Drill bit

Drill bits are cut t ing t ools used in a drill t o remove mat erial t o creat e holes, almost always of
circular cross-sect ion. Drill bit s come in many sizes and shapes and can creat e different kinds of
holes in many different mat erials. In order t o creat e holes drill bit s are usually at t ached t o a drill,
which powers t hem t o cut t hrough t he workpiece, t ypically by rot at ion. The drill will grasp t he
upper end of a bit called t he shank in t he chuck.

From top: Spade, brad point,

masonry, and twist drills bits

Drill bit (upper left), mounted on a

pistol-grip electric drill
 A set of masonry drills

Drills come in st andardized drill bit sizes. A comprehensive drill bit and t ap size chart list s met ric
and imperial sized drills alongside t he required screw t ap sizes. There are also cert ain specialized
drill bit s t hat can creat e holes wit h a non-circular cross-sect ion.[1]

Characteristics
Drill geomet ry has several charact erist ics:

The spiral (or rate of twist) in the drill bit

controls the rate of chip removal. A fast
spiral (high twist rate or "compact flute")
drill bit is used in high feed rate
applications under low spindle speeds,
where removal of a large volume of
chips is required. Low spiral (low twist
rate or "elongated flute") drill bits are
used in cutting applications where high
cutting speeds are traditionally used,
and where the material has a tendency
to gall on the bit or otherwise clog the
hole, such as aluminum or copper.
The point angle, or the angle formed at
the tip of the bit, is determined by the
material the bit will be operating in.
Harder materials require a larger point
angle, and softer materials require a
sharper angle. The correct point angle
for the hardness of the material
influences wandering, chatter, hole
shape, and wear rate.
The lip angle determines the amount of
support provided to the cutting edge. A
greater lip angle will cause the bit to cut
more aggressively under the same
amount of point pressure as a bit with a
smaller lip angle. Both conditions can
cause binding, wear, and eventual
catastrophic failure of the tool. The
proper amount of lip clearance is
determined by the point angle. A very
acute point angle has more web surface
area presented to the work at any one
time, requiring an aggressive lip angle,
where a flat bit is extremely sensitive to
small changes in lip angle due to the
small surface area supporting the
cutting edges.
The functional length of a bit
determines how deep a hole can be
drilled, and also determines the
stiffness of the bit and accuracy of the
resultant hole. While longer bits can drill
deeper holes, they are more flexible
meaning that the holes they drill may
have an inaccurate location or wander
from the intended axis. Twist drill bits
are available in standard lengths,
referred to as Stub-length or Screw-
Machine-length (short), the extremely
 common Jobber-length (medium), and
Taper-length or Long-Series (long).
Most drill bit s for consumer use have st raight shanks. For heavy dut y drilling in indust ry, bit s wit h
t apered shanks are somet imes used. Ot her t ypes of shank used include hex-shaped, and various
propriet ary quick release syst ems.

The diamet er-t o-lengt h rat io of t he drill bit is usually bet ween 1:1 and 1:10. Much higher rat ios
are possible (e.g., "aircraft -lengt h" t wist bit s, pressured-oil gun drill bit s, et c.), but t he higher t he
rat io, t he great er t he t echnical challenge of producing good work.

The best geomet ry t o use depends upon t he propert ies of t he mat erial being drilled. The
following t able list s geomet ries recommended for some commonly drilled mat erials.

Tool geomet ry[2]

Workpiece material Point angle Helix angle Lip relief angle

Aluminum 90–135 32–48 12–26

Brass 90–118 0–20 12–26

Cast iron 90–118 24–32 7–20

Mild st eel 118–135 24–32 7–24

St ainless st eel 118–135 24–32 7–24

Plast ics 60–90 0–20 12–26

Materials

Titanium
nitride
coated twist
bit

Many different mat erials are used for or on drill bit s, depending on t he required applicat ion. Many
hard mat erials, such as carbides, are much more brit t le t han st eel, and are far more subject t o
breaking, part icularly if t he drill is not held at a very const ant angle t o t he workpiece; e.g., when
hand-held.
Steels

