Mini Review Colt 5 Star Pen Makers Drill Bits

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Rojo22

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I recently went into a Woodcraft store and they had a new set of drill bits that were available. I purchased a 10mm drill bit at full price and brought it home to test it out. I have purchased several of the Colt double fluted brad point bits and have found they stay sharper and last longer than any other drill bit I have purchased. Based on these other drill bits working and performing well, I purchased the Pen Makers drill bit.


What Woodcraft says about the bits:

Made by one of Germany's finest drill bit manufactures from M2 HSS, these bits feature a patented design that allows for straight and accurate bores.

The 25° Twinland Parabolic Flute and 4 pt cutting tip bores up to 6x faster removing debris more effectively than conventional bits. Bit shanks 27/64″ and 11mm or larger have shanks reduced to 25/64″.
Improved operator control

Cleaner exit holes

Sharper and stay sharper longer

Special tip design optimized for end grain


My Review:

I paid 16 dollars for the new Pen Makers 10mm drill bit. There are sets available for other sizes and include several of the common sizes for pen kits that are popular. I was excited to see that the double fluting was used in the design of the drill bit, as I have found that the double fluting helps chip clearing tremendously when drilling pen blanks with Colts other drill bits. As always, the quality of the bit was evident upon opening the plastic storage case. I like that the drill bit comes in its own hard clear plastic tube. The tube has a snap top paddle that can hang on a hook or on a peg, and the white label clearly states which drill bit is in the container. The labeling and packaging keep the drill bit from clanking around with other bits, and the label makes it easy to identify the bit.

The first thing you notice with the bit is the parabolic tip and the double fluting. I was skeptical about the manufacturers claims above being met by just the tip, but was pretty convinced by the end of a drilling session that it was in fact the determining factor in recommending this tool.

I chucked the drill bit up in a Delta table top drill press (model 11-990) that I have added a stand to. The drill press has been used to drill thousands of pen blanks, and does a very good job of providing the drill power on any pen blank. The drill press is very well maintained and was checked for square against the bed. I had the speed set on the slowest setting which is 620 rpms, which is typical of what I use to drill all my blanks both wood and plastic.

I used several methods of holding the blanks to simulate several set ups I have seen folks use to drill blanks. I used the pen blank holder from Rockler (wooden one), and I also used the metal base type blank holder (blue aluminum body) also from Rockler. I also used a 90 degree, home built jig as well.

My test blanks were cocobolo, maple, sugar pine, dogwood, PR homebrew, acrylic blanks from Woodcraft, and a ceboplast blank. I had the blanks cut for Cigar type kits.

My results:
Everyone likes a new sharp drill bit, and because the bit was new, it was very sharp. The drill bit had no problem cutting through any of the above listed test blanks. Upon entry into the material, I found the drill bit did not wander at all (one of my initial concerns with the parabolic tip), and hit my center mark with no issues, using all three of the drilling methods described above. The bit sent out the chips for the wood blanks in short order, creating a nice outflow of wooden chips. I cleared the bit twice on a few blanks to see what might have been on the inside, but never really needed to as the double flutes really kept the hole clean. When I used the drill bit on the plastics and the PR, the "strings" of plastic that were ejected were light and continuous, not heavy and melted. Again I cleared a few blanks to see if the chips were being cleared effectively, and again, there were very few chips or material in the hole.

I tried drilling the blanks both as a seasoned person would, and as a neandrothol would. When the proper techniques were followed for the drilling, the heat generated was very reasonable comparing it to a new Colt bit that was a brad point. I drilled the blanks both supported and unsupported at the bottom, to check the claims about blow out. I found again that if I followed the proper techniqes, there was little issue with blow out, both on the wood examples, and the plastic examples. Just for fun, I drilled an Acrylester, and found that even this example had minimal blow out, unsupported and being a little aggressive with the drilling pressure. I tried several blanks using the drill neandrothol method, and found that the blow out both supported and unsupported were again minimal. By using the proper techniques though, blow out was definitely not an issue.

The hole drilled was dead on, and I found no issues at all with accuracy of the bit. It was a very clean entry, exit, and column all the way through both wood and plastics.

