Tamiya Fine Pivot Drill Bits

Drilling tiny holes can be really frustrating for a variety of reasons, so I’m always looking for ways to reduce the stress.

Figure 1 A Tamiya pivot drill bit still in its packaging. The illustration on the insert clearly shows the distinctive short flute and 1mm diameter shaft. With typical Tamiya care and attention to detail, the bit comes in a diminutive protective plastic case.

As modellers, we always have to drill holes in things and that’s not usually a problem. There are lots of sources of drill bits in an amazing range of sizes. But the smaller the hole you want to drill, the more irritating the job seems to get. In my experience, the tipping point begins to happen when you venture under 0.5mm diameter holes and has definitely arrived by the time you get to 0.3mm.

Admit it: just how many 0.3mm drill bits have you snapped? I know it keeps happening to me, no matter how careful I am. And the more care you take, the longer it seems to take to drill the hole. Frustrating at every turn. One valid option is to buy lots of cheap drill bits and accept a high rate of attrition. That’s fine but cheapness generally equates with poor quality and, in my experience, such drill bits blunt quickly (assuming they don’t snap first).

So I have decided to experiment with a different approach by going for something more expensive in the hope that it’ll result in durability and quality. With that in mind, I recently decided to give the Tamiya pivot drill bits a try. In particular, I wanted to test their 0.3mm diameter ones because I’m working on a project that calls for many holes this size.

On the face of things, the Tamiya brand, the short flute length and the 1mm diameter shank are all promising signs. The short flute theoretically means less thin fragile material to flex and break; the bigger shank should make it easier to load square and central in the collet of a pin vise. So much for the promise, what about the reality?

Figure 2 What a lot of warnings for such a tiny item! Hopefully, though, this gives you an idea of the size and design of these Tamiya pivot drill bits and explains why I was keen to try them.

So far, my experience is that the promise is being fulfilled. I have definitely felt the benefit of the sharper cutting edge of these bits compared to others I have used and that has led to faster results. That in turn means less drilling time when the bit is at risk of snapping. That doesn’t mean you can throw caution to the wind but it does engender greater confidence. The only unproven aspect is durability. I’ll need to continue putting the bits through their paces before I can assess how much life they have in them before they become too blunt to use.

Overall my verdict is positive. Yes, these bits are pricey but I’m currently of the opinion that one Tamiya pivot drill bit will serve me as well as five to ten cheaper ones.