Brad points and spade bits

[scottg]

 Speaking of drills (didn't want to hijack the auger thread either)
I forgot to mention I put up an article recently on brad points and spade bits in case you didn't see it.
  For brad points you can rustle up any yard sale candidates and grind your own brad points. I've been doing it for years and after the first one or two it takes all of 97 seconds to do. They easily cut as good as the best store bought, because you don't throw then under a stack of anvils and ship them across the country!

 Spade bits, well the majority of them just plain don't work when you get them, even if you get them direct from Irwin's back door. They never work! (they are starting to make bits that do work now, with spurs ground in, but the old style were the worst things ever fostered on an unsuspecting public!)
   So I make big "spade bits" out of them too.
  Again, only a few seconds at the grinder and you will totally not believe the differece.

 Here's the link. Enjoy
  http://wkfinetools.com/contrib/pScott/art/grindingBits/grindingBits-01.asp
 yours Scott
 

[rusty]

Very nice article :)

I never understood why they make spades flat either, I found a set that were made with the little dagger on the outside edge years ago, and the difference was enough to make the toss the flat spades I had. The difference is also noticable in softwoods, the flat spades love to hurl chunks when starting the hole..
 I probably should have kept them, it never occurred to me to just regrind them....
hmm...

[Nolatoolguy]

Very good article. I will have to try that some day, as I only have a few brad point bits. I love how the brad points are more precise and dont "walk" like normal ones do.

As far as spade bits I dont use them. I do however us millwakee auger bits and millwakee switchblade for larger wholes. I also have couple millwakee whole hawg bits. They are great. None of them are exactly cheap but they last reasonbly long.

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/accessories/drilling-accessories/wood-drilling

[Bill Houghton]

Concur on the spade bits.  I started grinding them that way years ago, when I had to resharpen them, and have continued to do so.

I have to say, though, that the new "spade" bits from Bosch are terrific bits, at least for the remodeling that I've been doing a lot of lately.  They have a screw-pitch center point, which requires a firm grip on the drill, but they smoke through the wood.

[Nolatoolguy]

Scott I did that trick lastnight when I was in the shop and they work great. It took me a few trys to get it perfect but I did.Very great inexpensive trick.