Cobalt Drill Bit - Red Helix - 5/16"

These are some fantastic drill bits if you know how to properly drill the various types of metal that most of these reviews are about. I have not had an issue with these for either sharpness or tensile strength. With proper technique these bits have lasted just as long as some of my higher dollar sets. For the price these are my go to for not in the shop work (In the tool bag on sites or on the road). Purely because I don't want to carry around a massive set of bits.

3/8 Red Helix bit worked exceptionally well! I think many users that gave bad reviews did not use cutting fluid or too high of a drill speed. On my drill press with fluid for each hole, straight and clean holes were drilled through over 30 pieces of 1-1/2" x 1/4" steel flat bar with long chips and no issues. The same result through 1/4" & 3/8" thick steel angle. Very impressed with the dual cutting angles and how effective they are drilling steel.

You would think, being a Milwaukee product, that this bit would be high quality. It's not. I had to purchase three of them just to put ~20 holes in 1/4" steel (yes, using low speed and keeping the bit lubricated). The first bit only drilled 6 holes before it was completely dull...the second one, only 2. I'm beyond disappointed in this product and have submitted a complaint asking for a refund of the two additional bits that I shouldn't have had to buy.

I can't reccomend this set enough! I'm an electrician that does a lot of work in the food processing industry. I do a lot of panel builds and site installations so I deal with mostly stainless steel panels. These bits drill through stainless like butter and they stay sharp! Absolutely worth the price considering the time and effort they save!

1/8 or 5/16 they broke after one or two uses. I ask a young Milwaukee Rep is this is common for the cobalt bits and it there was a warranty for such an expensive product that breaks this easy. He said 'no', he will check into it and that I should go to the Service centre.

Terrible, package states hard metal, it should have said only for wood or plastic. These bits are horrible for hard metal. Save time and money buy a better m rated cobalt but for hard metal

So far my experience with these bits has been pretty decent, they are a little brittle but that’s to be expected for CO bit. If you properly use the drill bit you’ll have no problems.

They are sharp but not strong. I bent 3 different size bits drilling in metal.