I'm looking to replace my ageing combination drill bit set - a real
cheapo no brand set but it's served my DIY needs well. Looking to spend
no more than £40. However, I note that most of these sets these days
just play a numbers game "190 bits!" all mostly never to be used
screwdriver and socket gadgets, and basic things like a 10mm masonry
drill bit missing (which, looking at my existing set, has had a
surprising amount of use, yet isn't present in most sets today). I'm
also not clear what the latest technology is. It used to be Tungsten
Carbide did it not - now, many sets don't even mention this.

Any help appreciated, before I buy the biggest set possible from the
market.

wrote:

I'm looking to replace my ageing combination drill bit set - a real
cheapo no brand set but it's served my DIY needs well. Looking to spend
no more than £40. However, I note that most of these sets these days
just play a numbers game "190 bits!" all mostly never to be used
screwdriver and socket gadgets, and basic things like a 10mm masonry
drill bit missing (which, looking at my existing set, has had a
surprising amount of use, yet isn't present in most sets today). I'm
also not clear what the latest technology is. It used to be Tungsten
Carbide did it not - now, many sets don't even mention this.

Any help appreciated, before I buy the biggest set possible from the
market.


I dont have a clear answer for you. I've been disappointed by brand
named large sets, so would not go that route again. I'd also question
just what you need, as do-everything sets never match what it is I
want.

I'll also suggest a type of bit you cant buy, which I make much use of:
general purpose bits that have been reground to steeper cutting angles
for wood only use. There are 2 big plusses with these. The main one is
they go much faster and more easily into wood, making hard going work
into easy work and tripling battery charge life. The second plus is
theyre quickly and easily made from knackered old drill bits, thus
obviating the need to buy new bits at all. I grind mine on an angle
grinder, which is fast and effective (though has some caveats for this
kind of use).

I would be asking which type of bits are wanted first, there are many
choices now. Lip & spur are good ready made bits for wood, but not as
good as the reground bits. The old TCT bits for masonry have had their
noses put out of joint by SDS masonry bits, which AFAIK are always TCT,
and are way more effective than the old hammer drills.

Mostly I've got sets of one type of bit from reputable suppliers, and
found them usually ok. I even had a set of ok lip & spur bits from
poundland, good enough for softwood use. If youre brave enough to
splash out £3 at poundland, check theyre ground the right way before
buying, and accept that a couple will be duds, spending £3 on bit sets
there can give quite a number of usable bits, and may avoid the need
for a new box set. I'd stay well away from their masonry bits.

Another type of bit I can recommend is lefthanded bits. These either
bind into screwheads and unscrew them, or else drill the head out. Dont
use them often, but each time I do its worth the price of the set.

HTH a little. Maybe not. But it might help if you told us what types of
bit specifically you needed to get.


NT

wrote:

I'm looking to replace my ageing combination drill bit set - a real
cheapo no brand set but it's served my DIY needs well. Looking to spend
no more than £40. However, I note that most of these sets these days
just play a numbers game "190 bits!" all mostly never to be used
screwdriver and socket gadgets, and basic things like a 10mm masonry
drill bit missing (which, looking at my existing set, has had a
surprising amount of use, yet isn't present in most sets today). I'm
also not clear what the latest technology is. It used to be Tungsten
Carbide did it not - now, many sets don't even mention this.

Any help appreciated, before I buy the biggest set possible from the
market.


I dont have a clear answer for you. I've been disappointed by brand
named large sets, so would not go that route again. I'd also question
just what you need, as do-everything sets never match what it is I
want.

I'll also suggest a type of bit you cant buy, which I make much use of:
general purpose bits that have been reground to steeper cutting angles
for wood only use. There are 2 big plusses with these. The main one is
they go much faster and more easily into wood, making hard going work
into easy work and tripling battery charge life. The second plus is
theyre quickly and easily made from knackered old drill bits, thus
obviating the need to buy new bits at all. I grind mine on an angle
grinder, which is fast and effective (though has some caveats for this
kind of use).

I would be asking which type of bits are wanted first, there are many
choices now. Lip & spur are good ready made bits for wood, but not as
good as the reground bits. The old TCT bits for masonry have had their
noses put out of joint by SDS masonry bits, which AFAIK are always TCT,
and are way more effective than the old hammer drills.

Mostly I've got sets of one type of bit from reputable suppliers, and
found them usually ok. I even had a set of ok lip & spur bits from
poundland, good enough for softwood use. If youre brave enough to
splash out £3 at poundland, check theyre ground the right way before
buying, and accept that a couple will be duds, spending £3 on bit sets
there can give quite a number of usable bits, and may avoid the need
for a new box set. I'd stay well away from their masonry bits.

Another type of bit I can recommend is lefthanded bits. These either
bind into screwheads and unscrew them, or else drill the head out. Dont
use them often, but each time I do its worth the price of the set.

HTH a little. Maybe not. But it might help if you told us what types of
bit specifically you needed to get.


NT

PS screwdriggers, avoid. Sound good but made so wrongly theyre no real
use.

On Oct 17, 7:03 am, wrote:
I'm looking to replace my ageing combination drill bit set - a real
cheapo no brand set but it's served my DIY needs well. Looking to spend
no more than £40. However, I note that most of these sets these days
just play a numbers game "190 bits!" all mostly never to be used
screwdriver and socket gadgets, and basic things like a 10mm masonry
drill bit missing (which, looking at my existing set, has had a
surprising amount of use, yet isn't present in most sets today). I'm
also not clear what the latest technology is. It used to be Tungsten
Carbide did it not - now, many sets don't even mention this.

Any help appreciated, before I buy the biggest set possible from the
market.

I can't believe that you have worn out every bit in your existing set
evenly and don't understand why you would want to buy another set. Buy
the best you can afford of the bits you actually use (i.e. the ones
that are actually worn out) to replace the bits in your existing set.

MBQ

wrote:


I can't believe that you have worn out every bit in your existing set
evenly and don't understand why you would want to buy another set.

Hmmm...I don't actually believe I said that...

Buy the best you can afford of the bits you actually use (i.e. the ones
that are actually worn out) to replace the bits in your existing set.

That's probably good advice - but I just thought I'd be done with it
though and replace the lot and get them in a nice caddy. I think I'll
just keep an eye out on the "bargain" shelf at Buy & Queue.

In message om,
writes
I'm looking to replace my ageing combination drill bit set - a real
cheapo no brand set but it's served my DIY needs well. Looking to spend
no more than £40. However, I note that most of these sets these days
just play a numbers game "190 bits!" all mostly never to be used
screwdriver and socket gadgets, and basic things like a 10mm masonry
drill bit missing (which, looking at my existing set, has had a
surprising amount of use, yet isn't present in most sets today). I'm
also not clear what the latest technology is. It used to be Tungsten
Carbide did it not - now, many sets don't even mention this.

Any help appreciated, before I buy the biggest set possible from the
market.

For a good honest quality set, you could look here

http://www.tracytools.com/


--
geoff