Ridgid 29 Piece Cobalt Drill Bit Set

[XtremeRevolution]

Back in October I purchased this 29 piece drill bit set from a Home Depot in Torrance, CA. I have since moved from California to Illinois. I haven't used this set a whole lot, and one can easily tell that the bits are in practically new condition. However, yesterday I needed to drill some aluminum; soft automotive aluminum to be exact.

I'm not new to the practice of drilling. I was using a cordless drill and while drilling through this aluminum at a straight angle without any lateral force on the bit, and the bit simply snapped in half. The marks on the bit itself prove that this has never been used before this incident, and that I didn't get more than 1" into cutting before it broke.

I bought this set for $100 + tax, with the assumption that it would be the best drill bet set money can buy, as there wasn't a more expensive set at Home Depot. Its a bit disappointing to find out that this particular bit broke under relatively light usage. The bit size is a 27/64, which is hardly a small drill bit.

Pictures of the bit and set:





What I'd like to know is if this would be covered by any warranty. During my move, I lost the receipt so I'm not sure if I can go back to a Home Depot and have them exchange it like they do no questions asked with their Husky tools, and I obviously don't want to drop another $100 for another set.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[cactusman]

I suspect the drill bit was not defective. That is a large bit to begin drilling into metal.
You should work up to the finish size..By this I mean drill a small pilot hole and move up in
different bit sizes.

Don't push or force the bit, the weight of the drill alone is enough pressure.
Did you use cutting oil to keep the bit cool?
Drilling into metal requires a slow speed. If you ran your drill at high speed you
probably had the bit wandering all over the place.

How about a photo of the aluminum you were trying to drill the hole into.

Now a moment about drill bits...
You don't really need a hundred dollar set of drill bits..especially if you're a novice at
using drill bits etc.

Harbor freight cheap high speed drill bits work just fine when you lubricate, center punch
the spot you want to drill, proper drill speed, and proper pressure.

Don't be discouraged there is a learning curve in using any power tool.

Now, go to home Depot or Harbor Freight and buy a replacement drill bit the size you broke and don't forget to wear safety glasses....

Cactus Man

[XtremeRevolution]

Originally Posted by cactusman

I suspect the drill bit was not defective. That is a large bit to begin drilling into metal.
You should work up to the finish size..By this I mean drill a small pilot hole and move up in
different bit sizes.

Don't push or force the bit, the weight of the drill alone is enough pressure.
Did you use cutting oil to keep the bit cool?
Drilling into metal requires a slow speed. If you ran your drill at high speed you
probably had the bit wandering all over the place.

How about a photo of the aluminum you were trying to drill the hole into.

Now a moment about drill bits...
You don't really need a hundred dollar set of drill bits..especially if you're a novice at
using drill bits etc.

Harbor freight cheap high speed drill bits work just fine when you lubricate, center punch
the spot you want to drill, proper drill speed, and proper pressure.

Don't be discouraged there is a learning curve in using any power tool.

Now, go to home Depot or Harbor Freight and buy a replacement drill bit the size you broke and don't forget to wear safety glasses....

Cactus Man

Might be worth noting that I've never broken a drill bit like this before and I've been through 3 cordless drills.

Here's exactly what I drilled into. There was a 3/8" hole pre-existing there, circled in red. I was drilling the holes so that I could tap a 1/2" thread to plug them up to fix a coolant passage manifold coolant leak instead of replacing the slightly warped manifold. I did exactly what you had said, and first enlarged that hole to 13/32, which is two sizes up in my set. I then began drilling with the 27/64, which is when it broke. My drill was on a low speed, and like I said, I never got more than an inch into the metal I was trying to cut. It is impossible to overheat a drill bit drilling into under one inch of soft aluminum on a low speed setting. I didn't use oil, but there was engine coolant in that hole if that really is a concern, and it definitely wasn't burning.



