Anyone tried one of the Bosch Daredevil spade bits? I just did at my
local industrial supply's open house. The Bosch rep introduced it as
something that would change my life, and had me drill a couple test
holes. The daredevil bit has a full screw thread on the end of it rather
than threads cut on the sides of tip.
The bit also has a different cutting profile than standard spade bits,
where different parts of the bit start cutting first. This makes it very
easy to drill a hole through wood, and the resulting hole is fairly clean
when finished.
The effort required to advance the drill is minimal. Once the bit has
started, the only effort required is to keep the drill straight.
On the one of test holes I drilled, the hole quality seemed on par with
the sharp spade bit. Both were good quality holes, it'll be interesting
to see what happens as the tool inevitably starts wearing down.
One negative, however, is the bit needs the reverse capability of the
drill to cut a partial hole.
I don't know about it changing my life (not the way the impact driver has
anyway), but it's really neat.
Puckdropper
--
Never teach your apprentice everything you know.
>
> I don't know about it changing my life (not the way the impact driver has
> anyway), but it's really neat.
>
> Puckdropper
> --
> Never teach your apprentice everything you know.
About a year ago I tried a new Irwin spade bit (speedbore) that
promises 4x better than typical spade and it blew my mind. It was so
fricking agressive and lots of fun. No threaded tip. I was drilling
for electrical wires with an extension and that thing cut studs like
butter never once jamming or having any trouble.
http://www.irwin.com/tools/drill-bits/short-length-spade-bits
Chris Friesen <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> On 04/09/2010 10:05 AM, Puckdropper wrote:
>> Anyone tried one of the Bosch Daredevil spade bits?
>
> The main downside I saw is that because it's got the threaded lead
> screw you can't control the speed of advance. In hardwood this can
> result in it trying to advance too fast.
>
> In construction lumber (which is what I suspect they're designed for)
> I'm sure they'd be great.
>
> Chris
After playing with the 1/2" bit the Bosch representative gave me, I
found several issues. One of which is like you said, you can't control
the speed of advance. Even in pine, it produced rough cuts.
The other issue I ran in to is the bit wasn't allowed to slip or turn
freely. This resulted in rougher cuts than traditional spade bits and
the entry hole (which is usually fairly clean) was jagged.
In some pieces, you actually have to predrill for the drill bit! Why
not put a drill bit ahead of the screw to allow it to predrill its own
hole? (Wait a second... isn't that how a traditional screw-lead spade
bit works?)
The test bit was a larger 3/4" bit, with different profile that cut
better. I think the 1/2" bit needs a much finer thread on the screw so
the bit will turn several times before advancing very far. I do like
the chip removal, through. That part seems to work rather well.
It's very fast, too.
Puckdropper
--
Never teach your apprentice everything you know.
On 04/09/2010 10:05 AM, Puckdropper wrote:
> Anyone tried one of the Bosch Daredevil spade bits?
The main downside I saw is that because it's got the threaded lead screw
you can't control the speed of advance. In hardwood this can result in
it trying to advance too fast.
In construction lumber (which is what I suspect they're designed for)
I'm sure they'd be great.
Chris
"SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:3bb6a066-83ff-47ae-a3f2-23b08e8eee63@i25g2000yqm.googlegroups.com:
>>
>> I don't know about it changing my life (not the way the impact driver
>> has anyway), but it's really neat.
>>
>> Puckdropper
>> --
>> Never teach your apprentice everything you know.
>
> About a year ago I tried a new Irwin spade bit (speedbore) that
> promises 4x better than typical spade and it blew my mind. It was so
> fricking agressive and lots of fun. No threaded tip. I was drilling
> for electrical wires with an extension and that thing cut studs like
> butter never once jamming or having any trouble.
>
> http://www.irwin.com/tools/drill-bits/short-length-spade-bits
I just finished drilling a 3/4" hole through hard maple. I started &
finished with an old Stanley Powerbore bit (no longer made, darn it) that
has a round head with a long triangular point and a single sharp knife
edge to cut a clean entry. It's almost like a Forstner bit, with a
single edge to cut the bulk of the wood.
I chewed out the middle with one of the newer Irwin Speedbore bits. Once
it got going, it produced a lovely curled chip that spiraled up out of
the hole instead of trapping heat. Once the point came through the far
side, I flipped the wood over & finished up with the Powerbore. The
result was a hole with a perfect entry & exit.
I just discovered that Lee Valley has started selling "Green Wood" bits
that are based on the Powerbore design:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,180,42240,53317&p=46261
Interestingly enough, they claim they are "unsuitable" for dry hardwood.
Doug White
"dpb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Puckdropper wrote:
> ...
>
>> After playing with the 1/2" bit the Bosch representative gave
>> me, I
>> found several issues. One of which is like you said, you can't
>> control
>> the speed of advance. Even in pine, it produced rough cuts.
