Quality drill bits

For all the machinists on our forum, I am ready to invest in a set of quality drill bits for my drill press, what do you recommend? I see a lot of gimmick stuff out there, don't know what to trust. Would really like a set that will last years... my use is pretty sporadic, drilling a lot of aluminum and softer steels just for home project use.

I bought a full set of Viking jobber drills, Amazon has it for $300, IMHO very reasonable price. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EHI17C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
I've been using them for about 6 years now and they are still very sharp. 
Just be sure to use proper speeds and lubrication or coolant and they will last for a very long time.

Most of the top brands are no longer made in the USA. McMaster Carr sells the Greenfield brand but are made in Brazil. Republic is made in the USA and sold by Machine Shop Discount Supply (https://www.msdiscounttool.com/catalog/index.php) You want HSS drills not carbon steel! I get the standard jobbers length in bright finish. I don't find any advantage in the cost of special coating. MSC has a good selection (https://www.mscdirect.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomeView?catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=10054&krypto=NNMvMJAf1HqXwHE%2BAQbC%2FoLVZDYuKNU7UtXF%2BjCeWi5lRoQsBGsR%2BjCmYBB0PHbd%2Bp%2Bj8LYa4KaQh3KKsekrZQ%3D%3D) Call and ask for Tech. Rep. you can describe what you want. If buying a complete set you might qualify for free shipping. Most of the old name brands though made outside the USA are quite good!

Any of the basic industrial brands are fairly decent. The best thing you can do as far a drill bits though is to learn how to sharpen them.

javaduke wrote:I bought a full set of Viking jobber drills, Amazon has it for $300, IMHO very reasonable price.

+1 on these, I bought that set in 2019 and have been quite happy with it. Made in USA (Minnesota) btw.

Drill sharpening is not easy especially on the smaller drills. Each side has to be the same length and angle. If not the drill will cut oversize. This is noticeable when the bottom of the hole is smaller than the top. When the drill point exits the work the offset will allow the drill to cut on-size or near to it. I have a drill sharpener by Darex but it's slow, being lazy I sharpen drills by hand if hole size is not critical.
MSDS has made in USA Republic 1 thru 60, A thru Z and 1/16 thru 1/2 for $258.80, might want to check with MSC as I mentioned, get free shipping!

Decades ago I bought a nice Darex drill sharpener.  Works great.  Pretty pricey now though.

Besides having a commercial bench top sharpener, I have been using a Drill Doctor to touch up any lapses in judgement.  Get decent bits & keep them sharp and they seem to last forever.

Thanks for the tips, all! Much appreciated.

No offense and and not to be "that guy". It was pounded into my head in school. No machinist calls them "bits". They are drills. If they were called bits, the machine tool that they were chucked into would be called a "drill bit press". I've worked in the trades for almost thirty years. I've never ever corrected someone on the job for calling them bits. But, when someone corrects ME for calling them drills, I'm sure to let 'em know what's up.

Check out Wintersdrillbitcity.com   Been doing fab work for years and thats my go to.

One of the oldest and well known Tool Suppliers McMaster Carr calls them Drill Bits, so do quite a few others so Drill Bit/Bits is correct!

One thing I would like to point while we're splitting hairs about terms.....some of us don't have that much hair left to split.

I think to spend a lot of time on a chicken/egg type discussion is a waste of time. Drill and Drill bit are both correct. I would think the the word bit is an old term. Bit probably means cutting device since a  tool for the Lathe is a Tool Bit. Another old device being the Bit Brace being the old fashioned, hand-powered Drill Press. I'm not going to waste time searching for the answer. Maybe the term Drill Bit is to describe the cutting device to make a hole probably for metal since the tool for wood is an Auger. Drill is also correct because of the term Tap Drill, the drill bit needed to produce the hole needed for a particular tap size.

Twist drill. Spade bit. Auger bit. Lathe cutter or tool.

I like Fuller drill bits, https://www.wlfuller.com/products

Just saw the Fuller adjustable wood boring bit… how have i gone this long without one of these in my shop!

I buy my  "Bits" at Harbor Freight. Whole set of fractional, letter, and number "Bits".  I have a Drill Doctor to go with them. Fine for home work.

Drills for a drill motor and bits for a drill?

paulj wrote:Drills for a drill motor and bits for a drill?

Just like my router bits, my screwdriver bits, and my bacon bits