I’ve found this little chuck to be soooo handy for those very small drill bits:
I sometimes use such a chuck in my Dremel for bits in the low sixties range, but find I really break a lot of smaller bits when trying to use the dremel or my modeling drill press. Once I get down to the high sixties or seventies I need to use a pin vise. And I did find that not all pin vises will hold drills in the high seventies range. In some ads they specify the minimum opening in mils, and one can convert that to drill gauge.
Don, I’ve used that chuck in my pin-vises too. Works good in those too.
Gary
Yep, Gary, I used to do that too until I bought a chuck especially for the small drills- it will clamp down even on an eighty!
Where could I find one like that Don? I think it would be a good new tool to have. Thanks, Gary.
There were quite a number of used ex production bits from PCB, aerospace & “critical” applications appearing on the European market (lots from BAE apparently) & they seemed to be very well regarded.
Apparently mega expensive, used once, withdrawn from service & resold
Indeed Milairjunkie and here is one place to buy them in the U.S.- new, used, or resharpened and reasonable prices:
http://drillbitsunlimited.com/Default.aspx
They are carbide and, thus, very fragile but note you can get one as small as 0.0038" (under 4 thousandths not a typo). Drill bits do come smaller than #80. Also, check jewelers supply houses for tiny drill bits in HSS, A Cameron Drill Press is handy too if you have the $$$