>> The other issue I ran in to is the bit wasn't allowed to slip
>> or turn
>> freely. This resulted in rougher cuts than traditional spade
>> bits and
>> the entry hole (which is usually fairly clean) was jagged. In
>> some pieces, you actually have to predrill for the drill bit!
>> Why
>> not put a drill bit ahead of the screw to allow it to predrill
>> its own
>> hole? (Wait a second... isn't that how a traditional
>> screw-lead spade
>> bit works?) The test bit was a larger 3/4" bit, with different
>> profile that cut
>> better. I think the 1/2" bit needs a much finer thread on the
>> screw so
>> the bit will turn several times before advancing very far. I
>> do like
>> the chip removal, through. That part seems to work rather
>> well. It's very fast, too.
>>
>> Puckdropper
>
> I think they're good for and intended for construction work like
> electrical cable holes in studs, etc., where speed is more
> important than finesse. I don't see them having much
> application for what I'd call woodworking.
If you do construction work, I cannot recommend the Greenlee line
of auger bits enough. Their EZ Bore line is perfect for large
holes where you're working with a right angle drill and can't get
much leverage to advance the bit. It's like a blend of spade
bits, hole saw and with a great auger bit tip. They also make a
line of tapered auger bit spades that work well.
FWIW, here's a little woodworking tip from an old timer. When you
use a big EX Bore bit in a right angle drill, it takes a moment or
two for the bit to stop turning when you pull it from the hole. I
did just that one time, letting the drill swing downward. The
auger tip hit just to the right of my knee cap and dug in. I had
to reverse the drill to extract myself and then find a towel
before going upstairs to show my wife how stupid I'd been.
--
Nonny
Suppose you were an idiot.
And suppose you were a member
of Congress.... But then I repeat myself.'
-Mark Twain
.
On Apr 9, 3:08=A0pm, dpb <[email protected]> wrote:
> Puckdropper wrote:
>
> ...
>
>
>
>
>
> > After playing with the 1/2" bit the Bosch representative gave me, I
> > found several issues. =A0One of which is like you said, you can't contr=
ol
> > the speed of advance. =A0Even in pine, it produced rough cuts. =A0
>
> > The other issue I ran in to is the bit wasn't allowed to slip or turn
> > freely. =A0This resulted in rougher cuts than traditional spade bits an=
d
> > the entry hole (which is usually fairly clean) was jagged.
>
> > In some pieces, you actually have to predrill for the drill bit! =A0Why
> > not put a drill bit ahead of the screw to allow it to predrill its own
> > hole? =A0(Wait a second... isn't that how a traditional screw-lead spad=
e
> > bit works?)
>
> > The test bit was a larger 3/4" bit, with different profile that cut
> > better. =A0I think the 1/2" bit needs a much finer thread on the screw =
so
> > the bit will turn several times before advancing very far. =A0I do like
> > the chip removal, through. =A0That part seems to work rather well.
>
> > It's very fast, too.
>
> > Puckdropper
>
> I think they're good for and intended for construction work like
> electrical cable holes in studs, etc., where speed is more important
> than finesse. =A0I don't see them having much application for what I'd
> call woodworking.
I've got them and I don't really like them at all. I just use them
for drilling holes in the backs and bottoms of cabinets for plumbing
and wiring. They're pretty much awful - they screw themselves in
quicker than they can bore, so you get ragged edged holes to start.
Then the lead screw basically strips itself out so you've got a sloppy
spur hole for when you want to flip the box over and bore from the
other side so you don't completely blow out the bottom. Maybe they're
ok for tubafores. Not at all recommeded woodworkers or
cabinetmakers. I'll just get the normal pointy tip spur for the next
ones for sure.
MEW
Puckdropper wrote:
...
> After playing with the 1/2" bit the Bosch representative gave me, I
> found several issues. One of which is like you said, you can't control
> the speed of advance. Even in pine, it produced rough cuts.
>
> The other issue I ran in to is the bit wasn't allowed to slip or turn
> freely. This resulted in rougher cuts than traditional spade bits and
> the entry hole (which is usually fairly clean) was jagged.
>
> In some pieces, you actually have to predrill for the drill bit! Why
> not put a drill bit ahead of the screw to allow it to predrill its own
> hole? (Wait a second... isn't that how a traditional screw-lead spade
> bit works?)
>
> The test bit was a larger 3/4" bit, with different profile that cut
> better. I think the 1/2" bit needs a much finer thread on the screw so
> the bit will turn several times before advancing very far. I do like
> the chip removal, through. That part seems to work rather well.
>
> It's very fast, too.
>
> Puckdropper
I think they're good for and intended for construction work like
electrical cable holes in studs, etc., where speed is more important
than finesse. I don't see them having much application for what I'd
call woodworking.
$0.02, etc., etc., etc., ...
--
On Fri, 9 Apr 2010 10:09:47 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> I don't know about it changing my life (not the way the impact driver has
>> anyway), but it's really neat.
>>
>> Puckdropper
>> --
>> Never teach your apprentice everything you know.
