Which drill bits should an Aussie buy?

[rodw]

I have a set of fractional drill bits on my wish list.

These usually come in two sets, up to 6mm and from 6-10mm in 0.1mm increments.

I was at my bolt shop today and I asked them how much the Sutton sets cost and they gave me a quote that was affordable to mere mortals like me. The only problem is they asked me did I want bright or blue drill bits?

The price is the same and the only difference in the catalog I can see is that the bright set has a 118 degree Standard drill point and the blue has a 118 degree Type A drill point.

So which ones should I buy? I was leaning towards the blue ones so they stood out against my ordinary day to day drills.

 

[Swifty]

According to the Sutton web site, the bright drills are for low carbon, non ferrous and aluminium, while the blue are suitable for low and high carbon steels and reasonable on non ferrous and aluminium.

Paul.

 

[rodw]

According to the Sutton web site, the bright drills are for low carbon, non ferrous and aluminium, while the blue are suitable for low and high carbon steels and reasonable on non ferrous and aluminium.

Paul.

Thanks Paul, I will go with the blue ones then. I tried to interpret their catalog.

 

[Sleazey]

Since you are below the equator, shouldn't you be buying left hand drills?


(For the humor impaired, "That's a joke, son, that's a joke.")

 

[Hopper]

Since you are below the equator, shouldn't you be buying left hand drills?

No. Because we are all standing upside down.

 

[rodw]

Since you are below the equator, shouldn't you be buying left hand drills?


(For the humor impaired, "That's a joke, son, that's a joke.")

No need to, I have a built in correction factor as I am left handed so two wrongs make a right

Anyway, I ordered a set of blue Sutton Australian made drills from 1.0mm to 5.9mm in 0.1mm increments yesterday. Cost me $115 plus our 10% GST which I get back as I have a registered business. This would have to be the cheapest price in the country for these. RRP is $285 + GST. I have about $800 in tooling on its way from CTC Tools in Hong Kong so I thought I better wait for the coffers to recover before ordering the larger sizes from 6mm to 10mm. I have been quoted $224 + GST for these against a list of $560.

I like my new bolt shop!

 

[///]

Cost me $115 plus our 10% GST
....
I like my new bolt shop!

Do they do online orders for us Sandgropers?
Sadly my local fastener supplier has vanished. I might have to hunt around for these. Blackwoods and Coventry's will want an arm and a leg.

 

[rodw]

Do they do online orders for us Sandgropers?
Sadly my local fastener supplier has vanished. I might have to hunt around for these. Blackwoods and Coventry's will want an arm and a leg.

Well yes, they have all their products on their web site. Here is the bright version of the one I bought

https://www.bolt.com.au/jobber-drill-set-sm30-bright-10mm-to-59mm-01mm-rises-50pcs-p-92977.html

And the bright version of the bigger drills

https://www.bolt.com.au/jobber-drill-set-sm41-bright-60mm-to-100mm-01mm-rises-41pcs-p-92984.html

And here was I thinking they quoted me a special price!

 

[davewaldo]

I've read Dormor drills are very good. What do the wise people here think?

Here is a similar set for a similar price but with free postage. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Dormer-A190-No-202-HSS-Drill-Set-in-Metal-Case-Metric-/350688945444

 

[rodw]

I've read Dormor drills are very good. What do the wise people here think?

Here is a similar set for a similar price but with free postage. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Dormer-A190-No-202-HSS-Drill-Set-in-Metal-Case-Metric-/350688945444

Bolts and Industrial also sell Dormer drill bits. This is the same kit you are looking at listed at $189 so you are getting a good price with free freight.

https://www.bolt.com.au/hss-jobber-drill-set-in-metal-case-p-82260.html

The Dormer coated ones are here https://www.bolt.com.au/hss-tinite-coated-jobber-drill-set-in-metal-case-p-79563.html

I've also heard they are good and probably superior to Sutton but I am happy to stick to Australian made so I can get replacements for the ones I break. :hDe:

 

[davewaldo]

Thanks Rod,

Yep the price for the dormers on eBay seems good. But I see that this particular set is made in brazil. So the Aussie made suttons might be the best way for me to go after all.

Cheers!

 

[///]

Well yes, they have all their products on their web site. ....

Cheers Rod.
Comparing with eBay prices for the smaller kits, they're about the same.
I got a quote from Blackwoods for both sets, $500 over the counter.
From Bolts&Industrial it is $385 incl. freight to WA. Done deal.
Cheers again Thm:

 

[bazmak]

Both Sutton and Dormer are both top class Both sets are generally all you need
if you need a tapping drill between say 10 and 10.5 then buy it and keep separate
When using smaller step up sizes use the common sizes,easier to replace. BAZMAK

 

[Ca-g]

I have the Dormer set and I think it is OK. Sutton is a brand the old timers say is a good one and I like to buy local but the price difference is large. Although Sutton make a lot of being locally made you cannot tell from their website whether everything or anything in particular is locally made. I would imagine they make some items and import others from you know where. To me this is no guarantee of lesser quality. It depends on who commissioned the item and what they asked and payed for.

I found buying a set is only the start, you need to keep it up. I go through some sizes and the smaller sizes especially have become a little patchwork with different brand drills in the lineup. When I'm step drilling I have no confidence in the drills which are not from the original set, this is not for any known reason, but I always imagine there might be a Dormer house style which has every drill reacting to force in the same way while a stranger might be different. To this end I might rather have bought the Sutton set so I could easily resupply with similar drills.

 

[rodw]

It is quite amazing how much conversation my original question stimulated...

I picked up my set of Sutton drills today. Ordered on Friday and in my hands Monday so you can't complain with that. They are clearly marked with "Made in Australia" and it is a nice solid metal box. It is hard to believe each tiny sliver inside cost me on average $2.50 each..... I was tempted to order the next set from 6mm to 10mm but seeing as I had ordered $300 of collets and transfer screws today from Little Machine Shop and I want to get a linishing belt for my bench grinder and.... , so I thought I better wait for a while longer.

After all, I have not paid for this set yet so maybe I'll order them next month.

With all the talk of Dormer and the like, I was beginning to wonder if Sutton were as good as they are cracked up to be. It is good to see some of you siding with the local product.

I had a couple of other things to pick up on my afternoon milk run but the itinerary got cut short when a semi trailer ran over the back corner of my Hilux. Lucky I have an ARB towbar that protects the corners and it was the only thing that got damaged. From the jolt in the cab and the noise, I thought it would be a lot worse. Funny thing was I was right outside ARB so I did not have far to go to get a quote.

 

[goldstar31]

Perhaps the point is being missed about drills. I have acquired several sets of varying quality and therefore price.

I have a full sets of metrics, numbers, letters, fractions and whatever of high quality. I then have sets which tie in with my taps. Again, I have sets of masonry drills and spade drills which most would regard as somewhat 'cheap and nasty' to go with tasks like garden gates and woodwork. Somewhat rudely, things that I don't give a damn to.

There is a certain logic about this. If I can afford to kit myself out with a decent lathe and a library of goodies to complement it, why should I be a tite arsed git and cheat on what is relatively cheap.

Again, I have gone the whole hog so that I can actually sharpen them- before they break or burn.

I once went out to get a drill stand affair at a sale- full of what were once beautiful quality drills but were knackered by putting them in worn out drill chucks. Oh, the guy that had owned them was dead and gone- happily someone had used better drills when they nailed him down!

 

[///]

Not sure what you are trying to say?
Are you saying that Dormer and Sutton are cheap?

 

[goldstar31]

Moi? I've not mentioned manufacturers but if the drills are blunt, buggered and scored it doesn't really matter whose moniker that appeared or appears.

Go buy the best- sets that you can afford- and buy- as I suggested a good set to do general work and then a cheap jack set or three.

Go out, buy or make a tool and cutter grinder or a drill grinder. Maintain your tools- properly so that they cut to size. Your drills are just as much cutting tools as those tools on your lathe or mill-- or should be.

Blunt tools produce unacceptable results- no matter what fancy expensive kit is holding them.

 

[Swifty]

I actually have duplicate sets of drills, Sutton brand, I use one set for rough work like pre drilling before boring, and the other set for finishing off holes to size.

Paul.

 

[kf2qd]

Since you are south of the equator I would think left handed one would be appropriate...