Drill bit size

[Stevinne]

I need to order some drill bits and realized I have no idea what sizes work best with ship models for eyebolts and belaying pins and the like. My old bits came from a starter set of tools I'd gotten at Model Expo years back. If anyone has advice on what size range I should be looking at, I'd appreciate it.

[garyshipwright]

Hi Stevinne. It really depends on what scale you working on. Am sure if you give that bit of infomation a few of us could let you know what size you may need. Gary

Edited March 20, 2023 by garyshipwright

[mtaylor]

Stevinne, at one point Model Expo offered a wooden box with like 20 different microdrills sizes.  There were 10 of each size.  I don't know if they still offer it but it was good value for the money and I have yet to wear out or loose the bits.

[Bob Cleek]

 

Get the below set of wire bits sizes 61 to 80 and you'll be covered up to around a 64th of an inch. Then buy a small set of bits between a 32nd or 16th of an inch and a half inch and you should be well covered. The Rogers bit set pictured below gives you one bit for each size in a handy covered drill index, but you will break them every so often, so you need to have spares on hand.  It's worth the price, though, because you get a nifty drill-index for them which is definitely handy for keeping your "in use" bit separate from your new bit stock. (The do dull with use over time and you don't want to mix up your dull ones with your sharp ones in the tubes.) Get on Model Expo and MicroMark's email lists (sign up on their websites.) When one of them has a sale on mini-drill bits, which will come in tubes holding ten of the same size, buy one of each size. (Sometimes the prices are as low as half-off.)  Better yet, buy the second set pictured below which has tubes of ten bits each of the same size ranges in a nice case.

 

https://www.micromark.com/The-Rogers-Drill-Bit-Set-61-80-Set-of-20?msclkid=312a1cafe1631f9090b778b70e4777de&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NX_NTM_Shopping_Segregated&utm_term=4576442278804873&utm_content=Drill Bits

 

 

 

https://www.pjtool.com/542-100-pc-micro-drill-bit-set-with-pin-vise-drill.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=numbered micro drill bit set&utm_content=Tool- PLA- Shopping&utm_campaign=Tool- PLA- Shopping&msclkid=b9a9d42bc2af16550898b0332a96c

 

The boxed set also contains what appears to be a decent pin vise to go with them. These small bits won't survive use in a high speed rotary tool, so you'll get a lot of use out of the pin vise which has four collet chucks inside it to properly hold the full range of bit sizes in the set. (Or you can spend a few bucks more and treat yourself to a nice set of top of the line Starrett pin vises.

 

Starrett Pin Vise Set, 0.010-0.200, Taper, 4Pc S240Z | Zoro

 

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Bob Cleek

[Chuck Seiler]

    The micro drill bits Mark is talking about run from size 60 (largest) to 80 (smallest).  I tend to mostly use 72 and 76, which (coincidentally) are the years I graduated from high school and college.  I normally work in 1/64 or 1/72 (or there abouts) and they work well for me for eyebolts and such.

 

    I get mine on Amazon.

[tlevine]

At the scale you are working at (1:55), you will rarely need a drill bit larger than #72.  I built Roter Lowe back in the early 80's.  When friends come over, they are always drawn to the colorful decorations.  Historical accuracy be dam**d.

[kurtvd19]

2 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

Better yet, buy the second set pictured below which has tubes of ten bits each of the same size ranges in a nice case.

The bits in the wooden box hold up and are a good deal.  However check the sizes as I found some were mislabeled as to size.  Take the time to be sure the right size is in eaach tube and that all 10 match.  Then when you need them you can be sure that you are using the right size - this is the voice of experience speaking...

Kurt

[Keith Black]

2 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

Better yet, buy the second set pictured below which has tubes of ten bits each of the same size ranges in a nice case.

 You can toss the whole lot in the bin, I know because i bought a set. The case is cheap and the drill bits are so dull they're absolutely worthless, IMHO. Years ago Micro Mark sold a set in a flat blue case but they haven't offered that set for a couple of years. The first Micro Mark link in Bob's post seems to be the closest to blue case set they sold years ago. If I were to buy another set (and I'm close to needing to) of drill bits it would be the Micro Mark set. 

 

 

[Bob Cleek]

1 hour ago, kurtvd19 said:

The bits in the wooden box hold up and are a good deal.  However check the sizes as I found some were mislabeled as to size.  Take the time to be sure the right size is in eaach tube and that all 10 match.  Then when you need them you can be sure that you are using the right size - this is the voice of experience speaking...

Good advice. Been there, done that, got the tee shirt! I ordered a set of the ten-bit tubes in the 20 sizes in the old standby Rogers wire drill bit set from MicroMark or Model Expo (can't remember which) when they had a big sale on them and found the wrong sizes in some and less than ten bits in others. I complained and they send me the correct sizes and missing bits. I expect these are made in China and not the highest quality, but I have found them suitable for modeling purposes. I wouldn't recommend them for clockmaking, though!  

[Bob Cleek]

46 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

 You can toss the whole lot in the bin, I know because i bought a set. The case is cheap and the drill bits are so dull they're absolutely worthless, IMHO. Years ago Micro Mark sold a set in a flat blue case but they haven't offered that set for a couple of years. The first Micro Mark link in Bob's post seems to be the closest to blue case set they sold years ago. If I were to buy another set (and I'm close to needing to) of drill bits it would be the Micro Mark set. 

