How do you use a #79 Drill Bit?

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
The best thing you need to remember is to buy at least 5 or 6 of the smallest sizes of drill bits at a time. As Dr. Wayne said, you can sometimes get a surprising number of holes out of a bit before it breaks (I think Wayne's number quoted above is probably a record), but they will also tend to break very easily and often. What works better than the small bits if they are the right size for your needed holes are hypodermic syringes. The problem is that there are laws on the books about drug paraphenalia. One of the presenter's doing a clinic at the recent NMRA convention on scratch building supplies mentioned that when she wanted to buy a syringe, she took a model boxcar body into a drug store, and showed the pharmacist how she used the syringe to drill small holes in the body to mount grab irons. He was so impressed because he was trying to figure out how to drill small holes in ship models to mount rigging, and hadn't thought of a syringe. She is now on a first name basis with that pharmacist, and has no problem buying syringes from him. If you are able to get syringes, you need to get a "sharps box". Even if they are not used for medical purposes, syringes are considered "medical waste" and must be disposed of correctly.

WOW never would have thought of a syringes for model railroading lol. I dont think i could get my hands on one tho lol.

And your advise of buying 5 or 6 of the drill bits at a time is a good idea, i bought 2 packages of each of the 3 sizes i ordered from Walthers, so i have 4 of each right now. I want to order a whole set with a case also and have extras of the most common sizes for spares when they break :mrgreen:

Walthers has some nice sets for around $30, think i might get one of them and some extra spare bits as well :mrgreen:
 
Josh, Try Googling or whatever search machine you use and look for " Micro-mark " tools out of New Jersey. They specialize in all sorts of modeling tools, supplies and the like. They are not real expensive but can become addictive - be careful ! Joe
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Josh, Try Googling or whatever search machine you use and look for " Micro-mark " tools out of New Jersey. They specialize in all sorts of modeling tools, supplies and the like. They are not real expensive but can become addictive - be careful ! Joe

sign1 Thanks Joe

My grandpa gets Micro Mark Catalogues, i had forgoten about them :mrgreen:
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
And your advise of buying 5 or 6 of the drill bits at a time is a good idea, i bought 2 packages of each of the 3 sizes i ordered from Walthers, so i have 4 of each right now. I want to order a whole set with a case also and have extras of the most common sizes for spares when they break :mrgreen:

Walthers has some nice sets for around $30, think i might get one of them and some extra spare bits as well :mrgreen:

Josh, unless Walthers has changed their supplier for drill bits, you're unlikely to break one. However, you may have good luck using them to drill around corners, as they're way too flexible. :eek:;):-D My LHS sells Walthers bits, but most of us just ask for "the good ones" - from Mascot. A little more money, and perhaps more chance of breaking them, but if your drill bits aren't true, your work won't be accurate.

Wayne
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Josh, unless Walthers has changed their supplier for drill bits, you're unlikely to break one. However, you may have good luck using them to drill around corners, as they're way too flexible. :eek:;):-D My LHS sells Walthers bits, but most of us just ask for "the good ones" - from Mascot. A little more money, and perhaps more chance of breaking them, but if your drill bits aren't true, your work won't be accurate.

Wayne

sign1 so are you saying Walthers bits are good or bad?
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Well, I don't like them: a drill bit which is even slightly bent (I'm not talking flexible, I'm talking actually bent, as in "not straight") will be difficult to start, especially using a power tool, such as a Dremel or drill press, even if you centre-punch the starting point. Chances are that it will make a hole larger than the size of the drill bit and the tendency will be for it to bend even further. When doing manual drilling with a pinvise, because it's difficult to keep your hand aligned with the hole being drilled, you'll likely cause it to bend even if it starts out straight. A good-quality drill bit will flex to some degree, but if you get too much misalignment between the chucked end and the drilling end, it will snap. You'll have to choose for yourself which works better for you, but, in my opinion, you'll learn proper drilling techniques more quickly using drill bits that break when your technique is "off" (it can get expensive quickly at $2.00 or $3.00 a whack if you're ham-handed);) than you will using bits that don't break but won't drill holes where you want them. :p:-D:-D

Wayne
 

tetters

Rail Spiking Fool!
The only thing I can add to a host of already excellent replies here is if using a pin vice, secure as much of the bit in the vice as you can. That is, if you are only drilling through a thin wall of plastic or styrene leave just enough of the bit exposed to cleanly drill through the wall. I found doing this has saved me from breaking a ton of bits.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Well, I don't like them: a drill bit which is even slightly bent (I'm not talking flexible, I'm talking actually bent, as in "not straight") will be difficult to start, especially using a power tool, such as a Dremel or drill press, even if you centre-punch the starting point. Chances are that it will make a hole larger than the size of the drill bit and the tendency will be for it to bend even further. When doing manual drilling with a pinvise, because it's difficult to keep your hand aligned with the hole being drilled, you'll likely cause it to bend even if it starts out straight. A good-quality drill bit will flex to some degree, but if you get too much misalignment between the chucked end and the drilling end, it will snap. You'll have to choose for yourself which works better for you, but, in my opinion, you'll learn proper drilling techniques more quickly using drill bits that break when your technique is "off" (it can get expensive quickly at $2.00 or $3.00 a whack if you're ham-handed);) than you will using bits that don't break but won't drill holes where you want them. :p:-D:-D

