Irwin Industrial Tools 314018 Black Oxide Drill Bit Set, 18-Piece

Very good deal on some good quality name brand Irwin drill bit set.I have used several of the different size bits and they workedwell and seem to keep sharp.

A very good set. Most of my hex shank drill kits that I've purchased usually breaks by snapping off near the hex. This one and my Makita set have lasted the longest so far. Even though they are made in China they have lasted the longest. Centering seems pretty good on the Irwin bits. One drill bit seemed a tiny bit off, but these drills aren't meant to be used for super accurate drilling. I would use a standard drill bit in a standard chuck for accuracy. These bits are meant for convenience, and fast changing.It is unfortunate that most of our tools are made in China. They do not have the same durability or quality control standards as America, Japan, and Germany has. If possible, I recommend purchasing American, Japanese, or German made tools. I wish Amazon would list what country these tools were made from. If a tool cost $5 made in China, and there was an identical tool made in America for $7, I'd rather buy the American one.However these Irwin bits, I feel are a good buy. It is a nice, strong, long lasting hex drill bit set that would work well with any cordless drill kit.

drills through hard steel.Go slow use oil

I've owned and used an excellent set of Irwin drill bits for a few years, and love how well they work. However, the "loosen the chuck, pull out one bit, tighten the chuck on a new bit" routine gets old when you're doing a lot of drilling and driving, and the smaller bits can be tough to get seated properly in my drill because of the tiny diameter of the shank.I've had my eye on a few different hex shank drill bit sets, and this one in particular seemed to be simple and well built (two traits I like in my tools).The bits are well made and precise, and the quick change chuck works pretty well with these bits, as well as standard magnetic screw bits from a separate kit. I can change bits with one hand, but it's slightly quicker to use two hands. It beats the loosen/tighten rigmarole, hands down! To release a bit, just pull down on the sleeve, and the bit pops up, ready to be removed (it doesn't fall out, either, which is nice). Push in the new bit until it locks into place, and you're set to drill again!The included case is nice, too, since I hate losing a bit or trying to read the tiny text on the bit to figure out the size; I find that if I have a case like this, where every bit has a slot, I'm much less likely to have a bit go missing during cleanup, because I immediately notice an empty slot when closing the case.The only downside to using the quick-change connector is that the bits don't seem to spin perfectly centered/balanced when in the connector, due to an ever-so-slightly loose connection. It doesn't cause much of a problem in normal use, but I like having my drill bits spin perfectly straight, with no wobble.That one downside is more than made up for by the price of this drill bit set, and the convenience of not having to loosen and tighten my drill's chuck many times during smaller projects.[Update 2/9/12: I used the 7/32" bit for drilling through metal (I was drilling slowly to prevent overheating, but even at that speed, the tip was getting hot), and the bit simply started spinning in its hex shank. It looks like the bits are simple drill bits with a little flute on one end, and the hex shanks aren't secured to the bits very well. None of the other bits have had this problem yet, but it makes me more cautious about pushing the bits too hard... The bit still works perfectly *without* the hex shank, but that completely negates the convenience. I'll post back if any of the other bits exhibit this problem. I've taken off one star because of this issue. (See my added picture above.)]

This is a great set. I do a lot of building and have gone through a lot of drill bits. I have been impressed with this set. I love having bits in an "index" for easy selection and so I love the sturdy case and easy removal of the bits. The hex shank makes all the difference and is essential to me in terms of quick insertion into the drill chuck and also the stabilization of the bit under load during use. The quick-change adapter is a nice bonus though I have not used it often.After doing some comparison shopping, I found that the price of this set was quite reasonable and a good value.I waited a while after receiving this set to write a review so that I could be fair about judging the durability and I have not broken a bit, have been impressed with the quality, and would be quick to buy this set again.

These bits have stayed sharp for several repeated uses drilling common steel. Best bits I have had in a long time. Not brittle china titanium coated junk that everyone sells. CRC makes an aerosol can of cutting oil that clings to drill bits which in my opinion it works well. The steel and rubber case is very nice. Only complaint I have is that sometimes the small bits fall out of place inside of the case and bind movement of the lid. I reviewed this a while back and if anyone is interested, I have a cheap solution for the small bits falling out of place in the case. Put duct tape on the 1/2 inch tall metal ridge that sticks up in the bottom floor of the box. Stick it to one side of the ridge, let it stick up adout 1/2 inch above the top of the ridge, fold and stick on the other side of the ridge. I did two layers to be more rigid and so far it has worked for me.

My five stars rating is based on my initial impression without yet putting the bits to a test, so I reserve the right to drop a start or two down the road when I have used this apparent high quality tool set. The case encloses all the bits in clearly marked inch fraction (US Common) labels according to bit sizes, which range from 1/16" to 1/4". Each bit is anchored in its place and securely stored in a tough plastic case that includes a sliding latch. Bits are 135 degree split point, which means they start cutting on contact thus reducing or eliminating bit wander. Finally the 1/4" quick load and release (or what Irwin calls Lock-N-Load) for these bits is solid and holds the bit firmly to help maintain bit stability. I will really be surprised if anything negative results from my purchase of this bit set, but if it does this review will be updated.

Very high quality very sharp point will drill very fast with little effect very easy to use very happy with this set.