 

 

The first MicroMark link in my post was to the black drill index with sizes 61 to 80 long known as the "Rogers wire drill set." I've always found the "Roger's" brand to be quality bits and they are priced higher for that reason, I suppose. Buyer beware! There are Chinese knock-offs of the old tried and true Rogers bit set that appear nearly identical, save that they are branded as  "Gyros" or not branded at all. Given the lower price asked for these, I can't believe the bits are all that good because that's the only way they can reduce production costs.

 

I can't speak to the quality of the boxed set of tubes full of bits pictured. I've not bought them, but I have bought similar tubes from "the usual suspects" and found them useable for modeling purposes. I don't doubt the case is cheaply constructed and the bits duller than professional machinist-level bits costing several times as much. I found them offered from https://www.pjtool.com/ which is a mail order company out of Edgewood, New York. It appears that they sell Asian knock-offs of lots of small tools modelers would be interested in using. They have a big selection of hemostats, forceps, and clamps, a lot of other modeling hand tools. Their prices seem rather reasonable, and what you'd expect for "Harbor Freight quality." That said, a lot of Harbor Freight hand tools are quite suitable for hobby use. We're not doing open heart surgery with them. I've never done business with them, but the prices are low enough I'd expect anybody could afford to risk a few bucks on a tool and see if it was worth it. If anybody's done business with them, chime in. 

[mtaylor]

The second one in Bob's post showing the photos is the one I have.  Possible and even most likely that the current offering is different from the one I bought many moons ago.  To me, it's still useful as there has been a need at times for the less used bits. I've used them in pin drills, dremel type, and a mill.  

[Keith Black]

32 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

To me, it's still useful as there has been a need at times for the less used bits

 Mark, I wish you lived next door because I'd glad walk over and give you the set I have.

[mtaylor]

13 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

 Mark, I wish you lived next door because I'd glad walk over and give you the set I have.

Well, the "old" set is/was probably better than the newer ones.  I still have enough bits to last for several years.

[allanyed]

21 hours ago, Keith Black said:

You can toss the whole lot in the bin, I know because i bought a set.

I strongly second this comment.  They will not cut through even softened brass and they burn hard wood.  The only good thing is the box and the vials in which I placed good quality bits.   Look at the bits here for a wide variety, fast delivery and reasonable price for high quality bits.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/drill-bits/drill-bits-11/    Keep in mind the old adage, you get what you pay for.  FYI, McMaster Carr has a distribution center in Robbinsville so not terribly far from you.  I used to be able to order and personally pick up anything they had when we Iived in NJ.  I don't know if that is still the case, but worth a call.

Allan

[Bob Cleek]

1 hour ago, allanyed said:

Look at the bits here for a wide variety, fast delivery and reasonable price for high quality bits.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/drill-bits/drill-bits-11/    Keep in mind the old adage, you get what you pay for.

Hear! Hear! Quite true. That's a link worth saving. 

 

That said, keep in mind that the same decent twenty wire gauge bits from size 61 to 80 that come in the Rogers set from MicroMark at a cost of about $30.00 (+S/H) from McMaster-Carr will cost you $56.34 (+S/H) (https://www.mcmaster.com/products/drill-bits/drill-bits-11/system-of-measurement~wire-gauge/) The same size range of 20 lower quality bits in the usual cheapo Chinese wooden box packaged in tubes of ten bits of each size plus a similarly cheapo pin vise costs $39.00 (+S/H.) The same number of bits of the same sizes, without the fancy wooden box and additional pin vise (Oh, wow! I know... ) purchased from McMaster-Carr will cost you $563.40 (+S/H). You sure better get what you pay for! 

 

My point in this discussion is that one should consider their needs and decide how to spend their money. If I were doing fine metal work, I'd definitely spring for a few of the good ones in the sizes I needed. For wood working on models, I've found that the cheapo ones suffice. Do they break more easily? Yes, but I'm not using mine on high speed drill presses and Dremel tools. When one breaks, I just take another one out of the tube. If and when I run out of the bits in the tube, then I'll know which higher priced bits I'm going to buy from McMaster-Carr and how many I might want to keep in stock to replace those that dull or break. If you buy the Rogers set, I guarantee you will break a bit in short order and you'll then have to go get another one (and if you are smart, you'll buy a few at a time to avoid the inconvenience of always having to stop work to get another bit.) Thus, the sooner you identify the sizes you use the most and lay in a stock of those sizes, the happier camper you will be. That said, I found that buying the range of bits from MicroMark in the tubes containing ten bits when they were on sale for half price set me up pretty well for a long time now and saved me the trouble of having to go and buy single bits to keep my Rogers drill index full. 

 

Besides, depending on the scale one is working with, I doubt many would find the full range of 20 incrementally sized bits between 61 and 80 really necessary. One can cut the price of a set of quality bits in half if they wish by simply buying every other size in the series and making do with ten instead of 20 size choices.

[Duck]

After years of unhappiness with small drill bits, I can report that I've been very happy with the numbered drills (and other soldering stuff) from: CML Supply.  They seem high quality, sharp and are US made.

www.cmlsupply.com

 

This source is used to refill my round case (like the one pictured in a post above).  I use a stack of #1 coin envelopes from an office supply store to keep the spares organized and easily accessible.

Paul