Starter bit set

[DaKid]

Hi again all,

Having had such good advice on my last post regarding which drill/driver to get, I'm now considering which bits to buy for it.

I'm going for the Makita BHP451 (seems "better" than the 452/453), and will also be using it as a driver until I pick up an impact driver (next purchase).

There are lots of sets on Screwfix (for example) from Makita, ranging in size from 30/40 pieces up to over 200. I'm quite keen to get a good, wide range, but am more interested in getting some decent quality ones that won't snap and that will retain their sharpness for a reasonable length of time.

Does anyone have any suitable suggestions? I'm looking for at least some HSS bits for wood drilling and also some masonry bits, alongside some decent length driver bits. I'd quite like to have extras, such as counter-sink bit and maybe some bits for drilling in metal, plus it would be handy to have larger spade/auger bits for larger wood holes.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Budget is not especially relevant but I'd probably want to spend under £50 in total (and I realise Screwfix is very often NOT the cheapest).

 

[merlin50]

this is what you need to get started with
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DORMER-A1...635?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4842a6df03

 

[DaKid]

this is what you need to get started with
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DORMER-A1...635?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4842a6df03

Looks great, but unfortunately it's double my budget and I still won't have my driver bits or masonry drill bits!

 

[merlin50]

you get what you pay for they will last and do the job

 

[timbo46]

These sets are good as a starter;
http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-p-67832-101-piece-accessory-kit/96659
Then just buy individual bits as you wear them out.

 

[joe-90]

They had that set in B&Q for twenty quid recently. I got one free with a drill once.

Get some Bosch blue multi-purpose drills - they are great mate.

 

[BigRobCanUFixIt]

The type of bits you should get depend on what you think u are going to use the drill for the most.

The bosh blue multipurpose bits are the excellent and about a fiver a pop. I use my drill mainly for attaching stuff to the wall so the bosh bits will deal with the wall and also drill holes in thin steel boxes too.

I use mostley 5, 5.5 and 6 drill bits. So always have a couple of decent bits in that size. I have a gash set of budget bits from screwfix for the odd hole larger than that. Although recently I bout a 8 masonary as I have been using a lot of fram fixings. I also have a 600m 8 and 10 drill for getting cables through thick walls. I would say thats the ones I use but again have some other gash drill bits in reserve for the odd occasion.

Erbauer bits the carbide ones for metal and the auger wood bits are not too bad also for the occasional to mid useage.

Again though you get what you pay for. I did have a while back some drill bits that "bent" so they were obviously binned!!!

 

[streetlighter]

The best drill bits ive used recently are the DeWalt extreme range they cut fast and stay sharp for a good while.
Think B&Q have the dewalt bit sets on offer right now, I know they have a Makita set for £25 ish that has a good selection for home DIY use.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I'm going for the Makita BHP451 (seems "better" than the 452/453), and will also be using it as a driver until I pick up an impact driver (next purchase).

There are lots of sets on Screwfix (for example) from Makita, ranging in size from 30/40 pieces up to over 200. I'm quite keen to get a good, wide range, but am more interested in getting some decent quality ones that won't snap and that will retain their sharpness for a reasonable length of time.

I'm not sure that the BHP451 is better - it's just a different approach (and if you need to screw loads of things above your shoulder height then you'll find the extra weight isn't better at all........)

