Need to replenish my drill bits and ran across the Norseman brand.

Substantially more expensive than DeWalt or Milwaukee, but I wouldn't mind picking some up if it looked like they were./are worth it.

Considerations: mainly drilling wood, but we're having a 20'x16" metal building installed and will be hitting that hard prepping it (running power, shelving, lighting, mounting cabinets for storage, etc.).


Any thoughts?

And thanks all

I have owned just about every brand made from HSS to carbide. I found that the Milwaukee bits work best for hand drills and are inexpensive. For drill press applications, I use US22 cobalt drills that I get from a supplier in Houston.

I like the spyder bits from Lowes. They're really sharp out of the package.

I worked at a large steel fabrication and machining company in SA during summers and Christmas break during school.
The machinist there swore by and used nothing but bits made by Precision Twist. Not cheap but they lasted.

Most any bit will be more than sufficient so long as you treat them correctly. Don't try to hog out a huge hole right off the bat, learn how much pressure to put on the drill or press, use lube/coolant and learn how to sharpen them.

Sharpening is the hardest part - you can go old school and use a grinding wheel, but that takes learning the right angle and technique. I've seen old hand machinists be able to do it in 30 seconds like it was nothing, but it took them a long time to get to that point. A Drill Doctor setup works extremely well once you get it set up and learn how to use it.

95% of the reason bits wear out is they overheat from incorrect use.

My normal use bits are either Viking, Walter Surface Technologies or Drill America, I have a good set of Chicago Latrobe that I use on thicker or harder steel that has been a really good set.

I use Mibro Cobalt drill bits that I picked up from Tractor Supply and they are OK for metal work.

Picked up my first set of Chicago-Latrobe the other day because the new DeWalt bits and Craftsman bits are pure junk. Dewalt used to produce a decent product, but they seem to have fallen off over the last 5 years.

Chicago Latrobe and Cleveland (Greenfield Industries) are now owned by a Chinese company. Almost all of the box store drill bits are sadly almost all made in China now, even some of Milwaukee bits.
Precision Twist, Viking, Norseman, are not.

I didn't know that about Chicago Latrobe.

The bits that I picked up said "Made in USA". Looks like they still have some factories here. But since they are Chinese owned I will choose another brand on the next go round.

I have good Ag friend that works as a rep for an industrial supply company. They still make the bits here in the US but owned by a Chinese company apparently.

Project Farm video above is good…

Milwaukee is the answer

Depends on the area and formation we are drilling but I'd say Ulterra or Halliburton set the standard for drill bits.