Model Railroading > Drill Suggestions?

Hi there. I'm a beginner at this stuff and I'm gonna try and foray into drilling my own holes for stuff in my models. Could anyone point me toward a good, fairly low-priced drill for that kind of stuff? Thanks in advance. Link

Here is a set of small number drills that would be ok to get you started. Once you find out what sizes you are using you will want to buy more of those sizes.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Excel-55510-20-Piece-Drill-Set-With-Dome-Stand-p/exc-55510.htm

Then you need a pin vise like this one
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Excel-55661-Swivel-Head-Pin-Vise-p/exc-55661.htm

John

perfect. Thank you very much!

Always buy the high speed steel drill bits. Those carbide bits with the colored plastic rings on them are bad news, and will break off in a model with the slightest side pressure. That said, even the high speed steel drill bits won't last forever. You will eventually break the smaller ones, and the larger ones will eventual become dull. So figure on buying a new set of drills every few years. also for the more popular sizes of the small bits, it's good to have backups. Walthers sells pairs of drill bits of particular sizes. So I stock up on sizes that I use a lot of

Any pin vise the has a rotating top will work, but you may find that after drilling so many holes your wrist will really hurt. Micro mark sells a pair of pin vises adaptable to cordless drills and screwdrivers. I looked high and low for something like that for years, and immediately bought them when they came out. If your doing a lot of drilling, chucking the drill bit in a cordless screwdriver will not only save your wrist, it also allows you to drill straighter putting less pressure on the bit and allowing it to last longer.

Here are the two Micro Mark small bit chucks;

http://www.micromark.com/precision-micro-drill-chuck-for-cordless-screwdriver,8090.html
http://www.micromark.com/Mini-Drill-Chuck-for-Cordless-Screwdriver,7852.html

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/14 07:06 by funnelfan.

For my pin vise,I use an x-acto knife handle that has the knurled end. Works great on alot of different drill bit sizes.