Well, they are Twinland and I could have sworn they were the 5-star, too. I searched for Colt Twinland. Hmm...maybe I didn't search for
5-star. They're the $80 set. My bad.
-- "Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty. There is also in human nature a resentment of injury, and indignation against wrong. A love of truth and a veneration of virtue. These amiable passions, are the latent spark. If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and feeling the differences between true and false, right and wrong, virtue and vice, to what better principle can the friends of mankind apply than to the sense of this difference?" --John Adams
Define "made for them". Lee Valley does not manufacture, but they have a division that does. From the Lee Valley web site Veritas® Tools (our research, development and manufacturing division) continues to be one of the most innovative hand-tool design firms in the world, producing unique and high-quality products.
Like every manufacturer, some parts are usually made by others. I've never been to their facilities to see what they have and what they buy, but I'd guess a mix. Companies that maker heaters or air conditioners buy motors. GM buys tons of parts, etc. Veritas my be buying forgings.
I started with a 3/8" bit and true as stated I drilled through several pieces of wood including plywood. All were elevated above the DP table and none tore out on the bottom as the bit exited. The hole was clean on both sides. Several months ago Woodcraft closed out odd sized 5 Star bits and I scooped a bunch up at about 1/3 retail.
The smaller sizes, some where around 1/8" and smaller did not fair as well but the big bits yield Forstner bit type results.
Woodcraft sells them and one at a time, buy "one" that you would use the most, for me it is the 3/8" bit. That bit will not blow your budget and will prove to you why they are the best. If you think you would like a set you can go that route afterward.
You guys, go ahead and use your shiny high dollar bits. I am sure they are of much higher quality than my cheapo HF set. OTOH, I've used the cheap set to drill hundreds of holes for dowels, overlapping holes to be cleaned up with a chisel for mortises, and many other purposes and never had a problem. We're talking about drilling holes in WOOD after all.
That is like saying you've been enjoying sex all alone, so no need to invite a woman.
I'm sure the cheap sets make holes, but the higher priced ones make them faster, cleaner, better chip clearing. But if you're happy, that's all that counts.
It is reasonable to think this however in reality.....NO. To those that have done this before it is reasonable to assume that a 1/4" "store bought" dowel will either slide through or have to be pounded through a 1/4" hole. My experience has shown that dowels are not precicely made and their diameters differ slightly. Further, dowels are available in a wide variety of woods, birch, maple, walnut, and oak be the most common, some are hard some are softer.
Your last point is by far the most important. After all, with the money I saved by buying cheapo brad point bits, I'm sure I was able to purchase SOMETHING that you don't have! :)
Which is exactly why I'm considering those Colt German bits. Did you see the entry and exit holes made by those things? Perfectly clean without any backer boards.
I have cheap AND expensive bits that tear-out on entry and blowout on exit.
I thought so too. But I took another look at the picture of the item. Near the top of each bit it say "Germany". A family member wanted to buy me something for Christmas, but I can't send them to Lee Valley.
Bill
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Have you been in a Lee Valley store lately? They are going downhill fast. They are starting to sell some more junk now. Coffee cup lid rollers? Key chains? Balsam wood airplanes? Chinese made electronic weather stations that are sold at Zellers or Walmart? They've really expanded their stores now and unfortunately to pay the bills they have to sell cheaper Chinese stuff.
Still we got all our new cabinet knobs there a couple of months ago but the level of junk they carry is increasing.
Staff behind the counter are still as wonderful as you remember them though. That hasn't changed, at least yet.
The catalogs are just as bad. Some years ago I complained to a friend about Lands End not carrying the sailing supplies they used to. He replied that all stores eventually morph into clothing stores. Since then I've concluded he was right. Lee Valley is just in the early stages of that transition :-).
Land's End was sold to Sears. That tell you anything? Maybe not, since Sears now sells Land End clothing in the stores. That's a fairly significant upgrade.
FInancial goals change for retailers. Part of it is debt service; "improving shareholder value" is a larger part. In times of financial change (read: stress), stores will change their product mix, number of products, stock levels, and probably will consolidate vendors. (DAGS "category manager")
Several years ago, I ended a four year stint in retail Hell for a big-box. In returning to the store (as a customer) over the intervening years, I've noticed those changes in action: the gondolas are no longer topped with risers holding additional stock, there are few products in each department, there are cheaper products (and, to differentiate, less expensive products as well) being stocked.
I can only guess at the net change in store dolllar volume, but my guess would be it would be trending down once you adjust for the effect of additional big-box stores arriving in the area.
Back to your original comment about Sears and to the Hentchman's rant about Lee Valley... They are adjusting to a changed market. And it youu went by the catalog, you'd also thing that Rockler was supporting itself on the sale of coffee mugs and Bench Cookies. (I can personally assure you that's not been their total income, though.)
I'd believe that to be true of Garret Wade, but I don't see much difference in LV. Of course, I've never been in one of the stores. Get the catalog, use the web site and see a booth at a WW show now and then.
Lea Valley / Veriras DOES do the final machining on all their planes and many other tools, but also subs considerable product. Anything with the Veritas name is DESIGNED by Veritas/Lee Valley and a fair amount of the precision finishing and assembly is also done in house.
It will all be unique to them, not a copy of someone else's stuff although some is a specific rework of another company's product to make it their own (apparently their brad point bits which are high quality product modified to make them better - to Veritas design standards)
"Lew Hodgett" wrote in news:4cf873b1$0$2180 $c3e8da3$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:
I bought a set from Rockler several years ago with 1/4" hex shanks. Most of them are fine, but I tied the 3/16" for the first time a few months ago, and it has the shank on crooked. They no longer sell that set, so I can't get a replacement. I used to think much better of Rockler. I am not amused....
I bought some TiN coated bits from Crappy Tire a few years ago. Like you say, it just makes them look expensive. They were obviously made from pot metal: did not stay sharp after drilling in wood and bent easily. The TiN coating also wore off quickly. Beware of crappy Chinese bits.
(Beware of Chinese anything -- you never know about the quality control, even in the best brands-- I just had to toss out a Chinese- made Makita 4-inch angle grinder a couple of weeks ago after very little use. Somehow, they are not very good at keeping the smoke in and it escaped from my grinder motor when I was cutting some 1/8" steel. I went & got me another Makita --5" this time--that said "Assembled in the USA", but I almost got the German Hilti for only a couple of hundred bucks more.)
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