Although I also buy Dormer, and various specialist drill bits, I use the above for general purpose, or when I’m machining some test parts before I commit to more specific bits.

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If you want a full set with 0.1mm increments, Arc Euro 1-6mm 5% cobalt are decent quality – https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/Twist-Drill-Bits/Drill-Sets

The end mills can be used for roughing or pre-finishing, and can produce 2D or 3D contours, and are suitable for face milling, slot milling, helical milling, contour milling, and pocket milling. They are offered in different diameters from 0.24 to 0.79 in. (6 to 20 mm). Corner radius, modular and special designs are also available.

Most sets come in .5mm increments, but it always seems quite hard to buy single .5mm inbetween sized bits. Funny old world. 🤔

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I just went to that well know south American river store and searched for drill bit sets. Mine is in an orange tin and comes with 5 billion* bits.

Hi-Spec 99 Piece Multi Drill Bit Set. 14 Sizes from 1mm to 10mm. HSS Titanium Steel Bits for Metal, Woods & Plastics. Complete in a Storage Case https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074XQ4K78/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_1TDZW6W99QEEY2T1H5SX

Keep up to date with the latest news, events, and technology for all things metal from our pair of monthly magazines written specifically for Canadian manufacturers!

Milwaukee thunder web for me too, but for anything below 4mm I almost treat them as consumables and buy packs of 10 as I need them.

They have an odd name but on a metalworking and welding forum I frequent quite regularly the Milwaukee Thunderweb set is highly rated; on Amazon at the moment for just shy of £22.

Easily access valuable industry resources now with full access to the digital edition of Canadian Fabricating & Welding.

Get Cobalt HSS from any reputable manufacturer. Examples of such would be Dormer, Presto, etc. They usually have a 135 degree drill point angle, whereas normal HSS bits have a 118 degree point angle. Worth remembering if you have any kind of drill sharpening jig available to you. 135 degree points are not as easy to sharpen. On the whole though, despite the potential hassle you might encounter when sharpening them, they are much better than the average HSS drill bit, their performance on awkward materials like Stainless is much better.

I’ve got lots of odd drills and as above dormer and presto are good but if you want a set this DeWalt kit is really nice: https://www.amazon.co.uk/DeWalt-DT7926XJ-Extreme-Metal-Pieces/dp/B0013LK3SO

Their non-branded 5% cobalt drills are decent quality for a good price, and give a bit extra strength. Their polished (polished is better for soft materials like aluminium) and Ti-N (provides more durability in steel) are also pretty good.

I need a new set of metal/general purpose drill bits and I’m fed up with my old Dewalt ones breaking/going blunt as soon as they touch something tougher than cheese. Has anyone bought a set recently that they’ve been impressed with due to their toughness and longevity? I don’t mind paying a bit more if they’ll last.

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The end mills are designed for the consistent cutting of high-temperature resistant materials such as Inconel, Hastelloy, and Nimonic, as well as the machining of hardened tool steels. They are also suitable for making interrupted cuts, and offers a tight cutting diameter tolerance ranging from -0.0008 to -0.0016 in. (-20 to -40 microns), depending on the tool diameter.

EMUGE-FRANKEN USA has introduced its Cera-Cut end mills featuring a high-hardness cutting ceramic head brazed to a carbide shank for vibration dampening and long tool life. Featuring a high-feed duplex cutting edge geometry, the end mills produce high metal removal rates in challenging nickel-based alloys. According to the company, tool life is five times higher than regular carbide end mills.

I borrowed this set when working on some RSJs while up a scaffold tower. It went through the steel so cleanly and easily I immediately went out and bought my own set. These are great on metal, much better than anything else I’ve used.