Wayne

thanks again Wayne for some more extremely usful information :thumb: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

so what drill bits would you recommend? those Mascot ones you mentioned?
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
The only thing I can add to a host of already excellent replies here is if using a pin vice, secure as much of the bit in the vice as you can. That is, if you are only drilling through a thin wall of plastic or styrene leave just enough of the bit exposed to cleanly drill through the wall. I found doing this has saved me from breaking a ton of bits.

another piece of useful information, thanks Tetters :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 

60103

Pooh Bah
I now have 3 pin vises. 2 are Xacto; the other something else. The Xacto ones have a big and small end and I kep them loaded with the pilot drills and taps for 2-56 and 00-90.
The other one has a rotating top end and a variety of chucks (or those things that go in the chucks).
For years I bought individual bits but a few years ago I bought one of those sets in a box. I think you should start with a full set but buy a bunch of replacement bits when you find out which ones you use and break.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
One thing that hasn't yet been mentioned, but should have been mentioned first is to ALWAYS wear safety goggles or a face shield when using the small drill bits. The reason they break and don't bend is that they are made of a harder than normal steel. The steel needs to be harder than normal in case you want to drill a small hole in steel, but as steel is made harder it gets more brittle. When the drill bits break, they may break off right at the hole, or they may break in multiple places with bits of drill bit flying everywhere! Stay safe!
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Good point, Russ. :thumb: It's easy to assume that everyone uses the proper safety precautions for whatever operation they're doing, but many aren't even aware of what those precautions are. :eek:

Wayne
 
L

lester perry

I must agree wit Doctor Wayne get a pin vice for now Look in the Walthers web site #285-92. That is what I have and it does the job for me. If you find later that you need a drill press you are out a few dollars.
Les
 
Josh, unless Walthers has changed their supplier for drill bits, you're unlikely to break one. However, you may have good luck using them to drill around corners, as they're way too flexible. :eek:;):-D My LHS sells Walthers bits, but most of us just ask for "the good ones" - from Mascot. A little more money, and perhaps more chance of breaking them, but if your drill bits aren't true, your work won't be accurate.

Wayne

Wayne: Keep asking for "The Good Ones" and you are liable to end up with some of my cut off disks! sign1
I called them that for the very reason you mentioned in the statement about drill bits-- once anybody tried them & somebody offered them a Dremel disk thats what they said 'No--- I want the good ones." :twisted:
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
I've heard that about the Dremel disks from numerous sources, but I haven't had any problems with them. They will shatter if I misuse them, but I often have several on hand that have worn down considerably - they're very handy when you need a cut-off disk in a very confined space. Occasionally, they wear down to the point that nothing extends beyond the head of the screw that holds them in the mandrel - then it's time to thrown them away. ;):-D

Wayne
 
I've heard that about the Dremel disks from numerous sources, but I haven't had any problems with them. They will shatter if I misuse them, but I often have several on hand that have worn down considerably - they're very handy when you need a cut-off disk in a very confined space. Occasionally, they wear down to the point that nothing extends beyond the head of the screw that holds them in the mandrel - then it's time to thrown them away. ;):-D

Wayne

Ever tried using the FACE of the disk to grind with? Or carving brass with one?
If you can actually use up a Dremel disk you have a VERY steady , practiced hand indeed. They usually don't last that long. :curse:
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Ever tried using the FACE of the disk to grind with? Or carving brass with one?
If you can actually use up a Dremel disk you have a VERY steady , practiced hand indeed. They usually don't last that long. :curse:

Yes, I often use the face for grinding, probably more than I use the edge for cutting. ;) I probably experience the most breakage when making long cuts in sheet brass, and similar-type cuts in Zamac castings, and that's usually due to "operator error" rather than any inherent fault with the disks. Patience is a definite requirement when using cut-off disks.:rolleyes::-D

Wayne
 

steamhead

Active Member
I keep a goodly reserve of cut-off disks, but have found through the years that I break them less and less....The trick is to find a good support for the tool when using them and to go slow & easy when cutting. I too have worn them down to nearly nothing...(Just a tight wad, I think...I must have about 50 disks waiting their turn....:eek:)
 
I keep a goodly reserve of cut-off disks, but have found through the years that I break them less and less....The trick is to find a good support for the tool when using them and to go slow & easy when cutting. I too have worn them down to nearly nothing...(Just a tight wad, I think...I must have about 50 disks waiting their turn....:eek:)

I cut all the brass for my scratch building with cutoff disks both the 7/8 diameter & the 1-1/2 diameter size --- all freehand, both material & Dremel, neither supported , but then I've had a lot of practice demonstrating them at shows over 17 years of marketing them.
Happy to know there are others out there who are not afraid of their Dremel -- far to many folks are & as a result don't get nearly the use out of it they should, I've been trying to , in a small way, remedy some of that.
 
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