Drill bits are inserted into drills and carry out the drilling process. You can find a variety of drill bits designed for different purposes. This is helpful as it means you will be sure to find the right one for your work! There are also thousands on the market, ranging in materials, prices, and quality.
What Kind of Drill Bits are Available?
Hard materials used in the tool are stronger and will stay sharp for a longer period of time. An example of this is a carbide drill bit. They will manage to drill through almost any type of material. However, they can be more brittle and prone to snapping. Breaking the drill bit can be prevented by angling the drill properly. If you are using a hand-held impact drill, we recommend using a vice to hold the object in place. A drill press is even better for this, and is common in a range of industry workplaces.
An example of when harder materials are used is for masonry drill bits. Masonry drill bits are designed to drill through some of the toughest materials, such as concrete or stone. A hammer drill will be the most effective for cutting with these bits. Tungsten Carbide tips are a popular option due to being long lasting and reliable for masonry work.
Softer materials, such as soft low-carbon steel drill bits, will be a less expensive option. However they will need replaced more frequently as they will not stay sharp for so long. They will also only cope with drilling through soft materials such as wood. High-carbon steel bits are slightly more versatile, however the operator must be careful to ensure the drill bits do not overheat. If this happens, they can lose their temper and a soft cutting edge is left as a result. However, they will be suitable for both wood and metal.
We recommend purchasing drill bit sets. This will give you a variety of drill bits you require, and if one breaks you will still be able to use another. It is also an efficient choice as you will save money compared with buying them all separately.
Drill Bit Coatings
Drill bit coatings can make a difference to the quality of a drill bit. Black Oxide coatings are very common as they are not too expensive. They will benefit a high-speed drill bit by increasing its life span. Titanium Nitride is an even better type of coating. It is able to increase the life span of the bit by up to three times and can improve the cut.
Best Drill Bit Brands
Almost all of your big tool brands will supply drill bits. DeWalt sell excellent Titanium Drill Bit Sets which are some of our favourites. We also like Makita for the tool and find they will usually last well. However, the most important factor is looking at the material you are making a hole in. Depending on this, you can then select the right type of drill bit.