Pcb drill bit "vise"

[johnyrotten]

For those that use pcb drill bits I found a Starrett scribe that fits the drills perfectly and acts like a pin vise, with an 1/8" collet. 

[Bugatti Fan]

Neat idea !  You got yourself a good bit of tooling there John.

Starrett is a well known company in engineering circles who make high quality engineering tools for measuring and marking. Probably not available from the well known hobby tool suppliers. You would need to go to an engineering industry specialist tool supplier to obtain one if they are still in current production.

I like the replaceable scribing point in this tool for marking out too.

Edited September 23 by Bugatti Fan

[johnyrotten]

2 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

Neat idea !  You got yourself a good bit of tooling there John.

Starrett is a well known company in engineering circles who make high quality engineering tools for measuring and marking. Probably not available from the well known hobby tool suppliers. You would need to go to an engineering industry specialist tool supplier to obtain one if they are still in current production.

I like the replaceable scribing point in this tool for marking out too.

I'm a welder/fabricator by trade, I have a bunch of starrett tools I use daily, and I collect their older stuff. Most of my collection, and some of my modeling tools, come from swap meets and flea markets. Beats paying retail, paid a dollar for this scriber. I still need to clean it up, but it's in great condition. I'm going to check the big box stores to see if they have similar that's more readily available and affordable. 

Edited September 23 by johnyrotten
More information

[NOBLNG]

Super deal for a dollar!🙂 A guy at a local flea market has some nice precision stuff like that but he wants a fortune for them.😕 I use this AK pin vise. It will grip from a #24 (.152) down to a #78 (.016).

[Mark W]

18 hours ago, johnyrotten said:

For those that use pcb drill bits I found a Starrett scribe that fits the drills perfectly and acts like a pin vise, with an 1/8" collet. 

Nice tip on the Starrett punch John, looks like yours has seen some use.

Most of the time I use the pc board drill, cheap and they work. 
I have a set of Rogers 20 piece set, more expensive, but they do not screw themselves in as you’re drilling like the other ones. 
Also, they tend to stay centered on your punch mark better. There’s a use for both.

[Bugatti Fan]

No substitute for good tools like the ones you use John.

I am a retired engineer and still use tools that I bought and also ones I made at college as an apprentice.

A Browne and Sharpe combination set, some Moore&Wright Micrometers and calipers and a Swedish made Eskilstuna Vernier caliper have been in constant use all through my working life and now still in regular use in my model making workshop. Never owned any Starrett tools but have used them in the past.. Really well made.

[johnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Mark W said:

Nice tip on the Starrett punch John, looks like yours has seen some use.

Most of the time I use the pc board drill, cheap and they work. 
I have a set of Rogers 20 piece set, more expensive, but they do not screw themselves in as you’re drilling like the other ones. 
Also, they tend to stay centered on your punch mark better. There’s a use for both.

I've got a similar index, mine is a hout. I like to use both,depending on what I'm doing. That's a nice set,mine is the stack style. A little fiddley at times.

[johnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Bugatti Fan said:

No substitute for good tools like the ones you use John.

I am a retired engineer and still use tools that I bought and also ones I made at college as an apprentice.

A Browne and Sharpe combination set, some Moore&Wright Micrometers and calipers and a Swedish made Eskilstuna Vernier caliper have been in constant use all through my working life and now still in regular use in my model making workshop. Never owned any Starrett tools but have used them in the past.. Really well made.

I agree. I've sourced a few tools for  the model bench, a small combination square, that scriber, and a set of adjustable parallels have migrated there. And an old 1/2 inch gauge block I use as a square. I've found a cheap scribe online,but it's the pencil style and longer. While It would except the pcb drills, it would probably be awkward to use.

Edited September 23 by johnyrotten

[peteski]

Any pin-vise type tool with 1/8" shank collet works well to hold those PC board drills.  I simply use one of several pin-vises I own.

Edited September 24 by peteski

[bluestringer]

They also work well in the General file set handle.

 

[1930fordpickup]

The general brand pencil style scriber has the 1/8 collet size also. The one with the magnet on one end. I have ground  broken carbide tools to a point to use in it. (.020 to .0625 diameter end mills break if you push them to hard. So I have a few of these.) You can also use a round burr like a scrapper in these.

STARRET brand tools are great

 Just remember that they sell a larger scribe with a .187 diameter collet also. Sorry this is a Lufkin brand and not a starrett.

Picture below, a standard old Exacto knife for size, general scribe with burr inserted, Starrett and the Lufkin. 

Edited Tuesday at 12:17 AM by 1930fordpickup
Because I am a dork.

[1930fordpickup]

I just checked MSC and we can still purchase the scribes

You will want the one with the 1/4 handle..i

Edited Tuesday at 12:43 AM by 1930fordpickup

[Bugatti Fan]

Remember though it using PCB board drill bits that they are made from tungsten carbide and the slightest side pressure can break them.

[peteski]

16 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

Remember though it using PCB board drill bits that they are made from tungsten carbide and the slightest side pressure can break them.

Well yes, they are very hard and the real small sizes can be fragile if not handled properly, but I almost exclusively use PC board drills in my hobby, and while I have plenty of spares, I don't break them often.  I guess it is all in ones tough and handling.  I hold very small ones shank directly in my fingers, and when I use a pin vise I prefer ones which have rotating top. I can rest the top in the palm of my hand while using the thumb an index finger to spin it,  Only few of the alternate holders described here have that helpful feature.

To me the advantage of the extremely sharp split-point cutting surface outweighs their inherent fragility. Storing those bits securely also reduces the breakage from accidental dropping.  Here is my collection gathered over the years.

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 11:24 PM by peteski

[Big Messer]

I found the hard way that drills usually break not from pushing down but by pushing a little sideways when drilling, flexing them. But your mileage may vary.

[Straightliner59]

Yes, the tungsten-carbides are very brittle, but, you'll likely break them less frequently, as you get used to using them. I don't think you can ever really have too many drill bits, of any kind!😁I think I have about a dozen different pin vises, too.

[Bugatti Fan]

I have loads of them having worked for a PCB manufacturer in the pasf. They take quite a bit of getting used to because of their brittleness when used by model makers free hsnd or in a pin vice. They were designed to be used vertically to drill into very abrasive maferial, hence being made from tungsten carbide.

[Chariots of Fire]

Carbide drills are my favorite also.  I found a good source when I need to replace them.  Toolbits Unlimited has all kinds at reasonable prices.  I buy #74's in sets of 10 and the cost is only about $6.  Also have a variety similar to Peteski.

[Big Messer]

18 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Yes, the tungsten-carbides are very brittle, but, you'll likely break them less frequently, as you get used to using them. I don't think you can ever really have too many drill bits, of any kind!😁I think I have about a dozen different pin vises, too.

I have a higher survival rate when using them on my power drill press.

Edited 5 hours ago by Big Messer
clarification

[NOBLNG]

On 9/30/2025 at 6:24 PM, peteski said:

 ….when I use a pin vise I prefer ones which have rotating top. I can rest the top in the palm of my hand while using the thumb an index finger to spin it,  Only few of the alternate holders described here have that helpful feature.

 

The AK one I posted above has a rotating cap and that is exactly how I use it….steady the top in my palm and twirl the body with my fingers.👍