OK, I've busted a few drills in my time, even a couple of 5/8". But to break an almost new Nachi 7/16" by dropping it on the floor from waist level is clearly a new one on me. I've spouted my love of Nachi tools for years, their stuff if vastly superior to most other makers I have used but I'm going to rip them off a letter of reprimand unless I'm way off base here. The drill broke about 2" from the tip after a three foot fall to the concrete. Has this EVER happened before?
Yeah, that sounds like a heat-treating screw-up. Those problems aren't unknown even among the best manufacturers.
HSS has to go through a second tempering step to achieve its high-temperature capability. After the first one, if the steel is allowed to quench completely -- which effectively allows the first quench to overharden the steel and to lock in stresses -- it can be brittle as glass.
"Tom Gardner" wrote in news:gOMTi.362$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr25.news.prodigy.net:
Didn't get quenched, and be glad it broke from dropping it, instead of when you had it spinning at chest level. You should definately give them a call...save the package, they may want the lot number.
This is plain HSS? Very odd, and has to be some kind of heat-treat error. If it was solid carbide (should be able to tell by weight alone) then it is par for the course, they are quite shatterable.
well, what I would do in this situation is to write a letter to the company, a nice letter, not a nasty one, and include the drill - tell them of our love for their product over the years and suggest that there must have been something wrong with this drill because you are sure that this should not have happened. I've done this several times with various companies when good things suddenly go bad - in almost every case I've gotten back a nice letter, some suitable compensation (almost always better than whatever was problematic), and did not have to be disappointed. In exactly one case, (a soft drink that I had finally found again after years of looking only to discover that the formula had changed and it tasted like carbonated bird spit), the nice letter said "we are so glad you discovered the new flavor of our product" - and they sent me a pile of coupons that I discarded - if I want bird spit I'll go suck on a sea gull.
anyway, a pleasant letter to the company will probably work wonders
I agree, I always send nice letters...more flies with honey kinda' thing. The replies I received from my op confirm that it shouldn't have broken. Funny thing is that I've used the drill a few times and I would have expected a failure during use if there was a HT problem or an inclusion.
Like you, I'm quick to get off a letter to most anyone that disappoints.
Years ago, I was in a grocery store and saw some frozen chicken pot pies. They instantly brought back memories of my youth, when I'd buy a couple for a quick meal. They were quite good, as I recalled.
I purchased three of the ones in the store and couldn't wait to give them a go. Upon opening the first one, I was greeted with some strange looking goo, one pea, a piece of potato, traces of carrot, and several square pieces of reconstituted chicken, likely nothing more than skin, with, perhaps, the odd beak or foot tossed in. I was furious. It was so bad that I tossed the other two, and got right on the computer to send a scathing letter.
In my not so complimentary, but hopefully funny letter, I advised them that what they were marketing wasn't fit for human consumption. I was damned hot-----especially when the photo on the box resembled what I remembered as a boy.
Some time later, I received in the mail a nice letter, accompanied with three coupons for more of their chicken pot pies. I could hardly believe what I was reading.
I promptly returned them to the outfit, advising them that they should give them to someone that was far more desperate than I was, commenting that they would see no more of my dollars for their products.
You'd think that would be the end of the matter, but that was not to be.
It appears that I was one of many that had complained about their lack of quality. No less than three years passed, when one fine day I receive in the mail, a coupon for their new and improved chicken pot pie. True to their word, they had changed their recipe back to what I remembered as a lad. They did cost more, I should mention, but they were, at least, edible.
The one thing to consider is that while HSS has incredible tensile and compressive strength, it's not known for its ability to resist shock. A sharp hit will often break HSS.
I agree on the inclusion. I sent a note to Nachi and got a responce already that they were forwarding to elseware in the organization. I'l bet I get a personal responce and maybe a new drill!
Funny you should mention chicken pot pies, I guess it's that time of the year. We were just talking about getting some "Marie Callender" brand pot pies because we love them so. I don't know if they are national or regional but try them if you can.
Regarding inclusions, not likely in a quality HSS tool. They're made from electroslag-remelt or vacuum-remelt steel. Anything that doesn't melt and get stirred into the melt generally is light enough to float out with the slag. Remelted steel is as clean as it gets.
Marie Callender, Boston Market and Pepperidge Farms large (~16 oz) and small (~10 oz) chicken (some are called Roast Chicken) pot pies are all potable. I try to only buy them on sale or with a coupon. Marie's can be had in a four pack (~10 oz) and you can save a little $. Banquet and store label brands are only to be eaten-at-your-own-risk, urp!
You have to PAY more for them to leave the salt out of stuff. Go figure, but there are plenty of people doing just that.
I haven't yet come across any low-salt pot pies though in any brand. Both Mom and myself grumble about all the salt too. Neither of us have a restricted diet, but we really don't need all the salt either...
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