>
>About a year ago I tried a new Irwin spade bit (speedbore) that
>promises 4x better than typical spade and it blew my mind. It was so
>fricking agressive and lots of fun. No threaded tip. I was drilling
>for electrical wires with an extension and that thing cut studs like
>butter never once jamming or having any trouble.
>
>http://www.irwin.com/tools/drill-bits/short-length-spade-bits
When the diameter is 1/4 the hole depth jamming's not a big problem,
but when the diameter and the depth start gettting close it CAN be a
different story.
On Fri, 9 Apr 2010 15:39:52 -0700 (PDT), Mark Whittingham
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Apr 9, 3:08Â pm, dpb <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Puckdropper wrote:
>>
>> ...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > After playing with the 1/2" bit the Bosch representative gave me, I
>> > found several issues. Â One of which is like you said, you can't control
>> > the speed of advance. Â Even in pine, it produced rough cuts. Â
>>
>> > The other issue I ran in to is the bit wasn't allowed to slip or turn
>> > freely. Â This resulted in rougher cuts than traditional spade bits and
>> > the entry hole (which is usually fairly clean) was jagged.
>>
>> > In some pieces, you actually have to predrill for the drill bit! Â Why
>> > not put a drill bit ahead of the screw to allow it to predrill its own
>> > hole? Â (Wait a second... isn't that how a traditional screw-lead spade
>> > bit works?)
>>
>> > The test bit was a larger 3/4" bit, with different profile that cut
>> > better. Â I think the 1/2" bit needs a much finer thread on the screw so
>> > the bit will turn several times before advancing very far. Â I do like
>> > the chip removal, through. Â That part seems to work rather well.
>>
>> > It's very fast, too.
>>
>> > Puckdropper
>>
>> I think they're good for and intended for construction work like
>> electrical cable holes in studs, etc., where speed is more important
>> than finesse. Â I don't see them having much application for what I'd
>> call woodworking.
>
>I've got them and I don't really like them at all. I just use them
>for drilling holes in the backs and bottoms of cabinets for plumbing
>and wiring. They're pretty much awful - they screw themselves in
>quicker than they can bore, so you get ragged edged holes to start.
>Then the lead screw basically strips itself out so you've got a sloppy
>spur hole for when you want to flip the box over and bore from the
>other side so you don't completely blow out the bottom. Maybe they're
>ok for tubafores. Not at all recommeded woodworkers or
>cabinetmakers. I'll just get the normal pointy tip spur for the next
>ones for sure.
>
>MEW
Better yet for that application - forstner.
On Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:33:09 -0600, the infamous Chris Friesen
<[email protected]> scrawled the following:
>On 04/09/2010 10:05 AM, Puckdropper wrote:
>> Anyone tried one of the Bosch Daredevil spade bits?
>
>The main downside I saw is that because it's got the threaded lead screw
>you can't control the speed of advance. In hardwood this can result in
>it trying to advance too fast.
>
>In construction lumber (which is what I suspect they're designed for)
>I'm sure they'd be great.
Um, Chris, why would -anyone- be using a spade bit to drill in
_hardwood_, anyway? All the bigger holes get cut with hole saws or
forstner bits, right? <walks away with question mark over head>
Pucky, I still use the HF bits. I've only had to replace one which hit
a hardened steel screw. <sigh> Otherwise, they sharpen with a quick
filing and diamond paddle.
--
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace
will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will
blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.
-- John Muir
On 09 Apr 2010 18:40:30 GMT, Puckdropper
<puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
>Chris Friesen <[email protected]> wrote in
>news:[email protected]:
>
>> On 04/09/2010 10:05 AM, Puckdropper wrote:
>>> Anyone tried one of the Bosch Daredevil spade bits?
>>
>> The main downside I saw is that because it's got the threaded lead
>> screw you can't control the speed of advance. In hardwood this can
>> result in it trying to advance too fast.
>>
>> In construction lumber (which is what I suspect they're designed for)
>> I'm sure they'd be great.
>>
>> Chris
>
>After playing with the 1/2" bit the Bosch representative gave me, I
>found several issues. One of which is like you said, you can't control
>the speed of advance. Even in pine, it produced rough cuts.
>
>The other issue I ran in to is the bit wasn't allowed to slip or turn
>freely. This resulted in rougher cuts than traditional spade bits and
>the entry hole (which is usually fairly clean) was jagged.
>
>In some pieces, you actually have to predrill for the drill bit! Why
>not put a drill bit ahead of the screw to allow it to predrill its own
>hole? (Wait a second... isn't that how a traditional screw-lead spade
>bit works?)
>
>The test bit was a larger 3/4" bit, with different profile that cut
>better. I think the 1/2" bit needs a much finer thread on the screw so
>the bit will turn several times before advancing very far. I do like
>the chip removal, through. That part seems to work rather well.
>
>It's very fast, too.
>
>Puckdropper
The only one I triedjammed something awfull just as it broke through -
it WAS a 1 1/4" bit - but NASTY break-through without a backer.