Buying a set of drills saves you money and—since they always come in some kind of box—gives you easy storage and identification.However, seemingly minor differences in shape and material can have a major impact on price and performance.
We’ve put together a simple guide on choosing a drill bit set with some suggestions.Our top pick, IRWIN’s 29-Piece Cobalt Steel Drill Bit Set, can handle just about any drilling task – especially hard metals, where standard drill bits would fail.
The job of the drill is simple, and while the basic groove design hasn’t changed for hundreds of years, the tip shape can vary to be effective in different materials.
The most common types are twist drills or rough drills, which are a good all-around option.A slight variation is the brad tip drill, which is designed for use with wood and has a narrow, sharp tip that prevents the drill from moving (also known as walking).Masonry bits follow a similar pattern to twist drills, but have a wide, flat tip to handle the high impact forces involved.
Once more than an inch in diameter, twist drills become impractical.The drill itself became too heavy and bulky.The next step is the spade drill, which is flat with spikes on both sides and a brad point in the middle.Forstner and serrated bits are also used (they produce cleaner holes than spade bits, but cost more), the largest being called hole saws.Instead of drilling a hole in the normal sense, these cut out a circle of material.The largest can cut holes several inches in diameter in concrete or cinder blocks.
Most drill bits are made of high speed steel (HSS).It is inexpensive, relatively easy to produce sharp cutting edges, and very durable.It can be improved in two ways: by changing the composition of the steel or coating it with other materials.Cobalt and chrome vanadium steels are examples of the former.They can be very tough and wear-resistant, but they are very expensive.
Coatings are more affordable because they are thin layers on the HSS body.Tungsten carbide and black oxide are popular, as are titanium and titanium nitride.Diamond-coated drill bits for glass, ceramic and large masonry bits.
A basic set of a dozen or so HSS bits should be standard in any home kit.If you break one, or if you have specific needs beyond its scope, you can always buy a separate replacement.A small set of masonry bits is another DIY staple.
Beyond that, it’s an old adage about having the right tools for the job.Trying to get the wrong exercise to do the job is frustrating and can ruin what you’re doing.They’re not expensive, so it’s always worth investing in the right type.
You can buy a cheap set of drills for a few bucks, and occasionally do it yourself, although they usually dull quickly.We wouldn’t recommend low-quality masonry bits—often, they’re practically useless.A variety of high-quality general purpose drill bit sets are available for $15 to $35, including large SDS masonry bits.The price of cobalt is high, and large sets can reach $100.
A. For most people, probably not.Typically, they are set at 118 degrees, which is great for wood, most composite materials, and soft metals like brass or aluminum.If you are drilling very hard materials such as cast iron or stainless steel, a 135 degree angle is recommended.
A. It’s a little tricky to use by hand, but there are a variety of grinder fixtures or separate drill sharpeners available.Carbide drills and titanium nitride (TiN) drills require a diamond-based sharpener.
What we like: Wide selection of common sizes in a convenient pull-out cassette.Heat and wear resistant cobalt for extended service life.The 135-degree angle provides efficient metal cutting.Rubber boot protects the case.
What we like: Great value, as long as you understand the limitations of the HSS bits.Provides drills and drivers for many jobs around the home, garage and garden.
What we like: There are only five drill bits, but they offer 50 hole sizes.Titanium coating for durability.Self-centering design, higher precision.Flats on shank prevent chuck from slipping.
Bob Beacham is a writer for BestReviews.BestReviews is a product review company with a mission: to help simplify your buying decisions and save you time and money.BestReviews never accepts free products from manufacturers and uses its own funds to buy every product it reviews.
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Post time: Feb-16-2022
