Buyers Guide: Drill Bits

No matter what you are using your drill for, the right drill bit is essential; insuring you get the best performance out of your drill and get the job done to the highest standard.

The correct drill bit will save you time and hassle and protect your drill from unnecessary wear and tear. Always use a sharp drill bit and choose the right type of bit for the job at hand.

Drill bits are available for drilling most materials including wood, metal, plastic, masonry, stone, tile and glass. Depending on what material you are working with you will need different drill bits and drilling methods. Whether drilling into metal, wood or concrete there are different drill bits and techniques that will guarantee a successfully result.

Types of Drill Bit Materials

Steel Bits – Ideal for softwoods; are inexpensive but will dull quickly and sometimes break when used on hardwood.

High Speed Steel (HSS) Bits – Harder and harder wearing than standard steel bits they will stay sharper for longer and perform better.

Titanium Coated Bits – More expensive than high speed bits; they will stay sharper longer and are more durable; designed for heavy-duty drilling into wood, plastic and most metals.

Zirconium Coated Bits- The Zirconium nitride coating provides extra strength and a split-point design on the tip allows precise drilling and faster penetration.

Carbide Tipped Bits – Designed to stay sharper much longer that titanium coated or high speed steel these are more expensive but will outlast.

Cobalt Bits – Ideal for hard materials including hardened stainless steel, cast iron and titanium; they are extremely hard and will dissipate heat effectively.

Choosing the Right Drill Bit

Plastic and Wood –  For general wood or plastic drilling choose a twist drill bit or a brad point is ideal for wood as they have a specially designed point to keep the bit in-place and extra wide flutes to remove the drilled material. For boring choose an auger bit or spade bit for holes from ¼” to 1½ “of for larger wood boring use a hole saw. For flat holes use a Forstner bit.

Metal – HSS drill bits or stronger are required for drilling metals such as aluminium, copper, zinc and iron. For stainless steel always use titanium coated bits. Twist bits are the most common for drilling and hole saw for boring with light metal.

Masonry – A rotary hammer or impact drill is required when drilling into dense masonry materials such as brick and concrete and always use masonry drill bits.

Drill Bit Tips & Techniques

• Always use sharp drill bits; a dull bit could damage your job and your drill. You should not have to force the drill bit into the materials, replace bits when they become dull.
• Buy the best quality drill bits you can afford; they will perform better and last longer than cheap bits that can be frustrating and breakable.
• For general drilling into plastic, wood and light metal use a twist bit at high speed.
• Always use a masonry bit for dense materials such as concrete and block. Use a hammer or impact drill at low speed.
• For drilling into ceramic, tile or glass use glass and tile bits at low speed.

DrillKings carry an extensive range of drill bits at very competitive prices. Check out our drill bit catalogue to find the right accessories to get the job done; all bits are in-stock unless otherwise specified and ready to ship, typically within 24 hours.

Great savings mean you get the Drill you want at a Price you can afford. That’s the DrillKings Advantage.