Are Centrotec drill bits interchangeable?

[Lime green]

I've never owned a Centrotec drill bit and was watching a video where I saw someone use an Allen wrench to remove a drill bit out of the bit holder.  My question is, can you swap the drill bits for other drill bits, possibly imperial-sized drill bits?

 

[Euclid]

You could put any same-size drill bit in, although the ones supplied with the holder (you get three - making them less expensive than they might at first appear) have a flat on them where the grub screw bears, making them secure, whereas a wholly round shank might at some point spin in the holder.

I suppose you could put in a similar-size Imperial bit (which in practice means smaller size) but it wouldn't be properly centred in the holder.

 

[Knight Woodworks]

Yes the bits are removable. I have a couple of 3.5 mm holders with 1/8” brad point bits and countersinks. They work well.

John

 

[mrboult]

I file flat spots on regular drill bits and pop them in. takes 10-15seconds per bit to get a bit of a flat spot going. Thant's all you need.

I bought the packs of spares for the 3mm & 4mm as I break them the most. Otherwise I only buy the 10mm spares as they have the reduced shank for the 8mm (?) holder. I've not found that available anywhere else.

All the others just get replaced with regular HSS drill bits, that I file a slight flat spot onto. Works fine in my experience.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Snappy offers Centrotec format inch-format drill bits and countersinks for folks who need that support. They work well and the drill bits are readily replaceable. If I'm not mistaken, the Festool inch-format drill bits are also replaceable, but I didn't run out to the shop to check.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I just got a set of the Snappy bits yesterday. I haven't used any of them yet, but they look good.
They seem to have missed a perfect opportunity to make them fit into the charger space in the Systainer though. I'm sure that most users would never store them this way, because they keep the charger in place, but just a few millimeters smaller wouldn't hurt.

 

[Lime green]

I file flat spots on regular drill bits and pop them in. takes 10-15seconds per bit to get a bit of a flat spot going. Thant's all you need.

I bought the packs of spares for the 3mm & 4mm as I break them the most. Otherwise I only buy the 10mm spares as they have the reduced shank for the 8mm (?) holder. I've not found that available anywhere else.

All the others just get replaced with regular HSS drill bits, that I file a slight flat spot onto. Works fine in my experience.

Do you file them by hand, bench grinder?

 

[guybo]

Hi, you might be hard pressed to find bits that have not already been ground on three sides [big grin] one is a dewalt from the big box and the other is from safway. there is a limit for effective ground sides

 

[mrboult]

I file flat spots on regular drill bits and pop them in. takes 10-15seconds per bit to get a bit of a flat spot going. Thant's all you need.

I bought the packs of spares for the 3mm & 4mm as I break them the most. Otherwise I only buy the 10mm spares as they have the reduced shank for the 8mm (?) holder. I've not found that available anywhere else.

All the others just get replaced with regular HSS drill bits, that I file a slight flat spot onto. Works fine in my experience.

Do you file them by hand, bench grinder?

Sorry for the late reply. No i use a tiny tiny hand file that lives in my tool box. I hold the drill bit and lay the file, edge up, on the bench top and ‘scrub’ a little flat spot at the appropriate place in the drill bits’s shaft.