Check Your Drill Bits

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:17 pm

I recently purchased some new drill bits (CHEAP) from Harbor Freight. OK you get what you pay for.

I recently had 2 sets of wood scales crack while puting in mosaic pins. I checked my drill press for level first, then, I measured my bits with a set of calipers and found that all the bits I checked (6 of them) were off by .003 for the most part. So, that 3/16 bit I was using was actually .184 (ideally .1875 or .188). My pin stock measured .188 and my .191 bit was actually .188 or 3/16.
Check your bits, it's not fun to rework something you just started. IMO, a set of calipers is one of the most important tools you can have. They can save a lot of greif.

Oh well,

live and learn!

4ever3 · Post by **4ever3** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:59 pm

Yea Hukk, I have found unless you spend a mint on drills, it is best to ream holes after drilling it, especially if the size is critical.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:15 am

Yeah, I even pre fit and disassembled everything without cracking the scales.

I saw it once it was glued on.

Too late then!

4ever3 · Post by **4ever3** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:27 am

Hukk wrote:Yeah, I even pre fit and disassembled everything without cracking the scales. I saw it once it was glued on. Too late then!

Thats not good Hukk, I bet you wanted to

muskrat man · Post by **muskrat man** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:36 am

My bits or stock is off (one of the two). I need to invest in a set of mikes, I always have to turn my 3/32" stock down a bit to fit the scale holes properly, I have even run the bit through several times to ream it, but still no go

. Another tool I need to add to the arsenal I guess

4ever3 · Post by **4ever3** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:40 am

Heres a pretty descent place to buy tools, they have everything from imports to USA made tools, just depends on how much you want to spend.

http://www.wttool.com/

Heres another one too.

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRHM

muskrat man · Post by **muskrat man** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:55 am

thanks 4E3 some morer places to spend money

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 5:06 am

4ever3 wrote:
Hukk wrote:Yeah, I even pre fit and disassembled everything without cracking the scales. I saw it once it was glued on. Too late then!
Thats not good Hukk, I bet you wanted to

You bet, one was a great piece of snakewood that I traded for, best looking piece cracked. I had enough to replace it though, bummer that was a nice grained/patterned scale.

I did buy some drill bits that are dead on from MSC the other day, just the ones I commonly use.
I also picked up some Hi-Roc solid carbide flute screw machine drills that will drill through steel as hard as 65Rc. These actually came with a lot of paperwork and are dead on, but $$$$. Need to take care of those fragile baby's, they are EXPENSIVE!

However when they asked for a PO number, I just told her that I was a little guy making a few knives, she gave me about a 12% discount.
By calling to place an order, I got the bits cheaper and they were here in 2 days. Not Bad.

I just used the internet to get the page number in the big book, then called in because I forgot my account pasword. First time being forgetful paid off.

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 5:30 am

Hukk You just need to sharpen those small cheap drill bits. Then they will cut bigger than they are. If you under stand me

solid carbide flute are grate just do NOT drop them in a chuck. Take your time with them and they will last a long time. Hide them from you sons too.

I have seen to many NUTs take a 3/8 drill bit and try to but a 3/8 bolt on the hole. In wood its ok but not in steel.

I am an old tool and die maker. Spent time in the tool room. SMOKEING

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:30 am

I don't think I will sharpen them, to many. Since the set has fractional, lettered, and number drill bits; I should find the right size within .001. You're right about the metal and most woods, all but the hardest and most dense.
The woods that cracked were ebony and snakewood, amongst your hardest and densest woods, so I think the cracks were there when I prefit everything. I just didn't see them until later.
You're right about those solid carbide flutes, gotta be real careful and chuck them up as far as possible to help protect them. A quarter inch flute like that runs about $34.00, but she gave me a break and sold the quarter for $30.00.

muskrat man · Post by **muskrat man** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:48 am

I checked my bits and pin stock last night, and with a guage and some charts to convert everything around, my pin stock is actually .003 oversized, my bits are dead on the money, guess I'll have to find an oversize bit to drill holes for the oversized pins

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:15 am

I just learned a good lesson the last time I ordered pin stock. Jantz has them in metric as well as English. So I ordered some that were a hair over & under size. The problem is to know which piece you have when you grab a piece of pin stock. I end you using my dial calipers a LOT! I bought then at a pawn shop for about $25 and they are American made & will measure in thousands. The best $25 I ever spent on a tool.

Hukk,
That is a great point about the size of the drill bits. I had never thought about that. I have a lot of Black & Decker bits, but they are probably all made in china. I do have some better bits and have noticed fewer problems when I use them.

Thanks for the tip,
Dale

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:02 am

You can get get real good calipers, accurate to .0001 (1/10,000 inch) for a pretty good price these days. I prefer the digital because I can just press a button to convert inches to millimeters.

Your welcome Dale, I was surprised to see mine so far off. I figured others may have the same problem because so much comes from China.