try a drill sharpener, or better yet lean how to hand sharpen.
have you tryed the gold color bits? i think there eather tin or cobalt coated.

 

get a mag drill. ours is a hougan.

 

Doubt there's going to be enough steel in the frame to hold the drill. I have a 1" plate in my toolbox that I clamp onto thinner stuff to give the magbase something to hold onto.

 

http://hougen.com/cutters/sheetmetal/16000.html

Annular cutters for a standard drill chuck. Comes in 1/2" flavor. Going to be near $70 for that single bit. It'll get the job done.

For a 1/2" hole I would start with a size just larger than the web on the 1/2" bit. Use a split point for the pilot hole. Steady pressure and a good speed (I'd guess I'm around 1000rpm for pilot holes in metal), you should be getting ribbons with a sharp bit. Then move to the 1/2" bit, standard chisel tip will work fine. Slower speed (< 500rpm), and more pressure. I can never get ribbons with larger bits and hand drilling. But you should be getting decent sized chips, not fine particles. I use oil mostly for keeping the bit cool. I use the 40:1 dilution that the machine shop at work uses.

 

http://hougen.com/cutters/sheetmetal/16000.html
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These work great, use the shorter versions on a daily basis for numerous things. Last a very long time, cuts much faster than an equal sized drill bit.

 

I like drilling a pilot hole and then using a unibit. it also helps in tight areas because it's relativly short and stay's centered.

 

drill DR.:smokin:

 

I just got one of those and was only moderately impressed with it.
It's better than buying new drill bits all the time though.

 

Cobalt bits... ill never buy anything else.. thats not a brand name...

 

And don't buy the cheapo ones, get some quality ones.

Besides a carbide about the hardest you can get. Yes they are expensive but in the right hands work great.

 

I like solid carbide bits.
go slow dont over heat them or they break.

 

Pick up a set of Bosch TiN bits at Lowes. They go through steel better than any other drill bit I have used.

 

I use unibits/step bits(HF ones are just fine) for hard to drill shit. They eat through hardened plate when everything else just dulls.

 

X3 on unibits.

I drill a pilot hole and then finish it off with a unibit.

Turbomax bits work well and have a lifetime warranty on 1/4 through 1/2 in bits.

 

standard HSS American made machinist quality bits work best for me in mild steel.

for stainless steel, we use the house brand black and gold bits from Fastenal.

i get all of my other drills, taps, end mills, etc from www.wttool.com.

the biggest thing is keeping the RPM's low and the pressure high. watch the chips coming off the drill bit. if they are coming off with any kind of color (hand drilling), there is too much friction. slow down and more pressure.

 

standard HSS American made machinist quality bits work best for me in mild steel.

the biggest thing is keeping the RPM's low and the pressure high. watch the chips coming off the drill bit. if they are coming off with any kind of color (hand drilling), there is too much friction. slow down and more pressure.

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

Harbor Freight unibits, no oil, top speed, and an assload of pressure, rips right through, don't last especially long, but they're on sale for $4 every other week, just add $10 to whatever you charge your customers and it's all good.

 

The HF step drills are surprisingly good. I bought 3 sets last year when they were on sale for $8.88, figured they would dull and burn up quick. Still on my first set and I have used them quite a bit. Usually "on sale" for around $10.
ITEM 91616

 

DeWalt pilot point drill bits are worth every penny, and you can get them in cobalt or Ti nitride.

 

LAWSON bits are pretty top end.

I hand sharpen all my bits, need a vertical sander, sort of dangerous setting the grinder upside down and holding it down against the bench. :laughing:

 

I bought a set of these from Lawson Products at a trade show. They are made from M7 tool steel and are bad-ass. I haven't used every bit out there, but these are the most impressive and best drill bits I've ever used.

 

For anything 3/16" or so and thinner, when I have to drill a large hole it's unibit all the way.

 

there are 6 blade reamers that terminate into 1/2"... i think they are called carpenters reamers... search google for them...

super fast cuts...

dc