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Decent Micro Drill bits

Rob444

Rob444

Joined
Dec 20, 2020
Messages
969
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353

Location
Connecticut, U.S.A.
Does anyone have suggestions for some decent micro drill bits that actually work? I have a few sets from #60-80 but I find them mostly dull right from the beginning. I am not adverse to getting a good set for a few dollars more, if they will work!

Rob
 
Same, I just buy the cheap PCB drill bits on amazon in bulk. When you can get 50 of them for $11 it's not worth it to buy expensive. Expensive ones are meant to be used in high precision tools with little side force, which means most regular drill presses are out, especially benchtop ones. If you want to buy expensive ones that won't dull as quickly, you first need to have a high quality drill press or mill to handle them. If you have one and still want expensive, go on machinist supply websites and buy from them. Or at least find name brands on there to buy elsewhere.
 
rtwpsom2 said:
Same, I just buy the cheap PCB drill bits on amazon in bulk. When you can get 50 of them for $11 it's not worth it to buy expensive. Expensive ones are meant to be used in high precision tools with little side force, which means most regular drill presses are out, especially benchtop ones. If you want to buy expensive ones that won't dull as quickly, you first need to have a high quality drill press or mill to handle them. If you have one and still want expensive, go on machinist supply websites and buy from them. Or at least find name brands on there to buy elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Thank you both for your suggestions!

Rob
 
Rob, are you drilling wood or metal? It does make a difference. There are many ways to use drill bits and also ways to make cheap drill bits perform better. Exactly 'what' is your problem with the cheap bits?
 
MThomas said:
Rob, are you drilling wood or metal? It does make a difference. There are many ways to use drill bits and also ways to make cheap drill bits perform better. Exactly 'what' is your problem with the cheap bits?
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This is for drilling wood using a pin vise. You are correct I should have been more descriptive.
 
Aha! A pin vice drill! That's a different animal, yet!
Usually, speed is your friend when drilling holes, especially in wood. Fast is good, but that's not going to happen with a 'pin-vice'. Not to fear, all is not lost.
Firstly, make sure that you are deeply marking your holes with an awl or something sharp. This will keep your bit from wandering too awfully bad, however. With soft woods, like basswood often found in kits, the grain of the wood can easily steer a thin, small diameter bit off center and also tear out wood grain even if deeply punched prior to drilling. If drill bit drifting and 'tear-out' are your issues either A) place masking tape or thin wood or cardboard over the part to be drilled to help guide the bit, or B) use a 'down-cutting' end mill as a drill bit. Down cutting end mill bits will pull the wood fibers 'down' into the hole rather than pulling them 'up' causing tear-out and sloppy holes. Yes, you can drill with an end-mill bit. Best bet for clean holes is with a rotary tool with speed, like a Dremel.
 
Rob444 said:
Does anyone have suggestions for some decent micro drill bits that actually work? I have a few sets from #60-80 but I find them mostly dull right from the beginning. I am not adverse to getting a good set for a few dollars more, if they will work!

Rob
Click to expand...
Rob, I don’t use the Arromax rotary tool myself, but I’m very happy with their drill bits. They come in two sets—Set A and Set B—and together they cover a range from 0.5mm to 2.3mm. Conveniently, they’re all on 2.35mm shanks, so they’ll fit perfectly in your current nail drill.

Set; A 0.6mm-2.2mm


set: B 0.5 mm- 2.3mm

 
There are three categories of drill bits:

Carbon steel: These are made from ordinary low carbon steel; the stuff that is used for many consumer products. This material bends without breaking and is ductile, not brittle. The low carbon content means that hardness cannot be increased by heat treatment. They are the the cheapest and probably OK for drilling the soft woods found in model kits.
Drilling metal requires something better.

HSS (High Speed Steel): These are made from alloy steel that has been heat treated to increase hardness. Like the low carbon bits they are ductile and flexible. IMHO, best for all round work and nessary for drilling metals.

Carbide: Carbide is like CA glue, you either hate them or love them. Developed for automated drilling applications of the printed circuit board industry, these are the little bits with the 1/8” shank and color coded plastic collar. Unfortunately, they will shatter without reason. The slightest side pressure and they’re gone! They break even in my drill press or mill.

My theory is that common practice is to mark out and center punch the location of a hole before drilling. This center punch makes a conical depression in the work surface. If the bit is off center in the cone by even a microscopic amount this subjects the bit to a side force. I believe in the CNC machining business drilling locations are not center punched as the machine guides the drill bit.

Quality: like everything else the drill bit market is dominated by the Chinese,and their drill bits are often junk. Try to buy made in USA.

Roger
 
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Jimsky said:
Rob, I don’t use the Arromax rotary tool myself, but I’m very happy with their drill bits. They come in two sets—Set A and Set B—and together they cover a range from 0.5mm to 2.3mm. Conveniently, they’re all on 2.35mm shanks, so they’ll fit perfectly in your current nail drill.

Set; A 0.6mm-2.2mm


set: B 0.5 mm- 2.3mm

Click to expand...
Thank you Jim! I will be ordering these. Nice to know they fit into my nail drill!!!!

Rob
 
Roger Pellett said:
There are three categories of drill bits:

Carbon steel: These are made from ordinary low carbon steel; the stuff that is used for many consumer products. This material bends without breaking and is ductile, not brittle. The low carbon content means that hardness cannot be increased by heat treatment. They are the the cheapest and probably OK for drilling the soft woods found in model kits.
Drilling metal requires something better.

