Review on 🔧 General Tools 24 Hobby Drill Machine by Eldrick Carlton

I think I'll start this review by listing what I like about it. This is a very handy tool. This is much quicker than using digital calipers to determine drill diameters and I was looking forward to using them in place of my calipers. The number markings are clear and easy to read, which is one of the reasons I chose these. several other brands. Not only are the numbers physically etched into the metal (so they won't wear off even after years of use), but they're also etched in black ink to increase contrast and make it easier to read. After some use and manipulation the black paint will come off (as with all similar etched and painted parts), but simply putting a little paint back on the engravings will do (nail polish is great, wipe off and then wipe off the excess, and the paint remains only in grooves / etchings). It's also a strong piece of metal (stainless steel too - so NO RUST!). It's well made for what it is (don't expect a shiny chrome look). It's small enough to store away easily, but not so small that it's easy to lose (I think it looks bigger in the picture than it actually is). Actual dimensions are 2-3/8" x 6-3/4". A great product so far. After sorting about 100 drill bits with it, I was left with a small stack that didn't fit in any of the holes. I didn't give it too much thought at first as part size drills are only one of 4 popular ways of sizing drills (the other three being US number 1-60, US letter AZ and metric). was one of them. So I pulled out my calipers to get the diameter of those remaining bits. After measuring 4 or 5 that looked almost the same size, I found that they were all within one thousandth of 25/64 (0.390 diameter). I then measured the 25/64 hole in this gauge and found it to be 3 thousandths smaller (the caliper shows .387), which doesn't sound like much. However, this meant that a properly sized 25/64 bit would not fit in the corresponding 25/64 hole of this jig. I found the same problem with 1/4, 5/64, 1/8 and 7/32 holes. Only five holes were smaller. A quick job with the cutter brought all these smaller holes to spec and was able to correctly measure the size marked next to it. Not everyone has a milling cutter (or even a drill) and therefore cannot exactly fix it if necessary. Keep this in mind. Just for fun (not really) I decided to measure all the other holes to see where they actually end up. I have found that the remaining holes are oversized by about 2-4 thousandths of the decimal number specified therein. My guess is that the holes need to be enlarged a bit to allow the appropriate bit for each hole to fit in with a comfortable but snug fit (if machined to the exact size it may be difficult to get a bit in the hole). So I'm not blaming this product for enlarging the holes slightly as that was probably intentional. The size in 2-4 thousandths is accurate enough to measure and sort drills. So be aware that some of the holes may be too small and therefore your drill bits will not fit. If you have a caliper to check each hole size and a drill/mill to fix them, it only takes a few minutes to change that gauge to work properly when some holes are failing . If you don't have any and find after sorting that you have some drills left, you may need another drill or a friend to help you fix it. very happy with how helpful it is. Just keep in mind that this may not be entirely helpful to you.