Drill Driver Bits?

[wierdscience]

I'm going through and organizing my hex driver bits. I've got several sets that I have bought over the years that have pieces broken or missing, plus I need to add a few items to the arsenal.

Wondering what experiences you all have had with the different brands of bits? I'm trying to avoid the dead soft big box store crap, but hopefully not pay $4-5 each.

One item in particular I would like to find, is a good, basic set of drill bits in 1/4 hex shank. By "good" I mean capable of drilling multiple holes in mild steel and surviving.

[J Tiers]

I have never run into the "dead soft" type. I HAVE run into ones that were very hard, so hard that they are brittle and crack in use.

And, I have zero idea of brands, because I do not know the various marks. Most of what I have is unmarked, or else has a mark that means nothing to me. They arrived in toolboxes from sales, or with other things.

Really, aside from the very hard cracked ones, pretty much any of what I have used seems interchangeable and as good as the next one. They are "consumables" in general, and even the better ones do not last long in heavy use..

As for drills, good luck. I have two sets, that fit two sizes of "quick socket" chuck. The quarter inch hex size is worthless for metal because the retention of the drill in the hex adapter is just via a "dimple punch" against a flat, and any serious resistance will just spin the drill, rendering it useless. The larger size works a little better, but I now will not even try in metal, Just used in wood or some plastics.

I have never found one that was any good in metal.

[psomero]

I have been on a quest for the best bits for a long time and have many sets from pretty much all the big brands. If you're doing big box store, dewalt or milwaukee both sell pretty decent big power bit sets that have hex. I don't think you can get just a hex bit set, or one that is SAE or metric only. I have a box of milwaukee bits with some hex and a little bit of everything and they have been pretty solid for a few years.

For the real stuff, I have had good luck with Bondhus and Wera.

Wera is my new favorite because their bit-check line of inserts come in a really handy plastic organizer thing that is by far the most useful out of any I've seen. They are pricey, but if you watch around, sometimes they're on sale and well worth the money. The rapidaptor holders are the absolute best ones I've ever seen, also.

https://www-de.wera.de/en/great-tools/bit-check/

Bondhus you can't go wrong with because if you get a bad tool or if it breaks, they'll replace it pretty much no questions asked. They don't have nearly as good offering of hex power bits, but I do have a set of their ball end ones and they're pretty good, although they didn't come with a case and that is just silly.

[Bob Engelhardt]

... The quarter inch hex size is worthless for metal because the retention of the drill in the hex adapter is just via a "dimple punch" against a flat, and any serious resistance will just spin the drill, ...

You aren't talking about this kind of "hex drill" are you?

[wierdscience]

I have been on a quest for the best bits for a long time and have many sets from pretty much all the big brands. If you're doing big box store, dewalt or milwaukee both sell pretty decent big power bit sets that have hex. I don't think you can get just a hex bit set, or one that is SAE or metric only. I have a box of milwaukee bits with some hex and a little bit of everything and they have been pretty solid for a few years.

That's mostly what I have that has lasted anytime, DeWalt boxed sets, of course they come with an abundance of things I almost never use like #3 Phillips and the double enders that won't latch into an impact driver.

For the real stuff, I have had good luck with Bondhus and Wera.

Wera is my new favorite because their bit-check line of inserts come in a really handy plastic organizer thing that is by far the most useful out of any I've seen. They are pricey, but if you watch around, sometimes they're on sale and well worth the money. The rapidaptor holders are the absolute best ones I've ever seen, also.

https://www-de.wera.de/en/great-tools/bit-check/

Bondhus you can't go wrong with because if you get a bad tool or if it breaks, they'll replace it pretty much no questions asked. They don't have nearly as good offering of hex power bits, but I do have a set of their ball end ones and they're pretty good, although they didn't come with a case and that is just silly.

I definitely agree on Bondhus, they make some top notch stuff, those are the only brand folding sets I will buy. Their hex and Torx driver bits are already on my list. I like the looks of those Wera sets, but I'm trying to avoid sets that use adapters, no matter what I do at some point those adapters either break or walk off.