HSS (High Speed Steel): These are made from alloy steel that has been heat treated to increase hardness. Like the low carbon bits they are ductile and flexible. IMHO, best for all round work and nessary for drilling metals.

Carbide: Carbide is like CA glue, you either hate them or love them. Developed for automated drilling applications of the printed circuit board industry, these are the little bits with the 1/8” shank and color coded plastic collar. Unfortunately, they will shatter without reason. The slightest side pressure and they’re gone! They break even in my drill press or mill.

My theory is that common practice is to mark out and center punch the location of a hole before drilling. This center punch makes a conical depression in the work surface. If Ike bit is off center in the cone by even a microscopic amount this subjects the bit to a side force. I believe in the CNC matching business drilling locations are not center punched as the machine guides the drill bit.

Quality: like everything else the drill bit market is dominated by the Chinese,and their drill bits are often junk. Try to buy made in USA.

Roger
Click to expand...
Roger Thank you for taking the time to explain the different options. I definitely try to buy American made equipment!

Rob
 
Justin tillman said:
First are the cheap-o set(AliExpress). They work pretty good only problem is the smaller ones will break if forced or get hung up.
The second picture (Amazon) are really good and sturdy, but more expensive. They hold up (sharpness) excellent View attachment 524519View attachment 524520
Click to expand...
Justin. Thank you for your input. I will be buying the Gyros drill bits for my pin vise!

Rob
 
MThomas said:
Aha! A pin vice drill! That's a different animal, yet!
Usually, speed is your friend when drilling holes, especially in wood. Fast is good, but that's not going to happen with a 'pin-vice'. Not to fear, all is not lost.
Firstly, make sure that you are deeply marking your holes with an awl or something sharp. This will keep your bit from wandering too awfully bad, however. With soft woods, like basswood often found in kits, the grain of the wood can easily steer a thin, small diameter bit off center and also tear out wood grain even if deeply punched prior to drilling. If drill bit drifting and 'tear-out' are your issues either A) place masking tape or thin wood or cardboard over the part to be drilled to help guide the bit, or B) use a 'down-cutting' end mill as a drill bit. Down cutting end mill bits will pull the wood fibers 'down' into the hole rather than pulling them 'up' causing tear-out and sloppy holes. Yes, you can drill with an end-mill bit. Best bet for clean holes is with a rotary tool with speed, like a Dremel.
Click to expand...
MThomas. Thank you for your help! I do have a very small awl like instrument that I can use to make a centering hole!

Rob
 
Jimsky said:
Rob, I don’t use the Arromax rotary tool myself, but I’m very happy with their drill bits. They come in two sets—Set A and Set B—and together they cover a range from 0.5mm to 2.3mm. Conveniently, they’re all on 2.35mm shanks, so they’ll fit perfectly in your current nail drill.

Set; A 0.6mm-2.2mm


set: B 0.5 mm- 2.3mm

Click to expand...
I second the Arrowmax drill bits, but usually use them in the Arrowmax rotary tool. I almost /never/ use a pin vise for drilling anymore. You can't hold one as straight and secure as with a motorized drill, so I was always breaking drills.

Knock on ship decking, I haven't broken a single drill bit when using the Arrowmax. So I agree, I think they're better than the norm, but using a rotary tool definitely helps.
 
I recently bought a set of the Gyros brand bits from Amazon. Poor quality as many did not run true. Again, probably ok for drilling basswood by hand but did not work in my drill press.

Roger
 
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Rob444 said:
Justin. Thank you for your input. I will be buying the Gyros drill bits for my pin vise!

Rob
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that the Gyros brand drill bits and index are a knock-off of the original Rogers drill bit index and bits set that's been around forever. The Gyros bits are reportedly "manufactured in New York," but I expect they are another of the ubiquitous Chinese copycat products. I've always used the Rogers bits with reasonable satisfaction. (The smaller ones are easily broken, but breakage is more often the user's rather than the manufacturer's fault.) On the other hand, I've heard complaints about the quality of the Gyros bits. Just sayin...

Rogers index and bits. Note "Drill Stand" written in center of ring of bits.

1749490119925.png
 
Bob Cleek said:
On the other hand, I've heard complaints about the quality of the Gyros bits. Just sayin...
Click to expand...
I think you are correct. Same for a set of bits from Model Expo that came in a nice box with individual capsules. They could drill through soft wood but made smoke in hardwood and would not cut metal. Also the diameters were incorrect in a couple of the holders. There was also a pin vise that would not tighten on the smallest bits so pretty much useless. But, the box and vial type holders were really nice so came in handy to hold the bits I bought from MC :)
Allan
1749495866304.png
 
AllanKP69 said:
I think you are correct. Same for a set of bits from Model Expo that came in a nice box with individual capsules. They could drill through soft wood but made smoke in hardwood and would not cut metal. Also the diameters were incorrect in a couple of the holders. There was also a pin vise that would not tighten on the smallest bits so pretty much useless. But, the box and vial type holders were really nice so came in handy to hold the bits I bought from MC :)
Allan
Click to expand...

Yeah, when Model Expo had a really deep discount sale on those tubes alone, I stocked up on a couple of tubes of each size and a few more for the sizes I used, or should I say "broke," a lot. I just used those to keep my old Rogers index full with one of each size handy. I've found them entirely serviceable for my purposes. I expect, however, that if I were doing a lot of brass work and the like, I'd spring for the good stuff from McMaster-Carr.
 
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