Single drill bit

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Weird question-- I have one of those big sets of drill bits. Didn't cost much, harbor freight. They are good for occasional use, having all the sizes available.

So anyway I broke the #33 bit, 0.113". Its not like I do anything so precise that the #32 or #34 bit wouldn't work Just fine, but it is annoying to have a gap toothed set. In my smaller sets I can find replacements locally to avoid gap toothed sets.

What is the easiest way to get a single bit in the odd size? It would only be a buck or three bought from a local hardware store if any of them stocked that size. Ordering the single tiny part from the big online hardware stores maybe shipping would be lots more expensive than the cost of the bit? Edited October 26, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[tnguy]

Try ebay. Or buy a smaller set that contains that size bit. Flea markets often have people selling odds-and-ends of tool sets too (sockets etc) Edited October 26, 2013 by tnguy

[luvmyberetta]

I don't know what stores are in your area, but my local Fastenal & NAPA stores order single bits, & parts for me all the time. They only charge shipping for rush delivery, but if I'm willing to wait for it to arrive in their regular weekly delivery they don't charge any shipping. If you're lucky enough to have a NAPA or other auto store with a warehouse (hub) store nearby, you can usually have the item in a day or less & most don't charge shipping. Good luck.

[Hozzie]

I always check amazon first.  Fastenal may be good too.

[Trekbike]

Here's two additional sources.   Grainger and McMaster-Carr.  Both have several selections depending on the exact bit type and coating you are looking for.

 

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/search.shtml?searchQuery=%2333+drill+bits&op=search&Ntt=%2333+drill+bits&N=0&GlobalSearch=true&sst=subset

 

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-drill-bits/=p3umk4

[Monkeyman2500]

I've had luck finding them at local hardware stores. Ace had a single torx bit I needed just recently.

[runco]

Funny about this post.  Long before Harbor Freight, I used to buy cheap tools and stuff through Enco.  I remember buying one of those large drill bit sets.  Over the years, I have broke, lost and misplaced a dozen or so.  I too have been annoyed by the missing drill bits.  I have priced the single bits, and I have decided its just cheaper for me to buy another large set. 

[Timestepper]

Or buy a smaller set that contains that size bit.

If I were to combine all of my smaller sets, I'm pretty sure I'd have one complete BIG set... minus, of course, one freakin' little odd sized bit. :surrender:

[DaveTN]

Here's a link to the Big Dog in machine shop and tooling supplies. Surely you can find something you need to ship with that drill bit.

http://www.mscdirect.com/

 

[tnguy]

If I were to combine all of my smaller sets, I'm pretty sure I'd have one complete BIG set... minus, of course, one freakin' little odd sized bit. :surrender:

I don't think I have a single 1/8 drill bit left. Went through them all one day on a particularly annoying job.

[gjohnsoniv]

I had to do this with an allen key set today.  Lost one key so I bought another set.  Sad part is I know I have at least 8 other sets.

[alingo2001]

Luckily when I need bits or Allen keys, I can resupply from work.

[strickj]

lifetime warranties.Take the whole set back.

[MacGyver]

Does your local Ace not stock individual bits anymore? I know most used to.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Thanks all for all the good suggestions, I'll check em out. Knew about McMaster Carr and Grainger, but figgered they would eat me up in shipping on one bit. Didn't know about MCS, Fastenall or NAPA.

 

I really like my local Ace and maybe they do have a #33. I remembered them having a lot of single bits in the past, but it so happens that Ace is about the only place I haven't looked yet, mainly because I don't get out much and the last couple of times out, Ace wasn't on the way. Have gone by several other places that didn't have any numbered individual bits, at best lucky to have most of the bits denominated in 16ths and a few 32nds.

 

Maybe buying two sets of anything would be the way to make sure to avoid having at least one non-snaggle-toothed set, unless a fella got unlucky and broke the same oddball size in both sets. :)

Edited October 26, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[hipower]

Thanks all for all the good suggestions, I'll check em out. Knew about McMaster Carr and Grainger, but figgered they would eat me up in shipping on one bit. Didn't know about MCS, Fastenall or NAPA.
 
