by "deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
Published 10/16/2017 at 09:14
by "deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
Published 10/16/2017 at 09:14
Tags: New tools
STARS: 9
I’ve been working on cars for over 25 years. 10 of those I spent my day job at an industrial machine shop, 10 of those I worked at an auto parts store... this past weekend I was prepping my trailer for a new wiring harness. How is it that this is the first time I’ve ever used one of these magic drill bits?
I mean, W T F. Happy, but so unhappy I never tried this before!!!!
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
10/16/2017 at 09:24, STARS: 1
those things are amazing!
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
10/16/2017 at 09:29, STARS: 3
I learned about these bits from watching the early mighty car mods episodes.
"Nibby" (nibby68)
10/16/2017 at 09:35, STARS: 3
don’t use them for sex, it’s gonna hurt
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 09:36, STARS: 4
I think I first saw them used watching Orange County Chopper, but never tried them until this weekend. What a massive timesaver!
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 09:36, STARS: 1
Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind! #lifehacks
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
10/16/2017 at 09:47, STARS: 1
For bloody ages I always dreaded drilling stuff. Even good drill bits would either not last or snap.
These things have cured all of that. They’re brilliant, brilliant things :)
"Censored" (chrisbrown2992)
10/16/2017 at 09:52, STARS: 0
They are great, but you will be completely blown away by a quality one. Try a Lenox or a Milwaukee. They are quite pricey, but last for eons as long as you use a bit of cutting fluid on them.
Can you imagine drilling a 7/8 or 1-1/8 hole with a twist bit. Just thinking about it I broke my wrist.
"barnie" (tlanarch)
10/16/2017 at 09:57, STARS: 2
Haven’t watched Project Binky then, have ya? Or Engine Masters or Dirt Every Day or... All these guys use them. Glad to see ya in the fold now - life will get much easier.
"merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc" (merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc)
10/16/2017 at 09:58, STARS: 0
I have still never used one, we purchased a couple a few months ago, but they haven’t been used yet. Sounds like we need to bust them out and give them a shot.
"Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction" (rustholes-are-weight-reduction)
10/16/2017 at 09:58, STARS: 0
I recently bought a quality chinese made set of those from Amazon. They were cheap, so I thought whatever.
Haven’t had to use them for now. But I’m concerned about durability
"Michael" (mhanczyc)
10/16/2017 at 10:07, STARS: 1
We used them at the machine shop at my first job.
The best part is when you don’t need to go up to the next step, so it can de-burr the hole with the next size step
"Aaron M - MasoFiST" (amarks563)
10/16/2017 at 10:18, STARS: 1
I first used a step bit on a drill press in my machining class sophomore year of college. In other words, I have no idea how you’ve gone this long before using one.
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 10:35, STARS: 1
They definitely have a place. For larger holes I usually drill the small holes, then change bits a few times to get to the final size. It is easy to keep going and over-size the hole with this, but still... so much time saved!
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 10:36, STARS: 0
As far as durability, just make sure you use a drilling/tapping oil, and give them a rest every now and then. But so far so good, I ran through about 12 holes for these wiring passages and didn’t notice any dulling, the last cut was as easy as the first!
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 10:38, STARS: 1
Yes! No followup deburring needed! (Even though I did run my deburring tool around all of them just to be sure, as these holes are for wires...)
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 10:39, STARS: 2
I remember seeing somebody at our machine shop use one, and somebody else making fun of them for it... that was 15-20 years ago, and for some reason I just never tried them. Some stigma about them being crappy. I think the making fun part came from idiot union labor ideas, something like “don’t do it so quickly you’ll make the rest of us look bad”... I was happily impressed.
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 10:40, STARS: 0
admittedly I’ve never seen any of those shows. I’ll have to look them up.
"450X_FTW" (mistermic)
10/16/2017 at 11:17, STARS: 1
I’ve got 2 sets from Harbor Freight and I hate to say it, they work AMAZING.
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 11:20, STARS: 2
Craftsmen has come way down in quality over the years, I wouldn’t be surprised if these are exactly the same as the H.F. ones. Amazing is how I felt after opening up these holes. I was giddy the whole time I was using them!
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
10/16/2017 at 11:50, STARS: 0
That’s where I first saw them too. They are indeed amazing.
"WiscoProud" (wiscoproud)
10/16/2017 at 12:14, STARS: 0
They are quite magical. Just drill that pilot hole and scale it up as needed.
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 12:16, STARS: 0
The best part of this job was that the pilot holes were all there from long ago. I just rammed the narrow bit through to open them all up to 1/2, then rammed the large bit through until I could fit the wire loom in the hole, and done!
"Brickman" (legomaniacman)
10/16/2017 at 12:28, STARS: 0
I been meaning to get me a set of those. Haven’t needed one yet, but I have a feeling I may need them :)
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 12:30, STARS: 0
I grabbed them on a black friday sale at Sears like two or three years ago and remembered thinking that I’ve seen them looking useful. Just opened the package for the first time! Why did I wait so long?!?!
"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
10/16/2017 at 13:29, STARS: 0
I wonder if its because they are more of a hack job way of drilling holes? Im guessing pro shops would have a multitude of drill bits to choose from. Of course slightly enlarging a hole is a pain maybe the step drills are ideal.
"DiExMachina" (DiExMachina)
10/16/2017 at 13:54, STARS: 0
They are great. The best improvement that could happen for them would be to change the design to a 3 flute design. They can wobble a bit due to only having one flute.
You see it on cheap countersinks with one flute too. I have some 6 flute ones at work that are awesome.
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/16/2017 at 14:45, STARS: 0
I had to go through 3/16 steel (the angle iron of the trailer structure). That’s a lot of step-ups in drill bits, and a lot of my larger bits are getting duller as the years go on. These step-drill bits are much cheaper than a bunch of large drill bits!
"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
10/19/2017 at 13:32, STARS: 1
Thats true. I have a cheap harbor freight set and am surprised how quick they can embiggen a hole in 1/4" plate.
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
10/19/2017 at 20:29, STARS: 0
I’ve been meaning to get some of those. I’ve seen enough pro’s use them in videos that it makes me put a bit of faith into them.
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
10/24/2017 at 16:18, STARS: 1
Worth every penny. I’m very happy with them!