Soft low-carbon steel bits are

inexpensive, but do not hold an edge
well and require frequent sharpening.
They are used only for drilling wood;
even working with hardwoods rather
than softwoods can noticeably shorten
their lifespan.
Bits made from high-carbon steel are
more durable than low-carbon steel bits
due to the properties conferred by
hardening and tempering the material. If
they are overheated (e.g., by frictional
heating while drilling) they lose their
temper, resulting in a soft cutting edge.
These bits can be used on wood or
metal.
High-speed steel (HSS) is a form of tool
steel; HSS bits are hard and much more
resistant to heat than high-carbon steel.
They can be used to drill metal,
hardwood, and most other materials at
greater cutting speeds than carbon-steel
bits, and have largely replaced carbon
steels.
Cobalt steel alloys are variations on
high-speed steel that contain more
cobalt. They hold their hardness at
much higher temperatures and are used
to drill stainless steel and other hard
 materials. The main disadvantage of
cobalt steels is that they are more brittle
than standard HSS.

Others

Tungsten carbide and other carbides are

extremely hard and can drill virtually all
materials, while holding an edge longer
than other bits. The material is
expensive and much more brittle than
steels; consequently they are mainly
used for drill-bit tips, small pieces of
hard material fixed or brazed onto the tip
of a bit made of less hard metal.
However, it is becoming common in job
shops to use solid carbide bits. In very
small sizes it is difficult to fit carbide
tips; in some industries, most notably
printed circuit board manufacturing,
requiring many holes with diameters
less than 1 mm, solid carbide bits are
used.
Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is among
the hardest of all tool materials and is
therefore extremely resistant to wear. It
consists of a layer of diamond particles,
typically about 0.5 mm (0.020 in) thick,
bonded as a sintered mass to a
tungsten-carbide support. Bits are
fabricated using this material by either
brazing small segments to the tip of the
tool to form the cutting edges or by
sintering PCD into a vein in the tungsten-
carbide "nib". The nib can later be brazed
to a carbide shaft; it can then be ground
to complex geometries that would
otherwise cause braze failure in the
smaller "segments". PCD bits are
typically used in the automotive,
aerospace, and other industries to drill
abrasive aluminum alloys, carbon-fiber
reinforced plastics, and other abrasive
materials, and in applications where
machine downtime to replace or
sharpen worn bits is exceptionally
costly. PCD is not used on ferrous
metals due to excess wear resulting
 from a reaction between the carbon in
the PCD and the iron in the metal.

Coatings

Diamond-coated 2 mm bits, used for

drilling materials such as glass

Black oxide is an inexpensive black

coating. A black oxide coating provides
heat resistance and lubricity, as well as
corrosion resistance. The coating
increases the life of high-speed steel
bits.
Titanium nitride (TiN) is a very hard
metallic material that can be used to
coat a high-speed steel bit (usually a
twist bit), extending the cutting life by
three or more times. Even after
sharpening, the leading edge of coating
still provides improved cutting and
lifetime.
Titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) is a
similar coating that can extend tool life
five or more times.
Titanium carbon nitride (TiCN) is another
coating also superior to TiN.
Diamond powder is used as an abrasive,
most often for cutting tile, stone, and
other very hard materials. Large
amounts of heat are generated by
friction, and diamond-coated bits often
have to be water-cooled to prevent
damage to the bit or the workpiece.
Zirconium nitride has been used as a
drill-bit coating for some tools under the
Craftsman brand name.
Al-Chrome Silicon Nitride (AlCrSi/Ti)N is
a multilayer coating made of alternating
nanolayer, developed using chemical
vapor deposition technique, is used in
drilling carbon fiber reinforced polymer
(CFRP) and CFRP-Ti stack. (AlCrSi/Ti)N
is a superhard ceramic coating, which
performs better than other coated and
uncoated drill.[3][4]
 BAM coating is Boron-Aluminum-
Magnesium BAlMgB14 is a superhard
ceramic coating also used in composite
drilling.[3][5]

Universal bits
General-purpose drill bit s can be used in wood, met al, plast ic, and most ot her mat erials.

Twist drill bit

The t wist drill bit is t he t ype produced in largest quant it y t oday. It comprises a cut t ing point at
t he t ip of a cylindrical shaft wit h helical flut es; t he flut es act as an Archimedean screw and lift
swarf out of t he hole.

The modern-st yle t wist drill bit was invent ed by Sir Joseph Whit wort h in 1860. They were lat er
improved by St even A. Morse of East Bridgewat er, Massachuset t s, who experiment ed wit h t he
pit ch of t he t wist .[6][7][8] The original met hod of manufact ure was t o cut t wo grooves in opposit e
sides of a round bar, t hen t o t wist t he bar (giving t he t ool it s name) t o produce t he helical flut es.
Nowadays, t he drill bit is usually made by rot at ing t he bar while moving it past a grinding wheel t o
cut t he flut es in t he same manner as cut t ing helical gears.

