TIPS & GUIDES

The shop notebook.

Speeds, feeds, and how not to cook a bit. Written for people with metal chips in their boots.

Drilling grade 8 without cooking your bit
Technique4 min read

Drilling grade 8 without cooking your bit

Slow it down, keep pressure constant, and use fluid. Here is the RPM range we run for each size.

Why stainless punishes cheap drill bits
Materials5 min read

Why stainless punishes cheap drill bits

Work hardening explained without the metallurgy lecture — and how cobalt content changes the outcome.

Split point vs. standard: what changes at the tip
Setup3 min read

Split point vs. standard: what changes at the tip

What 135° actually does when the bit touches a curved or hardened surface.

Speeds and feeds cheat sheet for the 29-piece index
Shop notes3 min read

Speeds and feeds cheat sheet for the 29-piece index

Print this and tape it inside the drill press cabinet. Every size, every common material.

When to resharpen and when to warranty it
Maintenance4 min read

When to resharpen and when to warranty it

A dull bit and a failed bit look different. Here is how to tell them apart in ten seconds.

Drilling out a broken bolt in the field
Field6 min read

Drilling out a broken bolt in the field

No drill press, bad angle, no coolant. The order of operations that saves the part.