So for manufacturers claims, I would have to say that the drilling operation was extremely smooth, and I can certainly say that the new bit performed as I would like for an expensive drill bit. The cleaner entry and exit holes were a claim that I can certainly say was experienced in my using the drill bit. Plastics were a concern, but this bit handled it with no problems at all. I will not judge the 6 times faster claim, as I like to drill my blanks at a reasonable speed, new bit claims aside. I dont really find that a 6 times faster claim is something that I need, but did find that the drilling operation facilitated a shorter time period because of the sharpness of the bit.

So bottom lining it for a potential purchaser. I own several Colt drill bits other than the parabolic bits and can say that they stay sharp a long time, and the overall quality of the other bits indicate they will be around a long time. For the parabolic bit, if the drill bit lasts like the others, I will definitely purchase other sizes for pen blank drilling. This bit is an investment, and one I will be making for other sizes. I found the drilling process much easier, and cooler using the parabolic bit. I have both thumbs up for the new bits, with only one minor draw back, and that comes in the wallet. If you can justify the cost, I highly recommend that you purchase these bits.

Dislikes were the price, at 16 bucks it is an expensive drill bit, but in my opinion, will far outlast a cheaper bit both in sharpness, and accuracy (which scientifically I did not test).
 
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jttheclockman

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I had just bought a set of colt maxicut forstner bits and found them to be every bit as good as you described. I am totally satisfied and yes the cost is high but with quality you get I think they are worth it.

My question to you about these bits how are they sharpened??? I suppose you can not sharpen them with the drill doctor???
 

JimMc7

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Very nice review. Thank you!

I bought one for Sierras when I first started making pens. I've drilled 50+ blanks and it still seems sharp to me. No problems drilling wood, acrylic acetate, alumilite and polyresins.
 

Daniel

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I have a question that is not mentioned in the Review. how is the bit sharpened when needed? this question is not for Rojo necessarily. It is for anyone that knows the answer. Basically is the chisel edge that comes on the bit due to the shape of the flute or is it a special grind on the edge itself
I would also like to know how the bit preforms at correct speeds as well. 650 RPM is pretty slow for most drilling of pen blanks. Not knocking your technique, we all do what works best for us in the end. But this is a review of a bit not technique. I do recognize that you are accustom to how various bit preform at this speed since it is your common method of drilling. I also realize that a bit will not preform the same at 1500 RPM (My speed for 10mm twist bits in hardwood) as it does at 650. I would also go to 2000 RPM with this bit for Acrylics. My suspicion is that the bit would actually preform better at these speeds by the way. with the exception of the quality of the exit hole (Maybe).
As for 6X faster drilling. It is refreshing that you skirted around that issue. I always hate to see that claim. The bit does not do the drilling, I do' and it is very unlikely I am going to move 6X faster even if the bit can cut cleanly at that feed rate. I can drill a 7mm hole in a 1/2 inch half blank of walnut or hickory in approx 1 second with a HF Ti coated twist bit, (Cocobolo is about twice that time) I've seen bits that can drill at least 6 times faster than that, but they are being ran by a machine.

There are two issues I really focus on when it comes to bits for pen blanks.
It's ability to drill end grain, and it's ability to clear chips. you got good results on both at a slow drilling speed. Both are encouraging for the performance of this bit.
 

wood-of-1kind

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Very good review and you obviously put things in "perspective", that sometimes it pays to spend "more" and ultimately receive better value in the long run.
 

Kaspar

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Ahead of the curve. Waaay ahead.
I've had three of those bits for some time. They are quite superb. You can tell the precision that went into making them by the machining marks in the flutes, and the other surfaces as well.

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As a far as I know, only a few sizes useful to pen making are available. Also, for reasons explained below, I have not tested the Colt bits' durability. On that, I suspect they are as good as advertised, and perhaps in the long view some would say that makes them worth it.

Myself, I am not sure that enough is gained to justify the expense. People will have to make that judgement themselves, of course, but once I started drilling on a wood lathe, I did just fine with BB's Norseman Bits, and a nice, $60 29 piece DeWalt set from Lowes. I drilled holes that were dead on, didn't tear the blank up upon exiting (sometimes I don't even know, exactly, when they've exited), and in most cases left no drill marks at all.

