drilled thousands of 3.2mm and 4mm holes in steel aluminium and fiberglass and found a slow cordless drill saved a lot of drill bits compared to the high speed 240v drill. Also not all steels are equal, some steels are much harder than others. I used Suttons HSS and Alpha gold the Suttons lasted a little bit longer.