Twist drill bit s range in diamet er from 0.002 t o 3.5 in (0.051 t o 88.900 mm)[9] and can be as long
as 25.5 in (650 mm).[10]

The geomet ry and sharpening of t he cut t ing edges is crucial t o t he performance of t he bit .
Small bit s t hat become blunt are oft en discarded because sharpening t hem correct ly is difficult
and t hey are cheap t o replace. For larger bit s, special grinding jigs are available. A special t ool
grinder is available for sharpening or reshaping cut t ing surfaces on t wist drill bit s in order t o
opt imize t he bit for a part icular mat erial.

Manufact urers can produce special versions of t he t wist drill bit , varying t he geomet ry and t he
mat erials used, t o suit part icular machinery and part icular mat erials t o be cut . Twist drill bit s are
available in t he widest choice of t ooling mat erials. However, even for indust rial users, most holes
are drilled wit h st andard high-speed st eel bit s.

A 5 mm carbide bit displaying shallow

point angle.

The most common t wist drill bit (sold in general hardware st ores) has a point angle of 118
degrees, accept able for use in wood, met al, plast ic, and most ot her mat erials, alt hough it does
not perform as well as using t he opt imum angle for each mat erial. In most mat erials it does not
t end t o wander or dig in.

A more aggressive angle, such as 90 degrees, is suit ed for very soft plast ics and ot her mat erials;
it would wear rapidly in hard mat erials. Such a bit is generally self-st art ing and can cut very
quickly. A shallower angle, such as 150 degrees, is suit ed for drilling st eels and ot her t ougher
mat erials. This st yle of bit requires a st art er hole, but does not bind or suffer premat ure wear so
long as a suit able feed rat e is used.

Drill bit s wit h no point angle are used in sit uat ions where a blind, flat -bot t omed hole is required.
These bit s are very sensit ive t o changes in lip angle, and even a slight change can result in an
inappropriat ely fast cut t ing drill bit t hat will suffer premat ure wear.

Long series drill bit s are unusually long t wist drill bit s. However, t hey are not t he best t ool for
rout inely drilling deep holes, as t hey require frequent wit hdrawal t o clear t he flut es of swarf and
t o prevent breakage of t he bit . Inst ead, gun drill (t hrough coolant drill) bit s are preferred for deep
hole drilling.
Twist Twist drill bit with
drill bit Morse taper
cutting shank
edges

11⁄ in (8.7313 mm) drill

32
bits - long-series morse,
plain morse, jobber
Step drill bit
A step drill bit is a drill bit t hat has t he t ip ground down t o a different diamet er. The t ransit ion
bet ween t his ground diamet er and t he original diamet er is eit her st raight , t o form a count erbore,
or angled, t o form a count ersink. The advant age t o t his st yle is t hat bot h diamet ers have t he
same flut e charact erist ics, which keeps t he bit from clogging when drilling in soft er mat erials,
such as aluminum; in cont rast , a drill bit wit h a slip-on collar does not have t he same benefit .
Most of t hese bit s are cust om-made for each applicat ion, which makes t hem more expensive.[11]

Unibit

A pair of unibits.

A unibit (oft en called a st ep drill bit ) is a roughly conical bit wit h a st airst ep profile.[11] Due t o it s
design, a single bit can be used for drilling a wide range of hole sizes. Some bit s come t o a point
and are t hus self-st art ing. The larger-size bit s have blunt t ips and are used for hole enlarging.

Unibit s are commonly used on sheet met al[11] and in general const ruct ion. One drill bit can drill
t he ent ire range of holes necessary on a count ert op, speeding up inst allat ion of fixt ures. They
are oft en used on soft er mat erials, such as plywood, part icle board, drywall, acrylic, and laminat e.
They can be used on very t hin sheet met al, but met als t end t o cause premat ure bit wear and
dulling.

