Thread: hex shank drill bits & driver bits

Bosch do hex shank drill bits, I've seen up to 6mm, don't know if they go larger or how much they cost.
As for driver bits, just buy one of the massive bit kits from the big green shed; I've managed to break a handful in 2 years of industrial use and they all come as at least 2 of a kind. You can go and spend $5-10 per bit for top of the line, but it's money poorly spent on what is, essentially, a semi-consumable item.

i can vouch for the bosch bits, they make the standard and needlepoint bits. and both come in a kit of 6 bits. They are great, i use the needlepoints as they work well for melamine work.

dont get me started on driver bits, the Irwins are not worth talking about. Still trying to find a good quality brand.

What you're using the bits for will determine their effectiveness. Bosch & many others make cheap hex drill bits in both conventional & dowel drill styles. Some even offer such niceties as titanium nitride coating. In my experience, however they are universally of inferior quality to the best parallel shanked bits: Dormer, Colt, Sutton et al. Cheap bits will always be..... Cheap. Given that smaller bits are essentially a disposable item, maybe it's an acceptable trade off; only you can answer that.

Realistically, the bosch spear point bits are fast & accurate in wood & synthetic substitutes. They just don't last. The shanks tend to be brittle, especially within the helix. The grade of HSS and the temper will determine the bit's resilience and flexibility.

I have also tried some of Trend's colleted bits with varying success. They have a conventional hex end, with (depending on the type) either a collet or grub screw to affix an interchangeable bit. In countersinking form these are excellent performers in wood, particularly when fitted with TCT countersink/counterbore cutters. I particularly like the ability to quickly & easily set the overall depth of cut by adjusting the bit in the holder, making a repeatable production type preset drill & countersink combo. For additional security I have often ground an elongated flat on the shank as a non-twist mating surface for the grub screw.

The colleted versions are not quite so good. The problem lies in the drii bit's parallel shank, where in larger sizes it will spin in the collet despite being tightened to extremes. The polished metal mating surfaces are just too smooth and well machined, unlike a drill chuck which has jaws with a 3 way "bite" on the drill's shank.

In summary then hex bits are at their best in wood & synthetics up to about 6mm or so. In metal or in larger sizes they are severely compromised in quality & performance.