Drill Bits - Forewarned is Forearmed

[Mows4three 826]

Hope everyone and their families is safe and doing well in these extraordinary times.  

 

With more time on my hands than usual, I set out last week to organize my tractor shed, build an outdoor rack for some steel I use in fabricating and regain some floor space in the shed.   All was going well until I needed to drill some pilot holes in the clips that would secure the steel rack to my blacksmith shed wall.  

 

I was using an 1/8th Titanium coated drill bit fresh from a new $9.99 black and yellow drill index that I bought with a coupon from a store specializing in cheap tools (are you following me?).  Being the frugal and fiscally conservative guy that I am, I have found these bits to be mostly OK.  Besides, this was pretty much a spur of the minute project and who wants to run to the tool cabinet to get the good bits when the chinesium bits were right beside the drill press, right?

 

As I was drilling the third pilot hole the drill began to chatter and pop.   I’d never experienced this in the past.  Small chips started to bounce out of the steel so I instinctively put my hand up to contain them to the drill press table.  That’s when the bit snapped and I received a shard of the drill bit in the palm of my hand.  

 

This was no big deal at that point until I started wondering what COULD have gone wrong.  First off, I was wearing PPE on my eyes.   I never do anything in my wood shop, blacksmith shed or on a job without it.  If I hadn’t had my hand up, the shard that imbedded itself in my hand was headed, like a rocket, for my face and possibly my eye.  Secondly, I should have stopped drilling when I encountered the aforementioned chattering and popping (I’m a backyard hack, not a disciplined machinist so no snarky keyboard comments, please).  Third, I shouldn’t place as much trust in a set of $9.99 drill bits as I did and I should start using better tools. 

 

Lesson learned:  THINK AT ALL LEVELS.  Simple stuff can get you in trouble when you’re in the shop and not thinking.

 

Cheers!

 

Dave

 

Here are a couple photos of the culprit and the damage:

[WHX?? 49,193]

Don't know whether to cry about the hand or give a thumbs for the nice racks. I bought the same drill set and pretty much use them once...maybe twice and throw them out! 

[SylvanLakeWH 26,000]

Same experience here with the cheap stuff... Junk.

 

[oldlineman 1,482]

I use "Drill Hog" brand made in USA and life time warranty. They don't ask how you broke them you just send them back and they send you a knew one. All correspondence is through the mail but I have had several replaced . A little pricey but you only buy them one time!  

Edited April 23, 2020 by oldlineman

[Achto 27,827]

I was once told that buying tools is like buying oats. If you want good clean oats, you pay a fair price. If you want oats that have already been through the horse, these will be much cheaper.

[edgro 677]

I like to wear gloves when drilling, especially if your hand is all that's holding the part your drilling

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Has been my experiences ,Even in a "well" equipped industrial factory machine shop you encounter drill bits that are "harder" than normal that also "explode" when encountering unexpected grains in the material you are drilling lube of some sort helps lessen this but still happens no matter the brand... But it does happen more often with any off the offshore versions vs USA, Japan, or German.

[formariz 11,988]

I had similar experiences in the past although bits did not break .Perhaps because once I felt the vibration I stopped and looked at them. These were actually 3/8" bits being used on the drill press. Upon inspection, edge was totally gone or looked serrated with chips on it and sort of rounded over. I have never been a fan of titanium coated bits. Good quality ones are OK until dull. Once sharpened the coating is gone from where it matters and then it is just like a regular bit. It is then also that one notices that its quality is inferior since that edge will never last again. Hence all the titanium bits here going to the garbage as they get dull. I have here American made bits used for the last 30 years sharpened  countless times to the point that they are just stubbies. Over the years I have on occasion fallen to the lure of the newest and better bit and purchase several time those titanium bits only to realize immediately after what a mistake it was.