What bothers me is that I did nothing different than what I usually do, yet the drill bit still broke, and I've never had a drill bit break prior to this.

If I really cannot get this bit replaced, I sure hope I can find a comparable strength 17/64 bit to replace it.

[CWSmith]

Extreme,

I'm of the opinion that the bit is defective. I agree with you, I've never seen a bit of this size snap like that, regardless of the price. I've broken small drill bits, at an 1/8 inch or less as that's pretty easy to do, but I would think that at worst you'd seize the bit and have the drill let your wrist painfully know. But snap, I don't think so!

I would think that replacement would be in order, especially in consideration of the lack of wear. The 29-piece set is not shown here on th web site (that I could find), but there is a 14-piece set (http://ridgid.com/Tools/14-Piece-Cob...t/EN/index.htm) and it shows the Ridgid "Full Lifetime Warranty" seal on the package.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[XtremeRevolution]

Originally Posted by CWSmith

Extreme,

I'm of the opinion that the bit is defective. I agree with you, I've never seen a bit of this size snap like that, regardless of the price. I've broken small drill bits, at an 1/8 inch or less as that's pretty easy to do, but I would think that at worst you'd just freeze and have the drill let your wrist painfully know. But snap, I don't think so!

I would think that replacement would be in order, especially in consideration of the lack of wear. The 29-piece set is not shown here on th web site (that I could find), but there is a 14-piece set (http://ridgid.com/Tools/14-Piece-Cob...t/EN/index.htm) and it shows the Ridgid "Full Lifetime Warranty" seal on the package.

I hope this helps,

CWS

Thank you. I've almost broken my wrists in the past before I learned how to use tools when bits have gotten stuck. I have an 18V Craftsman drill that's very heavy and very powerful, and is enough to break my wrists if I'm not careful. If you've worked on cars, you'll know that they use fairly soft aluminum in the engines.

Who can I get in touch with in order to get this replaced? Do you think Home Depot will replace it for me, or do I have to deal with Ridgid?

[roadrashray]

Originally Posted by XtremeRevolution

Back in October I purchased this 29 piece drill bit set from a Home Depot in Torrance, CA. I have since moved from California to Illinois. I haven't used this set a whole lot, and one can easily tell that the bits are in practically new condition. However, yesterday I needed to drill some aluminum; soft automotive aluminum to be exact.

I'm not new to the practice of drilling. I was using a cordless drill and while drilling through this aluminum at a straight angle without any lateral force on the bit, and the bit simply snapped in half. The marks on the bit itself prove that this has never been used before this incident, and that I didn't get more than 1" into cutting before it broke.

I bought this set for $100 + tax, with the assumption that it would be the best drill bet set money can buy, as there wasn't a more expensive set at Home Depot. Its a bit disappointing to find out that this particular bit broke under relatively light usage. The bit size is a 27/64, which is hardly a small drill bit.

Pictures of the bit and set:





What I'd like to know is if this would be covered by any warranty. During my move, I lost the receipt so I'm not sure if I can go back to a Home Depot and have them exchange it like they do no questions asked with their Husky tools, and I obviously don't want to drop another $100 for another set.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Bummer on breaking the bit. Now with that said, let's not get silly. You broke one bit, not the entire set, so please don't go in the direction of a $100 cost when we all know it will be much less to replace a single bit. You don't replace an entire computer system when a single component breaks.
I agree with the other posters that based up on how you claim the bit was being used when it broke it might have been defective. I would try the following.
1-I would take the entire set to a local Home Depot (to confirm the fact that you purchased an expensive set at one time) and talk(calmly and politely) with the tool dept mgr regarding the failure. If my memory is correct Home Depot sells Ridgid bits individualy and hopefully the Home Depot mgr. will take pity and do an on the spot replacement. A story that you are in the middle of a job that needs to be completed soon wouldn't hurt. It's important to keep in mind that the Ridgid "lifetime warranty" is a Ridgid commitment not a Home Depot responsibility. I always start my conversation with the HD person I'm talking with, with a "I was hoping you could help me with this problem".......... You are a human being asking another human being for help, not an outraged customer demanding satisfaction from a corporate entity. I have found that approach to be very successful in almost all such situations.
2-If the HD approach is not successful, I would call Ridgid customer service and ask them what your options are. They might replace the bit although you have lost the receipt. While talking with them I would emphasize that the bit came from a large set and even furnish the model number to indicate the size of the purchase you made of Ridgid products.
Let us know how you make out. Good luck....Ray