Surely the question of bits hinges on what you are going to do with them, but a £50 budget for quality bits is very, very tight indeed. You ask about HSS wood bits, but wood bits are generally tool steel - it can be sharpened easily whereas HSS can't (unless you have diamond hones). Only a few firms make HSS M2 woodworking bits and you'd blow your entire budget on two or three auger bits (search out Famag if you want to confirm this). Myself, I use a combination of brad point twist bits (Ryobi, believe it or not), Bosch Self-Cut spade bits (cut faster, last longer than cheapies) and a small selection of Bahco auger bits. With the exception of the Ryobi set (£12) all the others have been bought on an as needed basis, although I started with 10, 12, 16, 19 and 25mm spade bits (no brad points or auger bits) because they are commonly-used sizes for door furniture, locks, lock mortises, etc. Masonry bits aren't a problem either - the best I can think of (as others have recommended, too) are the Bosch Multiconstruction bits which can also drill wood and steel - the minimum number of sizes for masonry would be two: 5,5mm (for red plugs) and 7mm (for brown plugs). My own experience with countersink bits are that they are a waste of time and you're better off buying a decent set of drill/countersinks, such as these by Trend. Again they can also be bought as singles, in which case I'd recommend the #8 and #10 sizes as the minimum. Steel presents a different problem. I've never been happy with low-cost HSS twist drills - these days I buy Dormer M42 HSS drills from the local engineering merchant (mainly for drilling stainless steel). These wear well, don't break that easily, but they aren't cheap. As a joiner I tend to use only the smaller sizes - 2mm to 6mm - which I have in 0.5mm increments.

So my advice would be to forgo the cheap sets and buy a limited set of better quality tools which will give you longer life - only do remember to get some sort of tool roll or container for them as tools stored loose in the bottom of a tool box soon lose their edges from being thrown about against each other

 

[ChrisR]

HSS can't (unless you have diamond hones).

Eh?? My cheapie bench grinder did them easily even before I changed the wheel to a green one for Tungstem Carbide (ie masonry) bits.

Green is much better to TC but NO better for HSS - still just fine!

Not that there's very much point using HSS for wood. At room temperature it's about the same hardness as a low alloy high carbon tool steel. Its advantage is at high temperature (hundreds of degrees, not merely sizzling), ie when drilling ordinary steel, where the ordinary softens and the High Speed one doesn't (as much).

I'd agree don't go too cheap. Bosch is sometimes a bit dear for what they are I think - depends where you buy them.

"Faithfull" are middling, and can be cheap, CK are up a bit from that.

 

[foxhole]

Just thought I would mention when you come to purchase impact driver you could purchase carcass only, no point buying another charger and batteries for occassional use.

 

[DaKid]

Just thought I would mention when you come to purchase impact driver you could purchase carcass only, no point buying another charger and batteries for occassional use.

Already planning to do that. When I get spare money, it'd be good to have a second battery for the drill/first battery for the driver, but that won't be immediately.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

HSS can't (unless you have diamond hones).

Eh?? My cheapie bench grinder did them easily even before I changed the wheel to a green one for Tungstem Carbide (ie masonry) bits.

Chris

In average site conditions (and the OP seems no better equipped than a site joiner) I'd stand by what I say, i.e. HSS bits are very slow or even impossible to sharpen on India stones and only marginally better with Carborundum stones. They can, however, be hand sharpened on diamond stones. I was referring to hand grinding as my assumption was that the OP did not posses an electric grinder. As a joiner I personally dislike most electric grinders because they run so fast that they can easily draw the temper of a tool steel cutter or bit (more especially in the hands of a beginner) - and as you seem to agree most woodworking stuff is made from tool steel. Yes, I agree that bench grinders have their uses on TC masonry bits, providing you use enough to warrant it, but as a trade joiner I find it cheaper to buy a new bit from time to time than to buy a grinder (which in any case won't be with me when I need it - 110 volt site models are a tad hard to come by). Where HSS woodworking bits are used they are almost always M2, not the harder M42, and those tools are specifically designed for hardwoods, although very often TCT equivalents are also available almost as cheaply

 

[DaKid]

I'm not sure that the BHP451 is better - it's just a different approach (and if you need to screw loads of things above your shoulder height then you'll find the extra weight isn't better at all........)

I figured that - with the difference in both torque and blows-per-minute - it would be a more powerful hammer drill, which would make a difference when it came to drilling in bricks/etc? Also - as you generally get what you pay for with these things - when it's £43, £55 and £99 for the 453, 452 and 451 respectively, I presumed that at twice the price, the 451 would be well worth the investment??

 

[DaKid]

Great advice, thank you, and I appreciate your time in writing it.

Lots for me to think about before making my decisions on what to buy. Maybe there'll be lots of post-Christmas offers!