 

Very nice rack

Edited April 23, 2020 by formariz

[c-series don 8,875]

The other day I was drilling out a broken bolt on a Wheel Horse seat. The seat was off the tractor and upside down on the workbench. Stupid me thought I should put on glasses but hey I’m drilling nice and slow and it’s just this one bolt. I usually do wear PPE especially the older I get. Well don’t you know I’m just about through the bolt and BINK the bit breaks, flies and hits my son-in-law who is standing about six feet away in the ear! He wasn’t wearing glasses either. We both just looked at each other like holy crap that was close. He didn’t get hurt but it damn sure could have been his eye or mine. 

Edited April 23, 2020 by c-series don

[ebinmaine 68,514]

3 hours ago, Mows4three said:

so no snarky keyboard comments

Damn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Ebinmaine is now sitting silently)

 

[bottjernat1 2,190]

I have a big set of bits from harbor freight I have had good luck with. i have had a couple break but most have been holding up just fine. https://www.harborfreight.com/titanium-m2-high-speed-steel-drill-bit-set-115-pc-61543.html  But i get where u are coming from you get what you pay for. 

[bc.gold 3,403]

What type of cutting lubricant were you using.

[SylvanLakeWH 26,000]

13 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

(Ebinmaine is now sitting silently)

 

 

So that's why a Pig just flew past my window...

 

[ebinmaine 68,514]

1 minute ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

 

So that's why a Pig just flew past my window...

 

 

 

 

Yepp

[formariz 11,988]

2 hours ago, bcgold said:

What type of cutting lubricant were you using.

Good point. When drilling ferrous metals I use kerosene. Its real effective as a coolant ,lubricates well and still provides a good "grab" on cutting edge. On aluminum I actually have specialized aluminum bits. Spiral is different. For that I lubricate them with the proper wax stick aluminum lubricant i use for saw blades. It will not allow aluminum to stick to cutting edges and gives you an almost sanded cut edge. I do thesame for bronze and brass which I use quite a bit for inlays and similar stuff.

[bc.gold 3,403]

Here's a drill bit speed chart.

 

[squonk 41,464]

I've had cheap tools last forever and good ones break. Luck of the draw

[Mows4three 826]

On 4/23/2020 at 11:31 AM, bcgold said:

What type of cutting lubricant were you using.

 

Ha!   Good try, BCGold.   Seriously good try!

 

I’m not going to get sucked into that discussion.   Saw it once before on here.......

 

Like asking “What’s the correct color to paint your Wheel Horse?”  Or, “Is a Chevy pickup better than a Ford?”   “Eggs scrambled or over easy?”   “Does this dress make me look fat?”   I’m convinced there is no right answer, ever.

 

LOL...!

 

You stay healthy and safe!

 

Dave

[Mows4three 826]

22 hours ago, bcgold said:

Here's a drill bit speed chart.

 

 

Thanks for the chart.  It’s really good info to have.  It would defiantly be applicable to work done with decent drill bits. 

 

I am pretty convinced this bit broke due to inferior workmanship or materials.  

 

Dave 

[ebinmaine 68,514]

4 minutes ago, Mows4three said:

Eggs scrambled or over easy?”  

Cooked

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Mows4three said:

Does this dress make me look fat?”

 

 

For this one I'll go back to my earlier answer:

 

On 4/23/2020 at 11:22 AM, ebinmaine said:

Ebinmaine is now sitting silently

 

[formariz 11,988]

20 hours ago, Mows4three said:

 

Thanks for the chart.  It’s really good info to have.  It would defiantly be applicable to work done with decent drill bits. 

 

I am pretty convinced this bit broke due to inferior workmanship or materials.  

 

Dave 

I take my saw blades to a place in Newark, NJ when they need sharpening. It is a really old place and I have been going there for 40 years now. It was already old when i first found it. They also weld my bandsaw blades that I buy in bulk rolls.They have two old time drill bit displays and dispensers. They are large, slanted, made of oak and a glass door on top.Really beautifully made cabinets. All the bits are old US made old stock. I always bought bits from them since they also have all the unusual fractional sizes. Quality is unmatched in my experience. I have for probably the last 10 years every time i go there, tried to buy at least one of the displays full. Displays are always full,  the old fellow telling me he has enough stock for a few lifetimes. Not that I need any bits really , but the display is a great looking item. I am hoping my perseverance will pay off eventually.