drill bit question

I found this conversion chart with a Google search
http://www.calchipelectronics.com/pdf/metricco.pdf

It sounds like you are looking for bits in the #77-#80 sizes.
They sell them at Micro-Mark but you have to either buy the whole set or six of each size. http://www.micromark.com/

Mike

thanks MIKE V,the chart really helped. bought a set of metal tracks for a T-34 kit.only problem is, I have to drill holes in each link for the track pins(hence the 0.5 mm bit)which equates to about 160 holes per side.now I just need to fashion a jig to hold the links to bore a staight hole

when you are dealing with bits that small, they have a nasty tendancy to snap. be careful !

Mike,

There is a company out there named MSC which supplies items for machine shops (their catalog is about 7 inches thick). Their numerical drills go down to #98 and their digital (.0001 etc) are even smaller. They do get somewhat expensive and you have to buy them in increments of 2, 3, 6 and 12 (the smaller the bit, the more you have to buy). That's if you are buying individual sizes (which I think is only smart with #70 and smaller bits). It's been a year or so since I've looked but MSC was offering a couple of sets of #61 - #80 (one domestic and one imported) for between 10 and 12 bucks. Some what cheaper than Micro Mark.

My LHS stocks a line of drill bits from a company called Walthers and they have a full line of miniature bits available in packages of 2 each.

Just do a Yahoo or Google search for "Walthers drill bits" and you will find hundreds of online sites that sell them.

Enjoy your modeling...

I get small drill from a welder supply.
They sell small drill for nozzle cleaning.
I bough a Commando drill set.It came with a chuck,and a set of bit.in a holder.
It fine for drilling hole manually.

Micro-Mark's drill bits are a good quality bit. I bought a six pack of #78 and of #72 after breaking 79 thru 71 in the drill index. The small bits snap real easy (save the snap offs, they make good machine gun barrels in 1/72) so the six pack ain't bad, plus it's a better bit and dosen't snap as easy.
G.L.

Hello All;

I found a shop here where I live (Burlington, Ontario Canada) and they have the best price going on a 20 piece set of #80 - #61 or for the decimal types 0.0135" to 0.0390" They are High Speed Steel and come in a metal index case price is $4.95 Canadian Dollars. Check out www.leevalley.com and see some of the other goodies you can get for cheap on your workbench.

Just don't tell my wife about this deal. I'm not allowed in that store until further notice.

Cheers;

Gregory

Further to one of the previous posts here. In regards to breaking small bits.

When I drill with my smallest drills I use a cake of beeswax to lubricate the bit prior to drilling (I bought mine after reading about beeswax in the tip section of FSM and one of the How - To Books from Kalmbach years ago). Just a little twist into the cake of beeswax and then drill away on the kit.

It acts as a lubricant without any smearing on the plastic like an oil base lubricant and it makes it pretty easy to clean the little bits and the kit itself up when I am done.

The other thing I find helps to avoid snapping is a good handle and a well braced and secure item to be drilled.

Also if your drilling straight through holes it works for me to have something soft for it to jab into on the other side (other than your hand) . As strange as it may sound Silly Putty works great for this. Hope this helps.

Cheers;

Gregory

I have a model train shop nearby that sells individual bits for $0.99 per. If you want, I can get the size 77-80 and mail them to you. Just send me your address and the cost of the bits..