Drill Bits

[Bern]

Help refresh my mind, guys. I know I have seen small drill bits (PC board hole sizes) someplace, but now I can’t find them. I think they were in one of the surplus catalogs. Where do you get your best buys? Thanks

[Chris Smith]

All electronics sometimes carries them. <p>They call them Letter drills and Number drills.
1 -60 and A-M is most common. <p>Letter drill are for tap sizes, if I remember rightly? <p>Number drills get real small.

[philba]

Actually, they go all the way down to 800 (0.0135"). I use 64, 67 and 69 for a lot of my TH components.<p>I've gotten the best deals on ebay. For example, 50 carbide #67s for about $12, iirc. Its kind of hit or miss, though. The surplus houses have them sometimes but they are a mediocre deal at best.<p>This guys has good prices http://www.tinkers-emporium.com/newpage31.htm I dont know if he's still in the biz but the page still works. I'm mostly happy with his stuff but he sent me a batch of 69s that were breaking all over the place.<p>Phil

[Mike6158]

Jameco sells two different sizes<p>#75
#59<p>over a buck 20 each so Philba has the best deal

[jwax]

[url=http://www.allelectronics.com,]www.allelectronics.com,[/url] cat # DRB-9 at $4.50 for an assorted set of 9 carbide bits- #71 to 1/16".

[Dave Dixon]

I get my mini end-mill and drill bits from a local distributor in Wichita, KS - Mires Tool Co. 316-264-1914. They are made by IMCO Carbide Tooling in Ohio, but IMCO's website doesn't have a distributor's list that I could find. Hope this helps,
Dave

[Mike]

If you have an ACE Hardware nearby, go there and they sell small drill bits down to a #60. They call them metal tapping bits but they work perfectly for PCBs.<p>I think they are about 2 bucks each.

[Dean Huster]

Letter drills, Chris, are one of those things that I'd wondered about. A quick look at a drill chart shows that letter drills are nothing more than a continuation of the number drills after they hit the biggest size of #1. Then you begin with A, B, C, .... etc. I don't think I've ever seen the scheme for the sizing of the number or letter drills, though. Anyone have any authoritative input on that?<p>Dean

[High4Volts]

You actually use more of the numbered drills for #0 up to 1/4" taps, then letters up to 7/16" from there up are fractional. Letter bits pick up after #0.

[Enzo]

ANy local hobby store has them, that is where I get mine. Seems to me they are under a buck and there is no shipping. They break, so get extras. I know, I know, treat them nicely.

[Enzo]

And Micro Mark is a great place to find all kinds of small tools and stuff.

[grant fair]

Another source for resharpened carbide drill bits is:<p>http://www.drillbitcity.com/<p>Resharpened bits seem to be as good as the originals, or better according to some lore. For drilling PCB's, carbide lasts much longer than the less expensive HSS.<p>Grant

[jwax]

Here's some drill charts-
http://venturers.org/Tech_Library/index ... 3010&id=11<p>

[haklesup]

Hard to beat this price
They have a smaller set toocarbide drill bits

[Mike]

I just recieved my parts from Electronics Goldmine. I had ordered a set of drill bits along with the other stuff, because they wer $2.49 and was a set of about 30 of them, all very small. Some were so small I could barely pick them up.<p>Good deal, though they are made in China. so they may not last long.