Benefits of Step Drill Bits

What are the benefits?

• (relatively) clean holes
• short length for easier maneuverability
• faster drilling
• no need for multiple twist drill bit sizes

Step drills work exceptionally well on sheet metal. They can be used on other materials as well, but you won’t get a straight smooth-walled hole in solid materials thicker than the step height.

Step bits are incredibly useful for one-step drilling operations.
Some step drills are self-starting, but the larger ones require a pilot hole. Often you can use a smaller step drill bit to bore the pilot hole for a larger one.

Some people hate step bits, but many love them. They seem to be quite popular with professional users who only need to carry a step bit or two rather than several twist bit sizes.

It can be a hard sell, convincing someone of the merits of a step bit. The price of better quality bits starts at $18 or so, and climbs higher for the larger sized bits, but as mentioned you can get generic-branded bits for less.