forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => What's New => Topic started by: Des on April 08, 2014, 07:25:37 AM
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I have made arrangements with Jason over at Drill Bits Unlimited to offer our members a special deal on 0.3mm, 0.4mm and 0.5mm tungsten carbide drill bits. Jason has opened a new page on his site just for the WW1 Aircraft models forum members and has listed the deals open to members only. Place all orders through this special page to receive the discounts. These are fantastic prices so I hope the members will take advantage of the deals. Go to the link below to place your orders, you will not find better deals on these three sizes of carbide drill bits.
Des.
http://merchant.auctivacommerce.com/s25472/WW1-Aircraft-Modelscom-Special-P4302731.aspx
I am not affiliated with Drill Bits Unlimited in any way, I have arranged these specials to help our members and Jason obliged.
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Sorry Justin but the email from Jason only came this morning, I also ordered and received 50 x 0.4mm last week, but today I took advantage of the special deals and I ordered 50 x 0.3mm and 50 x 0.5mm, I will order another 50 x 0.4mm next week.
Des.
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Damn. What about suckers like me who ordered a couple of days ago? :o
Don't worry you'll break them all soon enough ;)
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Thanks for that Des, I just received a set of bits from him last weekend!
I will order more, but .30mm isn't small enough for 1:72....0.20 would be great - I ordered 0.15 and they snap just turning them in the plastic - two bits just to clean out one hole, already drilled but with paint in it - or am I missing something? I'm loathe to use them in a Dremmel as they snap so easily and I can see them being broken just by the torque of a Dremmel. I use them in a pin vice, and they seem to screw themselves into the plastic and snap when I try to get them out! Any tips?
Ian
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I don't use anything less than 0.3mm, anything smaller and the breakage rate increases dramatically. 50% of the time I will use a pin vice then the other 50% I will twist the drill between my fingers, depending on the job at hand. On average when using a 0.3mm drill bit I can drill 30 - 40 holes in plastic without breaking a bit, this includes blind holes where the drill bit has to be withdrawn before cutting through. I also use these bits for drilling into thin brass sheet and micro brass tubes and have had a lot of success, occassionally a bit will break when it is just about to break through the other side of the tube or sheet but I can usually "feel" when this is about to happen and I back off a little then run a HSS bit through to finish the hole off.
I have never used my Dremel with these drill bits, I think that it would be too difficult to hold the machine steady while drilling, you have to bear in mind that these small drill bits are designed to be operated in machines which rotate at 100,000rpm, the high speed gives the drill bit its strength, my Dremel nor my pin vice comes anywhere close to that speed.
For the accuracy and sharpness of these carbide drill bits they outweigh the usual HSS drill bits, especially in the smaller sizes, they are extremely sharp and will cut through brass tube with ease leaving a very clean hole, plastic drilling is a breeze. Don't forger, when removing the drill bit after drill into plastic reverse the direction so the bit will screw itself out of the hole, this will eliminate a lot of breakages.
To clean out a pre-existing hole I always use a HSS drill bit, no need to risk a good carbide drill bit just to get some paint out of a hole, and because the carbide is so sharp it will quite easily drill deeper without you knowing about it.
Des.
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A little speed really helps with the small bits. I avoid using the smaller sizes (less than .3mm) in anything but a drill press but I still manage break them all the time. That's why you buy them in tens :) But they can be used by hand, no mistake, you just absolutely cannot exert any side load on them. As soon as they bind, back out and them go back in, don't press hard, let the bit cut.
The best hand tool I've found for these is a ball handled pin vice with universal chuck. You can spin it and hold it nicely with one hand, and you can use your forefinger (still the drill hand ) to support the side of the bit, while your other hand holds the work piece.
My hands aren't that steady and my eyes aren't that great anymore, either. I spend a lot of my modeling time devising jigs to support the work. Jigs can be made out of anything really -- cardboard, foam core, wood scraps, Popsicle sticks. I guess I've become sort of notorious for favoring Lego... whatever works.
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Regarding broken bits...
1) with the smaller sizes it is possible to break the tip without noticing it or really being able to see it is broken short of using a microscope. However the bit will then wander hopelessly if you try to use it to start a hole, esp in harder materials.
2) if the bit is not broken at the shank but instead has some length, don't toss it, it is still useful:
-- it can be used to enlarge incrementally smaller holes
-- it can be used as a tiny coping saw in thin materials like beer can metal etc
Be sure to mark it or segregate it though because it can be hard to tell which bits are broken as your supply attrits
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If the bits that I break have a bit of length to them I put them in my pin vice and keep using them, they are still just as sharp and I get a lot of use from broken bits.
Des.
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BTW:
Thank you Des, for arranging the special deal for our benefit with Jason/ DBU. Awesome news (!!!!!!!!!)
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Thanks Des. This is a great deal and I hope I lose a lot less bits than the exacto/Excell bits I have been using.
RAGIII
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I ordered 50 each of the 0.3mm and 0.5mm today, I have already received shipping notice, excellent service.
Des.
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Thanks very much Des,order away-should be set for a few years for bits.
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I ordered a 50 piece batch of 0,40 mm bits on sunday – still got a pretty good deal I think – they worked out at about 39 cents a piece + postage. Had my shipping notice monday morning – so excellent service so far.
Cheers
Mikael
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Thanks, Des! I go through so damned many of these, with the savings I could buy another WNW kit ;).
Cheers,
Bud
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Despite having roughly 150 of various sizes on hand I couldn't let the deal go by.......... just ordered 50 each of the 50 and 30 mm's. Thanks for your good work, Des! :)
Cheers,
Lance
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I had been hand turning (and snapping), so I would be smarter to use a Dremel and Drill press?
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I had been hand turning (and snapping), so I would be smarter to use a Dremel and Drill press?
Yes. But above all avoid any kind of side load, that will snap them every time. Drill press is many times better than trying to hold a dremel steady. You'll still break em once in awhile but the attrition rate goes way way down. 50 bits would last forever. I doubt I've broken 5 bits in the drill press over the last two years, versus 20 or so using hand tools. Usually the way I've broken bits in the press is by accidentally touching the workpiece with it not turning while lining up, or when the workpiece has slipped for some reason. I usually use a .2mm bit as a starter...
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Thanks for the tips Gents! (and thanks again, Des, for arranging this deal!)
Ian
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I noticed that Jason has added the smaller sizes to the deals list, so it now caters for those who need 0.25mm, 0.2mm and 0.15mm carbide drill bits.
http://merchant.auctivacommerce.com/s25472/WW1-Aircraft-Modelscom-Special-P4302731.aspx
Des.
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Des,
Got my order in. Thanks for arranging this!
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Nice work Des! Thanks for taking care of us. ;
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Just ordered 10 each of the .30mm and .40mm bits. Thanks Des for arranging this. Can't beat the price and now I'll have back ups when I snap one.
Sean