Small Bear ETA?

[jmusser]

Has anyone heard from Steve on an estimated date on being back live and in concert? I know he mentioned something about updating software to keep up with volume the other day.

[sir_modulus]

Well, his site says that he'll be back on monday!  

Cheers,

Nish

[NaBo]

uh... uhh....  nooooooo, he's not!  um... he's opening next  monday!  yeah!  so um, don't flood him with your orders til next monday! ... ... ...  

okay so im lying, but i really wanna drill enclosures over my break next week cuz i'll be home... and i need a unibit from him (similar bits are 60-90 bucks at home depot  :shock:)... and i dont know how long it'll take for him to ship, so i don't know whether to get him to ship it to me here or at home!

how long did steve usually take last year before he started getting swamped?  think he'd be able to manage to ship within a week?  otherwise i'll have to wait til summer!!!  

[jmusser]

The last orders I got from him were from a week to ten days usually. I would guess that him updating, ought to eventually cut a couple days off that. Like I said before, I'm glad that he's getting in that kind of "trouble" with his business. I'm glad to see that his gamble to supply us has paid off.

[the_badcliff]

okay so im lying, but i really wanna drill enclosures over my break next week cuz i'll be home... and i need a unibit from him (similar bits are 60-90 bucks at home depot  :shock:)... and i dont know how long it'll take for him to ship, so i don't know whether to get him to ship it to me here or at home!

\

I found my unibit on ebay for something like 6 bucks

Its a small one, perfect for drilling enclosures though

[mrsage]

uh... uhh....  nooooooo, he's not!  um... he's opening next  monday!  yeah!  so um, don't flood him with your orders til next monday! ... ... ...  

okay so im lying, but i really wanna drill enclosures over my break next week cuz i'll be home... and i need a unibit from him (similar bits are 60-90 bucks at home depot  :shock:)... and i dont know how long it'll take for him to ship, so i don't know whether to get him to ship it to me here or at home!

how long did steve usually take last year before he started getting swamped?  think he'd be able to manage to ship within a week?  otherwise i'll have to wait til summer!!!  

I got my unibit off eBay...$17.

[smashinator]

What is wrong with the Home Depots in Canada???  I bought my unibit at home depot for $17.  Maybe Phoenix is just extra awesome.

...I wonder if I could use that to market pedals....  "made in phoenix, for extra mojo"

I can't wait to move to Sedona!  "tuned using the power of crystals.  Each pedal is left for a week in a vortex, for tonal enhancement!"

[Peter Snowberg]

Home depot even has a 3 bit set for less than $60 US. :|

I use the #4 Unibit. The largest size on that one is what you need for chassis mount 9 pin tube sockets. Worth every penny.

Irwin
#4 Unibit Step Drills
Model 4436010

Drills 12 hose sizes, 3/16 In. to 7/8 In. dia. in 1/16 In. increments. 3/8 In. shank, 1/8 In. step thickness. Self-starting tip.

•  Drills 12 hose sizes
•  3/16" to 7/8" dia. in 1/16" increments
•  3/8" shank
•  1/8" step thickness
•  Self-starting tip

Internet/Catalog # 177843
Store SKU# 262280
   
Price: $33.97/ea

[MartyMart]

My "UniBit" was 30 bucks ( £15 ) has 4mm 6mm 8mm 10mm 12mm
so good for LED/jacks/pots/footswitches.
I need a bigger one, my 9vDC sockets are 13mm  !!
so far I've "drilled them out" a bit, but its not a "neat" cut. . . . .

Marty.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

http://www.toolprice.com/category/drillbits/
set of 3 step drill bits for $US19.95
unfortunately they are in Ontario.. but Ontario California!
looking at their other stuff I think these are the Chinese ones with the microscopically thin coating, but they should last for years doing diecast boxes, esp if you put oil on before using them.

[runmikeyrun]

the orders i place from small bear usually come 3 weeks after i order them.  I would expect at least that long because when he opens back up he's going to be SWAMPED!

[H.Manback]

About those drill bits, how well do they do stuff like hard metals (stainless steel for example), I wouldn't want to buy one if I found out later that they are only good for aluminium if you know what I mean

And if they are ok for that, do they still hold out for quite a time?

[sir_modulus]

I don't use unibits...I prefer normal drill bits, but I do own a unibit. It did last me a LONG time (2 years...and running) until I switched. I don't know about stainless steel, but mine lasted through drilling steel, and aluminum.

NaBo:
http://www.princessauto.com/
They got tons of stuff in surplus, and of course, they have dirt cheap unibits ($5 each, or so).
But besides, you don't need a unibit to drill boxes. I use a nice simple set of drillbits (from Home Depot...Ryobi), and a countersink bit, and I get amazing holes with no burrs etc..

Cheers,

Nish

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

sir_modulus, a couple of good thigs at princess auto: a reamer (smooth out all those jagged or slightly undersized holes!) at $11.99, and a 'push drill' for $2.99, would be good for whoever was doing their PCB drilling by hand!

[bwanasonic]

About those drill bits, how well do they do stuff like hard metals (stainless steel for example), I wouldn't want to buy one if I found out later that they are only good for aluminium if you know what I mean

And if they are ok for that, do they still hold out for quite a time?

Don't think they have Monster Garage, American Chopper, etc. in the Netherlands, but they feature a lot of metal fabrication of motorcycles and cars.  You will see a unibit used in virtually every episode. These guys are serious, and could use any tool they wanted. If you drill holes in metal, you want a unibit.

Kerry M

[Peter Snowberg]

99.9% of electrical contractors swear by their Unibits. I swear by mine, but I'm not an electrical contractor.

They are intended for drilling steel boxes and they hold up VERY well for a very long time in that use.

Always be sure to use cutting oil when drilling metal :!:

[puretube]

http://diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=29641

[The Tone God]

Don't think they have Monster Garage, American Chopper, etc. in the Netherlands, but they feature a lot of metal fabrication of motorcycles and cars.  You will see a unibit used in virtually every episode. These guys are serious, and could use any tool they wanted. If you drill holes in metal, you want a unibit.

Both those shows are more about doing things quickly then properly. Monster Garage in the Junkyard Wars/Scrapheap Challenge "bodging" manner and O.C.C. as being well...hacks. It is just for that reason they use unibits. They can get away with being sloppy and lazy by using hand drills because as each tapper goes though it helps rounds out and center the next hole size. It is not because it is the best tool.

I prefer using proper size and type drill bits along with a good drill press and clamping mechinism so the box doesn't move around during drilling otherwise you may have to round/ream out the hole which is what the unibit helps avoid by it's design. I have one but I almost never use it. If I had a large hole that I needed to clean up or enlarge that was hard to get to then I would get the unibit but beyond that I don't use it.

I'm not knocking unibits espeically for basement pedal builders who are going to build only a few pedals a year without a workshop full of tools. There great for that but they are not the best overall tool. Proper equipment like drill presses, bits, oil, and clamps along with techniques like proper drill speeds, sufficant lubing, mounting, etc. not to mention experience are the best way to go.

Just my opinion.

Andrew

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Right you are Andrew, in an ideal world we wouuld have a pedestal drill wiht a full range of bits, but...!
I have a drill press but I still use a unibit for large holes, because the chuck only goes up to 13mm, and it is difficult to get "reduced chuck" bits here.
And it is certainly a damn shame that there aren't any TV shows that promote "proper metalworking techniques", it is another example of my theory that everything TV touches it turns to s*** even DIY :x
There probably are some useful tapes or DVDs, though..anyone?

[jimbob]

I know id like to know proper techniques, but even more so id love to own a drill press ect.. and other quality tooks. One day!