Just watched a coworker burn through 3 drill bits trying to get through a stud

Dude was going full speed with a cheap bit from Harbor Freight, smoke everywhere. I handed him my Milwaukee bit I've had since 2019, and it went through like butter in about 10 seconds. Has anyone else noticed how much faster work goes when you just spend the extra $8 on a decent tool?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_grant342d ago

Also nobody's talking about how running the drill at full RPM is usually the wrong move for a wood stud, you need torque not speed.

smith.anna3d ago

Cringe just reading that. Three bits? That's like watching someone willingly set their money on fire. Harbor Freight is fine for a lot of things but their drill bits are basically metal spaghetti. I bet the stud was probably a knotty piece of pine too, not even anything crazy. I've got a ten year old DeWalt bit that's been through more studs than I can count and it's still going strong. It's crazy how people will spend 20 bucks on a shitty multi-pack instead of just buying one good bit that'll last forever.

reesel503d ago

Three bits? Man, I finished a deck rebuild last spring with one Makita bit that survived 200+ screws through pressure treated lumber. The Harbor Freight set I trialed? Second screw the tip snapped off like chalk. You're spot on @smith.anna, people gotta stop buying those 50 cent general tools bits. Ever try sharpening those cheap ones? They just crumble.