Anyone have a pin vice/drill bit set they really like?

[Xan]

A while back I picked up a pin vice at the hobby store and the drill bit set next to it.  Has worked OK for plastic, but tired drilling out some metal over the weekend to place a pin, and my bits were not cutting it.  The bits I have for my normal drill were to big for the collets I have on the pin vice. 

Planning on picking up a (hopefully) cheep set of mini drill bits at Harbor Fright or the hardware store some time soon, but if someone has a set they really like, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Cazaril]

I don't really have a favorite set, but I do have some basic advice.

Find a chart that converts the different sizes for you... Something that will tell you 0.020 is a #76, and 0.0375 is a #60. That kind of thing. This will help when looking online for the size you need.

Buy a set only help determine what size you need. After that, buy the sizes you use... It is great to have a whole set of drill bits, but you will probably end up gravitating towards just a few sizes... Maybe a #78 for antenna. A #76 for pinning small parts. A #54 for larger. Whatever it ends up. But there is no sense in buying a set of 20 over and over, if you only use a few.

Expect the drill bit to wear and shear... The thinner you go, the more likely these drill bits will snap. Even if they don't snap off, they will eventually wear to the point that they are not drilling very well.

Don't buy anything fancy... I've seen drill bits with fancy bases that are meant to standardize how they fit in you vise/drill. But it isn't the base that will snap or dull, it is the part beyond the base.

Drills from the same manufacturer and same size are not always the same... I've gotten drills in a batch that I toss almost immediately, and others that seem to last forever. There is no knowing until you start drilling.

Buy in bulk the sizes you use... Typically I buy them in groups of 10 (I buy jeweler's saw blades by the gross)... There is nothing worse than being part way through a build, and the drill bit snaps, only to find out you don't have a spare.

I purchase a lot of my stuff through ebay... I type in something like "76 twist drill bit" and then look who has it cheap... Over time, there have been a few vendors I look for, but I don't fret if they aren't selling the size I need...

Caz

[Xan]

Thank you!  I apprecate the advice!

[idea weenie]

Find a chart that converts the different sizes for you... Something that will tell you 0.020 is a #76, and 0.0375 is a #60. That kind of thing. This will help when looking online for the size you need.

For those that want it, here is a chart:
https://www.abbottaerospace.com/whats-new/inch-and-metric-drill-bit-size-chart/

Direct link to the image:
https://www.abbottaerospace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ANSI-TO-ISO-DRILL-BIT-CHART-748x1024.jpg



Also, I read another piece of advice:
Buy cheap to start.  Whatever breaks, buy that expensive.

[grimlock1]

Also, I read another piece of advice:
Buy cheap to start.  Whatever breaks, buy that expensive.

That's pretty good advice across the board with a few exceptions. 
Measuring tools, and anything that goes between you and the ground.

You don't need to go "expensive" on the measuring tools, mid range will do you just fine, but the expensive stuff is nice to work with.  In our case, how do you know if QA/QC   drill factory is off if you have a sketchy micrometer from Michael's?

[parable]

I've had good experiences with the Mr. Hobby set.  They may feel kind of flimsy, but they work well for their intended purposes.  Are they the best out there?  No.  But are they a good "fast and dirty" way to have 5 different small hand drills for miniature purposes?  Yes.

[Greatclub]

Measuring tools,

I work in the rain (living next to a rainforest,) and expensive tape measures don't last longer than the cheap ones before the spring rots. So long as it has decent reach, I'll use the cheapest tape I can find.

[grimlock1]

I work in the rain (living next to a rainforest,) and expensive tape measures don't last longer than the cheap ones before the spring rots. So long as it has decent reach, I'll use the cheapest tape I can find.

I was speaking more to things like micrometers, calipers, gauge sets, and the like.  I have a $15 digital caliper and it works "okay."  It holds zero "okay." It doesn't flex too much.  It eats batteries. A lot of the machinists I know like Fowler which will be in the range of $100. Before you flinch at the price, remember that this is one of those "lifetime" purchases.

Tape measures? I won't even try to argue.  Those get dropped, lost, or in your case rust out. But for working on minis, it really helps to be able to trust your drills to be the same size as your pins and not .003" undersize.

[sounguru]

I just picked up one of the 50+ pin vice drill sets from Amazon for under $15 and it has worked like a champ. I have bits for any size hole and they seem to work on all materials. Once I have determined which bits I use on a regular basis I will order extras of just those sizes.

There is no need to drop a huge amount on anything as far as tools go until you know that is something you are gonna use often and need more precision. Cazaril is spot on with his advice.....

Now if you wanted to start a real discussion ask about brushes....