Hours Mon - Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm & Saturday 8:00am - 12:00 Noon |
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The most abused and under appreciated tool in my tool box are the drill bits. Most stores sell a 'jobber bit' or standard industrial bit and these tend to flex because of their length. |
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"Mechanic Length" bits are shorter, 20% stronger and are designed for hand held drills drilling 1/4 to 3/8 depths. |
| Some applications require greater depths and an "aircraft bit" is used for drilling 6" to 24" depths. |  |
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Most machine shops use "stub length" drill bits which is 1/2 the length of a jobber bit. These are used on milling machines, lathes and machine based drilling. |
Are you with me so far ? Drill bits come in sizes from 1/16 (those are the ones we always break) to 1/2 increments of 1/64". Stub and jobber bits also are available from #1 through #60 and letter sizes A through Z. Drill bits more than 1/2 diameter are called Silver and Deming bits (S&D) available up to 1 1/2" with 6" overall length with 3" of fluted length with a 1/2 shank. What about Shank styles ? Mechanic and jobber and S&D bits are also available in a reduced diameter shank so you can use them in a drill with less than a 1/2" chuck. Jobber bits have a standard round shank, which can spin or slip in the chuck damaging the drill and chuck. S&D and mechanic bits come with three flat spots machined in the shank providing a surface to grip keeping it from spinning and protecting the size marking. All this to say, the most expensive drill bits you can afford and you will save money and have a safer project.
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