Microbox drills

[Broadway]

I've bought a cheap set of these and realised that they are probably knock offs as shown with a different labelliing, the larger ones are OK, small ones are pretty much useless. I also managed to tip half of them out when trying to get one out so have no real idea which one is which (my electronic vernier needs a new battery) 😀

 

Are the genuine ones better? 

 

I also had trouble seating them in the pin vise, I seem to remember seeing videos where a drill was used without a pin vise, possible something like these Busch Shank Drills, which would seem much easier to use without the hassle of getting them mounted into the pin vise, they only go down to 0.5 mm, which may not be small enough. I also noticed tungsten carbide drill bits on ebay, again with a shank which do go smaller which also seem to be a contender.

 

Any advise?

 

 

 

 

[Alex Gordon]

I've only had the one set of the genuine ones and they were good.They were ground correctly and would drill anything up to brass accurately.I've had several packs of the knockoff ones since and they have all been a waste of resources.The cutting edge generally isn't the leading edge.Once reground,no easy feat with my eyesight,the fluting isn't deep enough to remove swarf so they block up and stop cutting.

I would love to have the wherewithal to buy some decent drill bits,and while I'm at it find a collet for my pin vice that holds the drill bit straight rather than at some crazy unuseable sideways angle.

 

[Black Knight]

I've tried a few packs of the 'originals'.

A LMS asked me to go through their stock - 20 sets, and test them as they had complaints about them not drilling

It seemed rather a random quality as most of the drills in each pack were blunt.

I mixed and matched and got about 6 packs all having good drills

These days I buy the sizes I need in 10s from this seller

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HSS-DRILLS-PROFESSIONAL-HIGH-QUALITY-JOBBER-ROLLED-DRILL-BITS-LOWEST-PRICES/352966905605?hash=item522e778f05:g:PNUAAOSwpDdVcW7F

[Tony C]

Can recommend Banggood, the drill bits below 0.4mm can break quite easily, especially the 0.1/0.2mm bits but the rest are pretty good!

 

I've used them for over 6 years now and delivery can sometimes taken about 2 weeks but if stock is UK based, then delivery is normally 3-4 days (Pre-Covid days).          

[bmwh548]

Bought a set of the knock-offs. Despite the label there's only 4-5 dimensions in the set and not a single one had a sharpened tip.

Bought two sets similar to the ones Tony C recommended and they're fairly good. I particularly like that I don't have to keep changing the "head" on my pin vise.

[AltcarBoB]

I accidentally got a knock off set off ebay and they were junk so I threw them out and bought a set of Titanium coated bits from Proops. Apart from the 0.45mm bit which wanders when you try to start a hole they have all been good.