Everyone needs a unibit!

[drew]

I don't see how a person can use a unibit or varibit and not appreciate how wonderful they are! Much smoother and easier cutting for aluminum than a regular drill bit... and I dare you to drill a 1"-diameter hole for an XLR jack in a steel panel in ten seconds with any other bit, USING A HANDHELD DRILL.

Sorry, just made a patch panel for some mic preamps last week with my varibit, I don't think I will ever go back to using anything else!


drew
www.toothpastefordinner.com

[Gilles C]

A long time ago, the guy who was working in the metal shop of the company where I was working hooked me on another kind of drills he was using.

Look at the SPUR POINT drill http://www.onthehouse.com/articles/apimages/596.gif

He was always sharpening his drills (any standard drills) that way when he wanted a nice and clean sided hole.

That's a good alternative to inibits.

Gilles

[J Gagan]

I buy from MSC Industrial Supply


they have unibit type bits at a much better price than home depot, and you can get them in titanium coated. Their less expensive brand is NUline, but they also sell Unibit. page 141 of their catalog has many size and type unibits. Check out the 3 piece set for 37.34 - that's only 7 dollars more than just one at Home Depot ( order #08371999)

try http://www.mscdirect.com/PDF.process?pdf=141&Keyword=Y

Their catalog is almost 5000 pages, and they often have great specials.
I also buy my knobs for my peds from them , they gave me a great bulk price ( half of Mouser's best deal).

[M.D.]

Look at the SPUR POINT drill


In the wood working trade they usually call those "brad points"

[ErikMiller]

Harbor Freight sells a less expensive Unibit clone. I've tried it and it's fine. Not as well finished as the Unibit, and the holes are just a little bit rougher, but still way ahead of trying to do it with regular drill bits.

Perfect for the low-volume hobbyist, I'd say.