[Frankiarmz]

My understanding of a cobalt bit is that it is very hard and brittle, making it pron to breakage. I hope you get a replacement, but why not opt for a good set of HSS which would have been fine for drilling in aluminum and a lot less likely to break?

[CWSmith]

While I agree that it's only one bit and not the whole cost of the set that is in question, and that one bit doesn't necessarily mean the whole set is bad.... but still, the set is promoted as follows:

Features
- CG Power is a state of the art technology for making metals stronger, creating a faster and more durable drill bit.
- Drill bits enhanced by the CG Process improve cutting times up to 44% faster.143 degree split point - drills on contact.
- High durability and wear resistance.
- Designed for drilling in metals.


So with that in mind, I too would expect that this particular bit was defective and that there should be no question whatsoever about it's replacement.

The question of course is where does one go to get the replacement and will it be a matter of exchanging the whole set or just the broken bit?

My first step would be to inquire at the place of purchase. I'd take the whole set with me, but expect only the broken bit to be replaced. Within reason, the manager or sales associate may be limited in thier authority and/or by policy (which seems to vary between stores and personalities) as to what they can or are willing to do. Taking a matching bit off the shelf, may appear easiest to you and me, but it may present an inventory challenge to them. (Sometimes they just want the whole set in exchange; as it may be easier to explain the paperwork... but, it's totally up to the store and/or the individual's policy.)

But, it may also be beyond Home Depot's relationship with the supplier, in which case you may have to simply call Ridgid Customer Service and inquire about the "Full Lifetime Warranty" process of getting this replaced.

Either way, there is a warranty and there is the promotion of "high durability" and I would presume that there should be no problem.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[XtremeRevolution]

Originally Posted by Frankiarmz

My understanding of a cobalt bit is that it is very hard and brittle, making it pron to breakage. I hope you get a replacement, but why not opt for a good set of HSS which would have been fine for drilling in aluminum and a lot less likely to break?

More brittle I understand, but that's a bit pushing it. I've never broken a drill bit that large. I purchased this particular set because I was on a timeline for a project working on a V12 Jaguar, and I didn't want any trouble.

I'll head out to home depot later today and let you guys know how it all went. The people at this particular store have been very helpful in the past. They've replaced parts for me out of warranty before as a courtesy, and definitely seem to care about keeping business. I figure to them, its just a matter of sending the defective part in the new packaging back to Ridgid for a replacement and making my life easier.

Thank you very much for your advice and your help.

[Frankiarmz]

Originally Posted by XtremeRevolution

More brittle I understand, but that's a bit pushing it. I've never broken a drill bit that large. I purchased this particular set because I was on a timeline for a project working on a V12 Jaguar, and I didn't want any trouble.

I'll head out to home depot later today and let you guys know how it all went. The people at this particular store have been very helpful in the past. They've replaced parts for me out of warranty before as a courtesy, and definitely seem to care about keeping business. I figure to them, its just a matter of sending the defective part in the new packaging back to Ridgid for a replacement and making my life easier.

Thank you very much for your advice and your help.

I break the tiny bits, but that's my fault for pushing them. I agree with you that just because they are harder and brittle does not mean breakage under normal use is expected. I suggested the HSS because for your present needs they are sufficent and less likely to break. Best of luck at Home Depot and let us know what happens. Frank