I really like my local Ace and maybe they do have a #33. I remembered them having a lot of single bits in the past, but it so happens that Ace is about the only place I haven't looked yet, mainly because I don't get out much and the last couple of times out, Ace wasn't on the way. Have gone by several other places that didn't have any numbered individual bits, at best lucky to have most of the bits denominated in 16ths and a few 32nds.
 
Maybe buying two sets of anything would be the way to make sure to avoid having at least one non-snaggle-toothed set, unless a fella got unlucky and broke the same oddball size in bother sets. :)

I have done just that when predrilling holes. More than once, no less.

[56FordGuy]

Fastenal and Grainger usually have things, but at double the cost of any competitors. The price you have to pay for convenience. 

 

I know your location says south east TN, but for those around Nashville that might be in this situation check Capital City Bolt and Screw on 3rd avenue. They've always come through for me for fasteners, taps, dies, drill bits, thread inserts, etc. Those guys are good, and prices are reasonable. 

[Guest Lester Weevils]

There is a huge hardware supplier in rossville called walter a woods. Its been years since I was in there, dunno if they still are so well stocked, but in the past if they didn't have it, it probably ain't made. I just don't get out thataway very often in the daytime on weekdays though.

[pcrc11]

Our local Ace has single numbered drill bits available.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Finally got by the local Ace and they had lots more individual bits than the big box stores, lots of sizes and various styles, carbide, concrete, forstner, auger, etc in addition to three brands of twist bits available in most of the 64ths size increments, but unfortunately no numbered bits.

So the 0.113 #33, I'd need that thar 7.232 / 64ths bit. :) I have no doubt that some ace stores also carry the number bits.

Will check some of the other suggested sources. Edited October 28, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[seez52]

you might try pulling out 3 or 5 other bits from your set and putting them in a drawer somewhere, that way that one empty hole doesn't weigh so heavily on your mind.

[BigK]

I needed a #45 bit the other day to drill the front sight on a pistol. Ordered it from eBay for $1.50 shipped and got it in 4 days.

[runco]

I think I paid $24 for this set back in 1990.  Harbor Freight has this one for $36.99, and if you have one of those 20% super coupon savers, then this set is south of $30.  Not bad.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/115-piece-high-speed-drill-bit-set-with-index-528.html

[Monkeyman2500]

Lester, thanks, I hope you find your bit, but I have now found two new great suppliers so I can buy more tools. My wife will not be pleased :)

[Guest Lester Weevils]

you might try pulling out 3 or 5 other bits from your set and putting them in a drawer somewhere, that way that one empty hole doesn't weigh so heavily on your mind.

Yep, that is probably the best option.

 

I decided to replace the bit while fixing a gap-toothed small socket set. Back when I was young'n'dumb more than 40 years ago, old dad gave me an SK Tools 9 socket set in a green steel clamshell box, saying "If you take care of these they will last you a lifetime." So the set had lost a couple of sockets and it was easy to find replacement sockets because I wasn't picky enough to look for ancient SK Tools replacements. If I'd heavily used the set would have probably broke it by now, but he was basically right that it would last a long time if I kept up with it.

 

I think I paid $24 for this set back in 1990.  Harbor Freight has this one for $36.99, and if you have one of those 20% super coupon savers, then this set is south of $30.  Not bad.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/115-piece-high-speed-drill-bit-set-with-index-528.html

 

Yep mine looks the same except titanium nitride and might have cost an extra ten bucks. It doesn't make money sense to spend a lot of time trying to replace the missing bit.

 

Brings to mind a smaller set old dad gave me long ago, a Standard Tools metal box with numbers 1 thru 60.  It was slightly gap-toothed when he gave it to me (probably bought a new set for himself) and only about half the bits remain nowadays. Out of sentimental effort, a cheap HF set, to transfer into the old box would maybe not be completely silly. Not as high-quality bits as the old ones, of course. That set got gap toothed in an honest fashion, used it a bunch.