Drill bits

[Her69fastback 3]

What drill bits do you think are the best? I’ll be drill mild steel with a hand drill. I don’t have a drill press. 

[mustangstofear 608]

Dewalt makes a good bit that you can get just about anywhere. 

[Grabber70Mach 107]

Longevity will help with the use of cutting oil.

[GypsyR 32]

I like cobalt whatevers. Lately I've been using a set from Harbor Freight. I have Drill Doctor I resharpen bits with. I keep a "to do" list on my phone which includes whatever bits I may have broken lately. I tend to pick up single replacements at Northern Tool mostly. I think those are Dewalt. Elsewhere I find Vermont American.

I've seen some "cobalt" bits which are sort of rainbow colored. They aren't true cobalts and are instead just coated. I would buy plain black HSS black oxide ones over those. At least they aren't trying to fool me. Actual cobalt bits are a darkish gold color. Brighter gold ones are the titanium coated ones. They're OK until the that microscopic coating wears off (about 2 seconds into a piece of steel) but I wouldn't pay extra for them. Harbor Freight puts a set of their titaniums on sale sometimes as low as $12. They're not great but not bad either. A decent starter set.  Just replace the ones you actually use, dull, or break with individual cobalts. If you're like me you'll use the heck out of just a few sizes and the rest will stay like new.

[danno 128]

On 12/22/2020 at 5:48 PM, Grabber70Mach said:

Longevity will help with the use of cutting oil.

+1 on the cutting oil. Absolutely necessary when drilling through hard metals like steel. 

[Vicfreg 771]

I like the black oxide also.  I look around on EBay for lightly used tools, and recently found some pretty new Snap-On drill bits. I am very happy with them.   I got tired of always replacing the hardware store grade bits.