Before starting to drill our way into the materials, we need to buy the proper bits for the task. The market has plenty of them, and sometimes it is difficult to figure out which one works better for you.
To help you make your pick and complete your drilling process successfully, we’ve gathered the most popular and effective drilling bits available. Let’s talk about them.
Here Are The Most Popular Types Of Drill Bits
Twist Bits
The twist bits are the most popular ones, and you can find plenty of them easily on the market. Both hand and electric drills benefit from these bits.
It has edges at the front to cut the materials, while the spiral design gets rid of debris that may come out of your work. You can use these bits for timber, plastic, certain types of metals and other materials.
Some of the twist bits feature HSS (high-speed steel), which can drill through many materials and it is capable of withstanding high temperatures.
Another popular material for the bits construction is carbon steel. These bits are better for drilling in wood, and it is not recommended to use it on metals.
The Twist Bits come with a titanium nitride coating, and you can recognize it because of its color similar to gold. Its coating increases the quality of the bits by adding a protective layer that allows it to work on metals successfully.
While the twist bits come at different size ranges, from 0.8 to 12mm, they work better for holes of a small size. Also, when you use it on green wood, it might clog, which is why you must stop and get the waste out regularly.
Smaller bits are particularly thin. It requires you’re extra careful with it, always holding the drill in the perfect angle and use only the pressure needed for drilling.
For sharpening, you could use the drill sharpener, the grindstone jig, or even an oilstone will work.
However, there’s a problem for the titanium nitride. You can’t sharp these bits without losing its coating.
Pros
- They are the most simple bits, but they’re highly effective
- Optimum design for both cutting and cleaning
- Works for different materials, like timber, plastics, metals, and many more
- Available with HHS and carbon steel
- Titanium nitride coating improves their quality
- Available at different sizes
- Different sharpening methods
Cons
- Work better for small-sized holes
- Drilling big holes can clog it
- You can’t sharpen titanium nitride bits – Although, to be fair, if these bits require sharpening, it probably means they have lost the coating
Masonry Bits
Designed for drilling brick, concrete, stone, and many other masonry materials, the masonry bit features tungsten carbide, which bonds to a spiral steel shaft.
Some manufacturers use a silicon bronze alloy for the cutting point, instead of tungsten. These are less popular, but many people prefer it over the other, and people tend to call it durium tipped bits.
While you can use the masonry bits in power drills, with the right effort, you can use it in a hand brace as well. Nonetheless, you must be careful because the pressure hurts the bits, and it could shatter if it doesn’t have enough resistance to the drill’s action power.
For harder materials, it is better to drill at slow rotation speed. It avoids overheating, and it allows you to do quick stops to remove dust or debris lying around.
The market also offers longer masonry bits, from 300 to 400mm. These bits are capable of drilling masonry walls successfully and without issues.
For sharpening, you can use the regular drill sharpener or a grindstone. Both are efficient at sharpening these bits.
Pros
- Capable of drilling all sorts of masonry materials, like bricks, stones, concrete, and more
- Compatible with power drills, hand brace, and powerful hammer drills
- Longer masonry bits available to drill masonry walls
- A drill sharpener and a grindstone work well to sharpen them
Cons
- Extended drilling sessions damage the bits quickly
- Risk of shattering during intense working
- If you’re not careful, overheating is a common issue for the tips
Spur Point Bit
Commonly referred to as a wood bit, it has a central point, and a couple of raised spurs to maintain the bit in a straight position while drilling.
Using it with a power drill ensures quality cuts for timber, leaving a smooth and clean hole. People often use it to drill holes for the sides because of how perfect the holes are.
Their size varies from 3 up to 10mm, but all of them are better to drill wood or plastics.
Pros
- Perfect for wood or plastic
- Quality results
- Different sizes
Cons
- Not suitable for many materials
- Sharpening by hand using a bit fiddly
Bullet Pilot Point
These bits are similar to the spur point bit. The main difference is that the bullet can go through metal as well as plastic and wood.
Pros
- Works through metal, plastic, and wood
- Clean holes
- They share a similar design, but the bullet point is more accurate than the normal twist bits
Cons
- Difficult to sharpen
- Powerful enough to break the workbench, so you might want to be careful with it
Tile Bit
For ceramic tiles and glass, the tile bit features the ground tungsten carbide tip. You can use on a hand drill, but a power drill with different speed works better for it.
There are some considerations to keep in mind. For instance, while drilling glass, it is better to use a lubricant, like turpentine. It is the best method to keep the tip at a normal temperature.
These bits are hard to sharpen because of how hard the tungsten carbide is. It takes a high amount of effort and a lot of patience, but you can sharpen its edge with an oilstone.
Pros
- Compatible with hand and power drills
- Great for drilling glass
Cons
- Difficult to sharpen
- Requires the use of lubricant or it might overheat during certain applications
Flat Wood Bit
These bits work only with the power drill. The flat wood bit is capable of drilling larger holes, and they can produce holes with a flat bottom. Of course, to work on larger projects, you’re going to need a powerful drill compatible with this bit.
While using the flat wood bit, you should wear your protective gear. The bit produces splintering that could hurt you and the table where the material is lying.
To sharpen it, you can use the oilstone or a grindstone.
Pros
- Powerful bit for large projects
- Produces a flat bottom
- Compatible with powerful drills
- Plenty of sharpening methods
Cons
- Produces a lot of splinters
Conclusion
The variety of drilling bits allows us to work on plenty of materials to design our projects.
Before buying them, make sure they are compatible with your projects and your hammer drills. Otherwise, you would have wasted your money, and the material could end up ruined.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmuDlovQHJU
