Whether you buy an expensive item or a cheap item, you always want to bag the best. And one of the ways to find the best is to look for certain significant features. If you are a DIYer and require to purchase some tools, it becomes a real challenge. Because professionals can easily identify the best quality products in the market due to their experience and knowledge. But, a DIYer needs to rely on the reviews and do some hour-long research.
Likewise, a drill and its bit are important tools often used for personal, professional, or household use. There is a diverse quality of bits available in the market; thus, it’s difficult to find the right one. Therefore, to help you ease with all the hard work, we have done the research for you. Below you will find the must-have key features you must look for in your targeted drill bits.
Know the purpose first
Since there is a wide variety of drill bits, you need to identify which drill bit you need. If you need to drill wood, metal, or concrete, you need different types of bits. Also, check out the drill configuration and what type of bit it can accommodate. So, before you look for the drill bit, do some brainstorming beforehand regarding your project and have a clear idea of which drill bit you need.
Type of drill bit
The next thing you should look for is the type of drill bit you need. There are diamond bits, Step Drill Bit, Drill Bit for Porcelain Tile, Masonry Drill Bit, and many more. As mentioned earlier, for tile, glass, wood, and concrete, you need to pick the right drill bit. Some of the popular drill bits are mentioned below:
HSS drill bits – the HSS or High-Speed Steel bits are a multipurpose bit. It’s ideal to drill through wood, fiberglass, PVC, and aluminum.
Cobalt drill bits – cobalt bits are useful for boring in tough metals like stainless steel and aluminum-based material.
HSS coated with black oxide – the coating on the HSS ensures the drill bit stays corrosion free and lasts longer. You can use them on both hard and soft materials.
HSS coated with titanium coated – the titanium coated bits are preferred because they can resist friction. Also, they are strong and stay sharp even after several uses.
Drill bits with carbide tip – the carbide-tipped bits are effective to drill through tile and masonry.
Design features
Another important thing you have to pay attention to a drill bit is its design. Here, you need to be a bit careful. There are different types of bit available; thus you need to check the tip, point angle, shape, main cutting edges, etc. for instance, if it’s a twisted drill bit, you need to check out the twists are smoothly constructed or not. Whether the tip is sharp and conical, similarly, depending on the type of bit you choose, carefully check if the design is consistent and suitable for your project.
Material
Based on the material used in the construction of the drill bit, the bit will serve your project. Usually, the good quality drill bits are constructed with High-speed steel, carbide, and cobalt. For soft materials, the HSS drill bits are used. Whereas, cobalt and carbide are used for hard materials. Also, check out if the bit is strong and resistant to corrosion. So, choose the material of the drill bit considering your project.
Size and thickness
The next thing you should consider is the length size and thickness of the drill bit. According to your project requirement and drill machine, choose the right size of the drill bit. Also, the thickness will ensure the stability, and accuracy in creating holes and durability of the bit.
Cutting Performance
The cutting performance will depend on the construction, design, and sharpness. Therefore, carefully check the main cutting edges, point angle, pointcuts, and so on.
Features to look for in drill bit for wood
There are certain types of drill bits available in the market to use on wood. Usually, they are made of hard steel, but they are a bit different in terms of shape. So, when you are choosing your drill bit for wood, consider the below features as a guide.
As per the design, the bit is flat and wide in diameter. The regular diameter size is between 13 to 20 mm. But it can be more than that.
Check if it’s spiral wicks of hectic wicks. Please note the spiral wicks are for removing the chip. And hectic wicks are used to drill on solid and thick material. The bits designed for wood generally have a smooth end.
Features to look in concrete drill bits
In concrete or masonry drill bits, there is a variety in propeller design. It’s for creating an accurate hole and removing dust clearly. When you look for concrete drill bits, don’t forget to check its shape. Usually, there are double L, double U, quadruple and turbo shape bits available.
Features to check-in metal drills
- Based on the tip angle, you may find different types of metal drills. There are drill bits available from 90 ° to 145 °. The tip of the bit is large and hard. (the harder the material, the larger the drill must be)
- The HSS drill bit is coated with cobalt
- To choose carbide drills for thick metal items
Final thought
There can be many other features you can pay attention to while purchasing the drill bits. But, we can assure you that these are the main features that will help you find the best quality drill bits in the market.