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Drill and Drill Bits

post #1 of 33
10/8/09 at 8:28am
Thread Starter 
For starting DIY, what sort of drill and drill bits would you guys recommend? I plan on starting on the CMOY and then moving on to a PIMETA and PPA or a M^3. I just want a basic mid-low end drill for now. I'll consider a drill press later on. From what I hear, I should avoid Black and Deckers; anything else?

What drill bits do you recommend? Are cobalt or titanium necessary (what are the difference, and is there a preference)?
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post #2 of 33
10/8/09 at 8:40am
I've got a 14V Hitachi cordless. It works very well for most drilling tasks and the batteries last quite well..

As for drill bits, normal decent quality high speed steel are fine; unibits are very useful for casework. I have three that range from 5mm up to 35mm (I think), an I use them all the time.
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post #3 of 33
10/8/09 at 8:44am
I second the unibits, for casing work, they are invaluable.
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post #4 of 33
10/8/09 at 12:40pm
I use a Milwaukee corded drill. Great quality and it should outlast me. I prefer corded drills to corless because there's no recharging, you get a lot of power from the outlet, and then there's no out-of-production proprietary battery you can't find five years on.
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post #5 of 33
10/8/09 at 3:52pm
Thread Starter 
Is there much quality difference with drills in different prices ranges? How are the ones in the $25-$40 compared to say $80+? Right now I'm just browsing on eBay for any low priced ones.

How much did your drill and bits cost?

Unibits are stepped drill bits, right?
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post #6 of 33
10/8/09 at 4:03pm
Get a Panasonic or a Makita, they're great and amazing for the money.

We just got one of these last year:



I've used DeWalt, Hitachi, Craftsmen (Joke), etc and this is definitely the best I've used. If you're looking for something cheap, go with a corded, cheap cordless drills usually are a disappointment. We have an old Bosch corded that's still going strong.
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post #7 of 33
10/8/09 at 4:12pm
Quality difference can be quite vast between drills. Nice drills are very expensive and have features you may or may not need. Decide if cordless is important to you, if it isn't, then a corded drill would be higher quality at the equivalent price point I believe.

I have a relatively modest Craftsman Cordless 12v drill and it's done the job fine for me. I used it for any work required when moving into a house, on some wood projects, and I've used it to build my garbage can smoker. It was given to me as a gift so I don't know the exact price point but I think it was purchased for under $100.

If you have a Costco nearby they sell these Drill bit packs for relatively cheap (I think 40 bucks?) that has all the common sizes, plus extra copies of what they consider the most common ones (like 1/8th). It's a really nice pack of bits. I still have a regular Craftsman set I bought on sale for 10 bucks, but I broke and lost a couple of my bits recently and have been eyeing that set. My buddy has it and says it's fantastic.
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post #8 of 33
10/8/09 at 5:56pm
I would recommend bits with a fairly small, sharp angle on the end. A bit that has large wide angle is great for wood but if you want to try your hand at plastic or metal at any point, its going to be hard to get a good start without walking.
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post #9 of 33
10/8/09 at 6:07pm
Get titanium nitride coated bits if you plan on drilling metal - they last a lot longer and remove material faster. I'll echo the recommendations for stepped drill bits.

A good center punch is essential to make sure the bit doesn't wander when you start the hole. I recommend Starrett center punches - much much better than the cheapie I had from Harbor Freight.
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post #10 of 33
10/8/09 at 7:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emooze View Post
I would recommend bits with a fairly small, sharp angle on the end. A bit that has large wide angle is great for wood but if you want to try your hand at plastic or metal at any point, its going to be hard to get a good start without walking.
Typically, I use a centre punch, then a 4mm bit and move straight to the unibit.
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post #11 of 33
10/8/09 at 9:11pm
Or you could just drill a pilot hole.
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post #12 of 33
10/8/09 at 9:29pm
Well I do, but it's still a hassle that can be avoided by informed choices.
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post #13 of 33
10/8/09 at 10:19pm
I get a lot of criticism for my Ryobi (like, watch this thread now ), but for the money you can't go wrong, IMO. The 18v One+ system has been stable for years, even when they made the switch to LiIon.

Makita is hot stuff, for a price. If money weren't an object, it's probably what I'd have. I've got more than my moneys worth out of the Ryobi tho. Save the money for bits - prepare for sticker shock on the Unibits.
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post #14 of 33
10/8/09 at 10:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AGTCooke View Post
I get a lot of criticism for my Ryobi (like, watch this thread now ), but for the money you can't go wrong, IMO. The 18v One+ system has been stable for years, even when they made the switch to LiIon.
Not at all - Ryobi's are great. The 18V does everything I want in a hand-held drill - and it does it very well.
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post #15 of 33
10/8/09 at 10:34pm
I got a 12v cordless ryobi for around $35.
It's not perfect, but it does the job that needs to be done on the cheap.
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