Titanium Drill Bits
 

I am planning on making a cross-drilled (xjinn sp?) water block out of copper for my future water-cooling system. I have recently purchased a box of titanium drill bits at a steal ($30). I am planning on using the drill press pictured below. Do these bits look like they will cut it (pun intended) or should i go with titanium bits from a company like dewalt that cost $25 for a lot fewer bits that might be higher quality. Thanks
http://members.cox.net/prudhommea/IMG_0467.jpg
http://members.cox.net/prudhommea/IMG_0468.jpg

Nice press and wow that is a steal. The material the bits are made of are not as important as how you use them. Just make sure to use a slower speed on the press and use, use, use, a lubrication... Drill a little at a time lifting the bit out of the material to clean out the flutes.

Well, GOOD LUCK !!!:D

Dunno if you already did, but look at these threads...

http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/sho...?threadid=4490

and

http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/sho...?threadid=4451

You'll find a lot of good info...

just, take it from me...when you think you're going down slow with the drill bit...it's still way too fast...:p

good luck, again!!!:)

I doubt that the drill bits are titanium.....

Those bits should be Titanium Nitride coated, not solid titanium ;). It then depends on the quality of steel that the bits are made out of.

Where I used to work, I drilled brass/copper/aluminum and the titanium Nitride coated bits always lasted longer. From what I remember, the TiN coating helps keep the bit cooler (could be wrong here).

I recomend them, but of course recommend quality bits.

Since we don't know the quality of those bits, I'd use them on some test pieces and make sure they don't break easily. Then when you do go for your production block, go slow, drill a thin depth, then back the bit off, go in for a bit more, then back off, etc... Make sure you use cutting oil/wax. I never went more than 1/8" deep before backing off, and usually went for 1/16" on average. Dewalt are over-priced. Can get a lot better quality bits from machine shop tool catalogs, etc.. for a lot cheaper than the Dewalts.

To give you an idea of what a set of TIN-Coated Cobalt Steel bits cost. The set includes 1/16 through 1/2 inch bits, 29 bits in all. $280.00. If these bits are what I think they are you would be wise to test them. I see these type of bits come through our shop and they do not last. It's what you call a marketing move to use gold coloring to cover what is really inside, that being cheap steel. Good luck....

TiN- Coated: (titanium nitride) Bright gold in color. Designed for use on nonferrous and ferrous metals such as free machining steels, nonmetallic materials, and plastics. Drills with this coating require a 25% to 30% increase in machining speeds as compared to uncoated drills. Note: Not for use on wrought aluminum and titanium alloys.

TiCN- Coated: (titanium carbonitride) Violet-gray or gun-metal gray or blue in color. Intended for tough-to-machine steels, ductile cast iron, cast aluminum, stainless steels, high-temperature alloys, copper alloys, and titanium. Drills with this coating require a 35% to 50% increase in machining speeds as compared to uncoated drills.

TiALN-Coated: (titanium aluminum nitride) Dark violet/blue-gray in color. Meant for drilling stainless steel, high alloy carbon steel, nickel-based high-temperature alloys, and titanium alloys. It's also highly effective for abrasive materials such as cast iron, and its high heat resistance may permit dry machining. Drills with this coating require a 75% to 100% increase in machining speeds as compared to uncoated drills.

ALTiN-Coated: (aluminum titanium nitride) Allows for substantial increases in production rates - up to twelve times over conventional carbide tools. Use these double margin drills in high-temperature alloys, stainless steel, and cast iron.

No matter what, the motto still stands: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Personally, I would have picked the one size hole that I want to make this cross-drilled block with, and purchase that one bit, instead of a set of 115 of them, at various sizes. But hey, that's just me...

Good luck with your project. For what it's worth, in XJinn's design, the bottom two rows of holes do most of the cooling. The above rows #3, 4 and 5 add very little cooling. Personally, I'd stick with two rows.