[J Tiers]

You aren't talking about this kind of "hex drill" are you?

What would make you think I was not?

They are utter trash.

[MattiJ]

What would make you think I was not?

They are utter trash.

They are not all the same. Some crimped ones seem to work fine and there is also ”unibody” models that are ground from single piece.

[wierdscience]

I have never run into the "dead soft" type. I HAVE run into ones that were very hard, so hard that they are brittle and crack in use.

The usual culprits in the too soft category are Torx drivers, cheap ones just wring the tip right off on the first screw. Heck, sadly I have a set of actual Torx brand US made screwdriver type at work that did that.

And, I have zero idea of brands, because I do not know the various marks. Most of what I have is unmarked, or else has a mark that means nothing to me. They arrived in toolboxes from sales, or with other things.

Really, aside from the very hard cracked ones, pretty much any of what I have used seems interchangeable and as good as the next one. They are "consumables" in general, and even the better ones do not last long in heavy use..

That's me, my collection is currently Heinz 57. Some bits I have grabbed out of those "pick a bit" displays on various hardware store counters have been surprisingly good. Those are what I replace all the common stuff with (#2 phillips,Robertson, hex socket drivers)

As for drills, good luck. I have two sets, that fit two sizes of "quick socket" chuck. The quarter inch hex size is worthless for metal because the retention of the drill in the hex adapter is just via a "dimple punch" against a flat, and any serious resistance will just spin the drill, rendering it useless. The larger size works a little better, but I now will not even try in metal, Just used in wood or some plastics.

I have never found one that was any good in metal.

I'm usually going directly into a cordless impact driver, I've tried Makita and Bosch. They fit the driver fine, but the bits themselves are usually Chinesium. I gotta look and see if somebody like Norseman or PTD makes them, the impact driver drills holes faster than a regular cordless drill and no snags with the impact.

[J Tiers]

They are not all the same. Some crimped ones seem to work fine and there is also ”unibody” models that are ground from single piece.

Unibody would be fine. The crimped ones I have tried have all cammed out and spun. They would be OK for wood, except twist drills are not good for many woods. Very limited application, but so far I have not trashed them out of my "quickie grabbit" toolbox, even though it has "real" drills in it also.

They are handy for drilling in plaster, or anything else that you really do not want to use a real drill in, and they DO fit the rapid-chuck.

[wierdscience]

I can recommend these- https://www.dewalt.com/products/acce...-set/dwadt5set

Good for fabrication type work where you don't need a gauge perfect thread, just threaded holes to mount some P-clamps or electrical hardware in cabinets.

[J Tiers]

Those do work, although you may need to be quick with the drill trigger..... depending on how high the RPM is on yours.....

[gellfex]

I've always been happy with the long hex power bits from McMaster. I posted this setup a while back using them, but I use them in the various power drivers too. They're not cheap at $4 a pop, but worth it. I truly can't recall twisting or stripping one. When you have a driver, a handle like this, some extensions and a nice little hex offset ratchet handle, you're all set for everything.

[Corbettprime]

APEX brand, you can specify hardness. Way back when, I was PA in a camper plant, then later in a mobile home plant. Apex is all we bought, nothing else lasted as long.

[darryl]

I can't recall the brand name, but I was in KMS a while ago and saw some bit sets that were for impact drivers. With nothing to lose except 10 bucks I took the bait. Turned out to be money well spent- I went back for two more sets.

[PStechPaul]

I had a couple "Torx" bits that quickly stripped the spines off, and another which just snapped. I ordered five pieces of 2" long bits from Drill Hog through eBay for about $10, and they have been doing well. They have a lifetime warranty, although it may be for breakage. They also sell all kinds of drills and other tools, and they are made in Montana, USA.

Oddly, they do not show any Torx bits or other 1/4" hex shank bits on their website, but you can get them from their eBay store.

They do have hex shank drills: https://www.ebay.com/itm/13-Pc-Hex-S...QAAOSwZd1VcAB7
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