7/16 spouts on buckets

[Trapper2]

I have been using a regular drill bit for years and really don't witness leakage. Maybe 2 out of 80 trees. Am I really missing something by not using special maple drill bits?
Thanks, Trapper

[Marcus]

If you buy a tapping bit, you will probably never go back to a regular bit.

[psparr]

+ 2 on the tapping bit. I am really cheap so it took me a while to break down and buy one. I will never go back.

[Biz]

When I made the switch from bit-and-brace to a tapping bit (only recently), I went from about 25% of taps leaking to 0%. A pretty good investment.

Dave

[Cjadamec]

I too am cheap and didn't want another bit floating around my tool bench. I got a tapping bit this year for Xmas from in laws who fail to see why I was excited about it and thought it was a boring gift.

Anyhow, I used it this week and would never tap a tree without it again. They are ground to different angles than standard Multipurpose bits and the flutes are ground sharp to leave as clean of a hole as possible. They are also made of high speed tool steel which allows them to hold a much sharper edge than regular drill steel. The steel is why they cost as much as they do. In my 20v cordless drill it feels like the bit is going thru butter it cuts so well.

[Sinzibuckwud]

I'm gonna find out in a couple weeks. 2 seconds in my hand and it has me convinced it is going to drill a bit faster, cut a lot smoother hole, and remove wood much better. One way to find out!

[Trapper2]

+ 2 on the tapping bit. I am really cheap so it took me a while to break down and buy one. I will never go back.

Another dilemma, I went to 7 supply house websites and I came up with 5 different type of bits. 2 sold Leaders and 2 of the supply houses sold the same Irwin bit as the bit of choice, I can get that one from my local hardware store for about $12.oo. What do you guys recommend? Thanks

[psparr]

Leader is fine. Irwin does not make a tapping bit. They are just selling it as one.
One thing you will learn with a tapping bit. A regular bit you put a good bit of pressure to drill the hole. A tapping bit you’ll be lucky if you dont sink the bit halfway through the tree without even trying.

[minehart gap]

One thing you will learn with a tapping bit. A regular bit you put a good bit of pressure to drill the hole. A tapping bit you’ll be lucky if you dont sink the bit halfway through the tree without even trying.
No kidding, used my tapping bit for the first time today. Be careful. Drills almost too fast and goes deep right away. Beautiful clean holes and it might just be me but I noticed that it seems that it takes more power and therefore shorter battery life.

[buckeye gold]

The irwin auger bit works very well. I lost a tapping bit and ran to the hardware store and bought an irwin 5/16 auger bit. I could not tell any difference in how they drilled or how the hole looked. I have used it for one full season and this fall and never noticed a leaking spile yet.

https://www.amazon.com/Irwin-49905-Power-Drill-I-100/dp/B00N5VVWXK