Now that I use a metal lathe, I have abandoned all of those in favor of a set of quality "screw machine length" bits which, by virtue of their shorter length (5/8ths the length of a "jobber") drill straighter and increase the accuracy better than any jobber bit, no matter how well-honed.

But for those who are using a drill press, the Colt Five Stars are excellent, though very pricey.

(FYI: If anyone wants three of them cheap (25/64th, 27/64ths, 15/32nds), just PM me.)
 

Rojo22

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Daniel

The bit itself says that the minimum speed should be 1000 rpms. I have a bench top drill press that has been mounted on a Delta stand to make it act like a floor drill press. You have to change speeds by changing the belt around the pulleys, and I usually dont bother changing them. I usually drill this slow because of the creation of heat, but I am not a technique guy with the drill press (read lazy I think, and you are correct, that I got good results from this and never changed, but probably should). I will try the higher speeds and see what I can come up with.

As for the sharpening of the bits, I could send off an email to the folks and see what they say. I know for sure the parabolic part is not the problem, because the tip configuration is handled by the Drill Doctor for other drill bits. I am just not sure about the flute part. I can inquire and see what they say.

I am still using them, and they are the gnats knees for the plastics. These things are great! I went back and bought another 5 sizes after using the 10mm one.

Robert



I have a question that is not mentioned in the Review. how is the bit sharpened when needed? this question is not for Rojo necessarily. It is for anyone that knows the answer. Basically is the chisel edge that comes on the bit due to the shape of the flute or is it a special grind on the edge itself
I would also like to know how the bit preforms at correct speeds as well. 650 RPM is pretty slow for most drilling of pen blanks. Not knocking your technique, we all do what works best for us in the end. But this is a review of a bit not technique. I do recognize that you are accustom to how various bit preform at this speed since it is your common method of drilling. I also realize that a bit will not preform the same at 1500 RPM (My speed for 10mm twist bits in hardwood) as it does at 650. I would also go to 2000 RPM with this bit for Acrylics. My suspicion is that the bit would actually preform better at these speeds by the way. with the exception of the quality of the exit hole (Maybe).
As for 6X faster drilling. It is refreshing that you skirted around that issue. I always hate to see that claim. The bit does not do the drilling, I do' and it is very unlikely I am going to move 6X faster even if the bit can cut cleanly at that feed rate. I can drill a 7mm hole in a 1/2 inch half blank of walnut or hickory in approx 1 second with a HF Ti coated twist bit, (Cocobolo is about twice that time) I've seen bits that can drill at least 6 times faster than that, but they are being ran by a machine.

There are two issues I really focus on when it comes to bits for pen blanks.
It's ability to drill end grain, and it's ability to clear chips. you got good results on both at a slow drilling speed. Both are encouraging for the performance of this bit.
 

Daniel

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Jan 1, 2004
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Reno, NV, USA.
Rojo, Kasper's photo pretty much answers my question how they come up with the shape of the chisel edge. I was concerned that the edge would be lost by sharpening yourself like in a drill doctor.

overall this bit looks like a great solution for anyone having trouble. we really are asking a lot of a drill bit when drilling a pen blank. drills have a harder time with end grain and do not necessarily like a real deep hole. we are doing both.
 

wiggy

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Aug 6, 2014
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80 Sunrising Looe Cornwall UK PL13 1NF
Hi all,
Could somebody please help a UK bod who needs to sharpen some colt parabolic pen drills please, as they are in some desperate need of some tender care? They are great drills but now have lost the edge.
Quote:- Life is but a journey of discovery along every path.
 

robertkulp

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Mar 26, 2014
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Location
Murfreesboro, TN
I've been using the Colt pen drill bits for a while and can't praise them enough. I've replaced a number of junk brad points from various manufacturers and have standardized on the Colts. While they do cost more initially, they are well worth it and will save you money in the long run. They cut true and will provide many years of service. I've ruined several blanks with the junk brad points, but the Colts have drilled straight and true holes in all kinds of materials every time.

There are a few things in life that are worth a premium price. These are.
 
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