[stevebrot]

The 1/2' bits are not always sharp but a swirly soft bit can make for a glamorous hole.

Creative borders make all the difference when the artful touch is needed.


Steve

[ccc_]

but they cut your finger if you don't deburr them, you know, soften the edges

[rod_grant]

You could call that one Racer posted "bigma".
This one is more Limited;

[dConvert]

You could call that one Racer posted "bigma".
This one is more Limited;

Now that's what I call a proper drill bit!
The workshop here has a large format drill with something like a 1" or even 2" chuck, but AFAIK we haven't had anything like that in the company since we were sold off by Repsol in the nineties.


The LF drill needs serious support not a chance of handholding that baby at any speed!

[stevebrot]

The LF drill needs serious support not a chance of handholding that baby at any speed!

That, unfortunately, is one of the big drawbacks as chuck size increases; another being that support for shorter shanks is often poor.


Steve

[StephenHampshire]

Personally, I only use flint drill bits, these modern drills are far to clinical, there is something timeless about the holes you can drill with flint. It may take a few days longer to make a hole, but this just makes you more aware of the qualities of your material and also the whole concept of "holiness"

[MarkJerling]

That, unfortunately, is one of the big drawbacks as chuck size increases; another being that support for shorter shanks is often poor.

For a moment there, I was wondering if we're still talking about drill bits!

[SpecialK]

This one is more Limited;

I took one of those on a hole-drilling vacation. Silly me. It was too big for the regular bag, so I had to get a special drill bit bag made up. Not only that, it is a little hard to hold in low speed situations - it has no tripod collar. Overall, I would recommend the Hughes Quad-Lobe Diamond-Point Sandstone Spinner. Lighter, sharper and several thousand cheaper.

[clackers]

I took one of those on a hole-drilling vacation. Silly me. It was too big for the regular bag, so I had to get a special drill bit bag made up. Not only that, it is a little hard to hold in low speed situations - it has no tripod collar. Overall, I would recommend the Hughes Quad-Lobe Diamond-Point Sandstone Spinner. Lighter, sharper and several thousand cheaper.

Ultimately, my iPhone has made all those drills redundant. I show people the holes it makes and nobody can tell the difference anyway.

[Racer X 69]

Personally, I only use flint drill bits, these modern drills are far to clinical, there is something timeless about the holes you can drill with flint. It may take a few days longer to make a hole, but this just makes you more aware of the qualities of your material and also the whole concept of "holiness"

For a couple of years I worked a part of the airplane build where I drilled 656 holes in one shift.

By myself.

Locate, pilot, drill up in size and type of bit, countersink, disassemble the job, clean and debur. Touched each and every hole at least 3 times, some of them 4 or 5 times each.

As I swept up the aluminum and fiberglass chips I had a deep feeling of something. I mean, every hole was perfect enough to pass inspection. Diameter, hole quality, entrance and exit clean.

I was certainly exhausted.

And I had a huge pile of used drill bits ready to go back to the sharpening shop.

I don't think they would like it much if I used flint though.

Especially around the titanium.

Did you know that titanium shavings are highly flammable?

[Racer X 69]

Hughes Quad-Lobe Diamond-Point Sandstone Spinner.

Sounds like something you'd take bass fishing.

[SpecialK]

Sounds like something you'd take bass fishing.

It does make a fine boat anchor, though the Hughes marketing team does not list it in the specs.

[Just1MoreDave]

I know this is about bits but there is always the push to upgrade the drill. My current drill says this on the side, in the widely recognized colors that show everyone what I bought:



But if the new owners make changes, I am worried the new ones will look like this:



Which would really affect my purchase decision!

[Ex Finn.]

And I had a huge pile of used drill bits ready to go back to the sharpening shop.

Say what! You trusted someone else with your bits!

[Ex Finn.]

I know this is about bits but there is always the push to upgrade the drill. My current drill says this on the side, in the widely recognized colors that show everyone what I bought:



But if the new owners make changes, I am worried the new ones will look like this:



Which would really affect my purchase decision!

The yellow makes a nice consumer compound miter saw, the other is good for consumer levels, planers and such... Neither is really known for sharp results.