Add me to the list of those having problems of logged in but unable to post a reply.  I have stuck with this new software in the hope it would really be better than the old but am rather disillusioned. Noel.

Test post = appears forum is losing my posts!

In answer to Samuel, Titanium Nitride improves the wear resistance of HSS, and drills coated with it last longer.

Whether the extra life shows up depends on how the drill is used.

In a production setting, drills are used repeatedly on the same material at the same cutting speeds etc.   In these conditions, the advantage of particular types of HSS, Cobalt, Carbide, TiN and other coatings are obvious.

Home and jobbing workshops operate drills under wildly different conditions many of them unkind to drills, driven by a manual operator who probably doesn’t optimise cutting.   I use the same mid-range drills on wood, tinplate, work-hardening stainless, Aluminium, Copper, Brass and mild-steel, with and without cutting fluid.  Although I’m more careful when accuracy is needed, the sheer inconsistency of general purpose drilling makes it very difficult to judge if TiN is an improvement or not.  It should, but…

Another problem is the variability of drills.  Being stamped ‘HSS’ doesn’t mean it is!  And there are counterfeits, factory rejects, and ‘bargains’ that are too cheap.  Tool-steel drills and inexpensive grades of HSS that do a reasonable job on most woods blunt quickly on metal.  Whether it’s worth an amateur spending big money on drills designed for production work is up to the individual.    In my case, mostly not, because I buy drills to make holes and am happy if they do so without costing a fortune.  I avoid cheap and buy from Tracy, Arc Euro and similar; they usually manage .  I have some Dormers for special occasions.

Anyone able to answer these engineering questions:

• How many 20mm deep holes in EN1A should a 10mm twistt drill produce before it has to be sharpened?,  and,
• How much does each hole cost?

Dave

PS Good idea I think for beginners to start with a set of 0.5 increment metric drills (or 1/16th inch in Imperial), but thereafter to buy drills in the required size when needed.  In practice I guess most workshops drill a smallish sub-set of hole sizes, and might never use some of the drills in a set.

I just replied to an email from a member with thsi problem, may as well post it here too.

Hi *****

They said they had solved this problem last week after you and some others reported the problem. But it seems to have come back again on Friday when a small change was made. I let Darren and Andy know then but Andy is now away until the 3rd January according to the automated reply. Not a sausage from Darren even though Andy’s message says Darren will be there to help with web-related problems. Neil does not get a good signal at weekends so seldom looks in and not that often even when he has a signal.

I have a feeling nothing will happen until at least Wednesday but more likely not until the 3rd when Andy gets back.