Thread: Morse taper drill recommendations

Hi Joe,
What about buying one quality one a week like a Dormer or something.

Phil

I don't know what sort of lathe you have but given that it has an MT2 tailstock it can't be that big.

This means you simply cannot use any of the the drills in that kit in steel from scratch and you will need to incrementally drill ny hole out up to the desired size.

To drill a 25 mm hole with my small Hercus I start with a 6 mm hole, and then use the 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 20, 21,22, 23 24 and 25mm sizes in that sequence.

With the set you are looking a 3mm step is required between bits, not impossible but it just puts a bigger load on a small lathe than is necessary.
A 3mm increment will also require the workpiece to be held very tightly and it also makes it more likely that the small morse taper will slip especially for the bigger drills.
You should also consider using a drill carrier like this in the Hercus Turning Book



I bought this set https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/D119 to get me started and have bought the 13, 13.5, 14 and all half mm increments in between up to 25 mm.
Not the best set in the world but I have been very happy with the way they have held their edge.
I also bought a set of adjustable reamers covering 6 to 25 mm from CTC tools which means I can generate pretty well any size hole I like provided the stock is not too thick.

24.5 and 25 mm are normally MT3 and 13, 13.4 and 14 mm are normally MT1 so adapters for these are required.

I rarely use the bits above 23 mm as my home made boring bar fits inside any hole great than that size. With care a boring bar can be made even smaller but a drill

Dear Phil and Bob,

Thank you for the suggestions and comments. With regard to Dormer, what other brands are there in that price range? Sutton?

My lathe is a Qualos, about the size of a Hercus, maybe a touch smaller (inch or two). I was concerned regarding the 3mm step when opening a hole, but hoped that 3mm wouldn't be too much for either the lathe, or the drill. From what you say it looks like I'm mistaken. Good point about the adaptors, I think I've got an MT2-1 adaptor lying around but certainly I don't have the MT2-3.

Probably the best bet for me would be to buy one a week as Phil suggested.

Bob, do you have a picture of your boring bar set-up?

Thanks,
Joe

If you live close to the store, buying as you need them is another alternative but unless you only need smaller sizes that does not solve the need for incremental sizes to drill drill larger holes.
I started buying Forstner Bits as I needed them but it just got frustrating as invariably I needed them in the evening or weekends when the store was not open.

Here is my boring bar. It's pretty basic but it works.
It's just a bar held in a QCTP tool holder specifically designed for a bar, with a 6 mm cutter held in place by grub and allen screws.

I bought the ozmestore set and some are bent. Either it took me a long time to figure that out or they stress-relieved in service.
The 16mm one was so bad I bought a replacement from CTC and it's much better.

If you bought the same sizes from CTC it would come to $39.50 before postage, so similar cost overall, but the quality is better and you can buy any size you want in .5mm increments.

If you have a MT drill press you can check for run-out (as soon as you get them!) with a DTI on the drill's flutes and turning the spindle backwards by hand. Assumes your spindle is true of course.

At that price, quality would be a bit suspect, if it were each + that might be a different story. Buy the better quality, as it pays in the long run.As the others have said buy one a week or as required.
Kryn

hi Joe

you could buy the ozmestore ones i did and all you will have is 50 bucks less to buy drill bits with
there absolute rubbish well the ones i got where
i have brought other stuff from ozmestore and they have been good its just the drills are crap
try the markets and garage sales in your area you can some times pick up good drills there all they need is a sharpen and big drills are easier to sharpen

cheers
Harty

Hi Joe,
As suggested i just buy them as i need them. I have some old ones, mostly P&N that i have got at auction, i have some Dormers bought locally, these are the best by far, i have a few CTC's, not bad for the price, and one of the ones H&F now sells, it seems pretty decent although i don't like the flute style.

One thing that you have over Freds lathe is a back gear. Throw what you have learned about cutting speeds out the window and engage the back gear! You will find you have tons of torque and you should be able to take pretty decent jumps between drill sizes. Its always best to bore to size any way (or ream) so i just bore to just under the size required and bore from there. That way the hole will be centered and straight and on size. A drill can wonder, even a big one. Make or get yourself some boring bars to take HSS, like Freds. I have them that take 1/8" HSS up to 5/16". The smallest one will fit in a 10mm hole from memory.

Cheers,
Ew

Buy the larger sized drill as you need them, I like older ones as they are cheap but are usually Imperial

Be careful if buying used drills... I was given some old ones with visibly dull flutes. Haven't tried them but I'm assuming they're useless. True or false?

Originally Posted by Bryan

Be careful if buying used drills... I was given some old ones with visibly dull flutes. Haven't tried them but I'm assuming they're useless. True or false?

I found a half dozen P&N 1/2" bits at a flea market for $2, They were all still full length but when I got them home I found the first 20 - 30 mm of flute was so dull and worn they just jammed about 5 mm into any hole.

Hi Joe.
I've bought most of mine (the ones I bought) off eBay in ones and twos. But only good ones. All were brand new and P&N, Brown & Sharpe and Dormer. The prices were very reasonable - around $10 each - up to 1". It's just a matter of setting up a regular search and buying as the sizes you want come up. Stay away from cheapies. The last cheap drill I bought appreared to be not even heat treated. After sharpening it 3 or 4 times, I touched it with a file in frustration and I could sharpen it with the file!!!! It went straight in the bin....

Originally Posted by BobL

I found a half dozen P&N 1/2" bits at a flea market for $2, They were all still full length but when I got them home I found the first 20 - 30 mm of flute was so dull and worn they just jammed about 5 mm into any hole.

Cut them off with an angle grinder and re-grind the end. I've got some 1/2" drill bits that are 'stub' length due to various mishaps. They work fine.

I buy taper shank bits as I need them, never have bought a set. The big lathe with a 4MT tailstock can easily push a 1 1/2" bit into a 1/2" pilot hole. Then I always bore to final size if the hole size & straightness is in any way important.

PDW

Originally Posted by PDW

Cut them off with an angle grinder and re-grind the end. I've got some 1/2" drill bits that are 'stub' length due to various mishaps. They work fine.

Yeah I did that to one of them. Stub length bits are useful for for starting and part way into holes because they tend to wander less than full length

I buy taper shank bits as I need them, never have bought a set. The big lathe with a 4MT tailstock can easily push a 1 1/2" bit into a 1/2" pilot hole. Then I always bore to final size if the hole size & straightness is in any way important.

Nice.