Masonry drill bits - pack of 3

[IsleofWightPete]

I haven't bought any masonry drill bits for a while, but thought I would pop in to our local (excellent) hardware store to buy a pack of three, one for yellow plugs, one for red and one for brown. I have always bought them like this in the past, in a handy little plastic wallet. Given I pretty much only ever drill into masonry to put in one or other of these plug sizes, they were dead handy and all I needed for normal use.
But they weren't available.
Packs of six, eight, even twenty different sizes, but not just the three in the right size for the three standard plug sizes.
Hmm I thought, I will pop online later and get them from eBay. Nope, none on the site. Or Screwfix? Nope. Or Toolstation? Nope. Or Amazon? Nope.
Is it just me? Am I the only one who wants just those three sizes? (and actually would prefer NOT to have other sizes on hand, to avoid using the wrong drill bit)?

I guess it is not a big deal, I'll buy a larger set and throw the ones I don't want into the bottom of a toolbox. Or buy some individually and make up my own set.
I am just amazed that they seem to have disappeared in that handy format.

[Itsallaguess]

Packs of six, eight, even twenty different sizes, but not just the three in the right size for the three standard plug sizes.

Screwfix do these 'Dewalt Extreme 2 Masonry Bit' packs, which have 5 drills of the following sizes -

4mm
5mm
6mm
8mm
10mm

http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-extrem ... 5pcs/88598

For a tenner they are excellent quality drill bits, and having a couple of smaller or mid-sizes doesn't do any harm when you're sometimes wanting to to a pilot hole or similar in something particular tough or fiddly.

Have a read through some of the user-reviews on the Screwfix page above. They're really good drill bits and I've used them for some time now.

You can also buy single-size bits from Screwfix, but given the prices I'd see better value in a pack similar to the above DeWalt one personally -

http://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/masonry ... and=dewalt

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[modellingman]

I haven't bought any masonry drill bits for a while, but thought I would pop in to our local (excellent) hardware store to buy a pack of three, one for yellow plugs, one for red and one for brown. I have always bought them like this in the past, in a handy little plastic wallet. Given I pretty much only ever drill into masonry to put in one or other of these plug sizes, they were dead handy and all I needed for normal use.
But they weren't available.
Packs of six, eight, even twenty different sizes, but not just the three in the right size for the three standard plug sizes.
Hmm I thought, I will pop online later and get them from eBay. Nope, none on the site. Or Screwfix? Nope. Or Toolstation? Nope. Or Amazon? Nope.
Is it just me? Am I the only one who wants just those three sizes? (and actually would prefer NOT to have other sizes on hand, to avoid using the wrong drill bit)?

I guess it is not a big deal, I'll buy a larger set and throw the ones I don't want into the bottom of a toolbox. Or buy some individually and make up my own set.
I am just amazed that they seem to have disappeared in that handy format.

,

Blimey! I've been buying drill bits for about 15 years but have never seen them in the packs you describe. As you'll no doubt have discovered suppliers such as Toolstation and Screwfix do sell individual bits as well as sets.

[bionichamster]

Blimey! I've been buying drill bits for about 15 years but have never seen them in the packs you describe. As you'll no doubt have discovered suppliers such as Toolstation and Screwfix do sell individual bits as well as sets.

I know exactly what sort of packs you mean I have one (and it's probably more than 20 years old) a small plastic wallet with three bits in it, however they are pretty uncommon now and have been superceded by cheap(ish) multipacks of drills made from steel with the hardness of cheese. It seems the consumer prefers to buy a big multipack of drills (particularly shiney ones with red painted tips when it comes to masonry) because more is better right? Why buy 3 when you can get 10 for less? I've learned to my inconveinience that most of these cheap masonary drills are a false economy, although occasionally there are decent ones, but it's a lottery. I have a few old masonry drills I've had for years that still keep going, many of the more recent ones that I've obtained in sets have worn out very quickly, within a couple of holes in the worst cases.

I have no idea who makes the best masonry drill bits these days, I would hope the DeWalt ones would be decent given their drills reputation amoung professionals. Back in the day Cintride was a very good make, the triple pack I still have is one of theirs and I have some other drills of theirs (I also started buying a few additional unused ones on ebay a year or two ago if the price is decent, figuring that the odd sizes are sure to see me out). Needless to say it was almost certainly cheap imported bits of highly variable quality that put them out of business in the late 90's or early 00's.

There is a Cintride triple pack on ebay at the moment £15 for 3 slightly used 1970's drill bits, which perhaps reflects the esteem that their drill bits were held. They probably aren't in the sizes you're looking for though.

Jeeze I just sound like a grumpy old codger

BH

[Pheidippides]

I treated myself to a dewalt SDS drill a few years ago when demolishing a wall. I have an old Bosch hammer drill that I haven't touched since.

I bought the equivalent Dewalt Extreme SDS Bits and they seem to be completely indestructible, as previously mentioned on this forum I have used the same bits to drill through ceramic tiles, drill into lintels and drill lovely clean holes in plasterboard and brick. They have an actual point on the drill and so keep their place very well if the target is marked with a bradawl or masonry nail. I have a ton of old masonry drills currently rotting in a plastic box that I haven't used for years.

This drill has had a lot of use in my house, my in-laws and my Mum's (as I am DIY-in-chief for everybody) and I never have to worry about the sub-material as the drill seems to be great for everything. It may be that I have spoilt myself with the Dewalt, but I can't help thinking that a general-purpose SDS drill with the Dewalt extreme bits would be a great generic combination that should very rarely need replacing.

Regards

Pheid