

The following drill bit types have characteristics that give them the upper hand when drilling on wood surfaces. You can use hole saws on wood boards, sheet metal, and other thin materials. Unlike most drill bits, hole saws cut a whole circular disc and leave a big hole on the material being cut. Hole saws are hollow cylindrical bits with a central shank that acts as a spur point. Step bits typically have a titanium nitride outer layer that prevents heat build-up due to friction during operation. They have a stepped, conical shape that makes them ideal for making variable-sized holes and enlarging existing thin material holes. Step bits are for making holes of various sizes. Twist bits are also considered general-use drill bits because they can drill through wood and plastic. You can use any of these for drilling holes through steel. Twist BitsĪlso called high-speed steel (HSS) bits, twist bits have a cylindrical shank that ranges in diameter from 0.8 mm to 12 mm.Īlthough standard twist bits are made from stainless steel, durable twist bits are made with tungsten and vanadium. General-purpose bits, also called universal bits, can be used for drilling wood, metal, plastic, and other materials. You can classify drill bits into four clusters depending on their intended material of application. Let’s take a look at all the available drill bits for various DIY applications. Instead, they have a slight angle at the tip.ĭrill bits for masonry have blunt carbide blades at the tip that typically protrude outside the shank diameter. On the other hand, metal drill bits do not usually have a sharp, pointed spur point. The lip ensures that the finish of the exit hole is smooth and does not have any splinters. This part acts like a chisel that slices through the wood fibers along the drilled hole circumference. In addition to the central spur point, wood bits have a lip. Wood bits typically come with central spur points for guiding the bit into the wood without sliding or slipping to a different part of the material being cut. You can identify a drill bit by looking at its physical characteristics. Most familiar drill bits are made of steel, but some combine different metals for particular tasks. Some drill bits have reduced shanks, which means the cutting portion has a larger diameter than the part attached to a drill. It comes in many shapes that typically have a circular or symmetric cross-section.ĭrill bits also come in a range of standardized sizes with circular or hex shanks. A drill bit is a metal object that attaches to and moves in a rotary motion at the end of power drills.