Unibit s are ideal for use in elect rical work where t hin st eel, aluminum or plast ic boxes and chassis
are encount ered. The short lengt h of t he unibit and abilit y t o vary t he diamet er of t he finished
hole is an advant age in chassis or front panel work. The finished hole can oft en be made quit e
smoot h and burr-free, especially in plast ic.
An addit ional use of unibit s is deburring holes left by ot her bit s, as t he sharp increase t o t he next
st ep size allows t he cut t ing edge t o scrape burrs off t he ent ry surface of t he workpiece.
However, t he st raight flut e is poor at chip eject ion, and can cause a burr t o be formed on t he exit
side of t he hole, more so t han a spiral t wist drill bit t urning at high speed.

The unibit was invent ed by Harry C. Oakes and pat ent ed in 1973.[12] It was sold only by t he Unibit
Corporat ion in t he 1980s unt il t he pat ent expired, and was lat er sold by ot her companies. Unibit is
a t rademark of Irwin Indust rial Tools.

Alt hough it is claimed t hat t he st epped drill was invent ed by Harry C. Oakes it was in fact
conceived by George Godbold and first produced by Bradley Engineering, Wandswort h, London in
t he 1960s and named t he Bradrad. It was market ed under t his name unt il t he pat ent was sold t o
Halls Lt d.uk by whom it is st ill produced.

Hole saw

1.25 in (32 mm) hole saw bit.

Hole saws t ake t he form of a short open cylinder wit h saw-t eet h on t he open edge, used for
making relat ively large holes in t hin mat erial. They remove mat erial only from t he edge of t he
hole, cut t ing out an int act disc of mat erial, unlike many drills which remove all mat erial in t he
int erior of t he hole. They can be used t o make large holes in wood, sheet met al and ot her
mat erials.
For metal

Center and spotting drill bit

Center drill bits, numbers 1 to 6

Center drill bits , occasionally known as Slocombe drill bit s, are used in met alworking t o provide
a st art ing hole for a larger-sized drill bit or t o make a conical indent at ion in t he end of a
workpiece in which t o mount a lat he cent er. In eit her use, t he name seems appropriat e, as t he bit
is eit her est ablishing t he center of a hole or making a conical hole for a lat he center. However, t he
t rue purpose of a cent er drill bit is t he lat t er t ask, while t he former t ask is best done wit h a
spotting drill bit (as explained in det ail below). Nevert heless, because of t he frequent lumping
t oget her of bot h t he t erminology and t he t ool use, suppliers may call cent er drill bit s combined-
drill-and-countersinks in order t o make it unambiguously clear what product is being ordered.
They are numbered from 00 t o 10 (smallest t o largest ).

Use in making holes for lathe centers

Cent er drill bit s are meant t o creat e a conical hole for "bet ween cent ers" manufact uring
processes (t ypically lat he or cylindrical-grinder work). That is, t hey provide a locat ion for a (live,
dead, or driven) cent er t o locat e t he part about an axis. A workpiece machined bet ween cent ers
can be safely removed from one process (perhaps t urning in a lat he) and set up in a lat er process
(perhaps a grinding operat ion) wit h a negligible loss in t he co-axialit y of feat ures (usually t ot al
indicat or reading (TIR) less t han 0.002 in (0.05 mm); and TIR < 0.0001 in (0.003 mm) is held in
cylindrical grinding operat ions, as long as condit ions are correct ).

Use in spotting hole centers

Tradit ional t wist drill bit s may t end t o wander when st art ed on an unprepared surface. Once a bit
wanders off course it is difficult t o bring it back on cent er. A cent er drill bit frequent ly provides a
reasonable st art ing point as it is short and t herefore has a reduced t endency t o wander when
drilling is st art ed.

While t he above is a common use of cent er drill bit s, it is a t echnically incorrect pract ice and
should not be considered for product ion use. The correct t ool t o st art a t radit ionally drilled hole
(a hole drilled by a high-speed st eel (HSS) t wist drill bit ) is a spotting drill bit (or a spot drill bit, as
t hey are referenced in t he U.S.). The included angle of t he spot t ing drill bit should be t he same
as, or great er t han, t he convent ional drill bit so t hat t he drill bit will t hen st art wit hout undue
st ress on t he bit 's corners, which would cause premat ure failure of t he bit and a loss of hole
qualit y.

Most modern solid-carbide bit s should not be used in conjunct ion wit h a spot drill bit or a cent er
drill bit , as solid-carbide bit s are specifically designed t o st art t heir own hole. Usually, spot drilling
will cause premat ure failure of t he solid-carbide bit and a cert ain loss of hole qualit y. If it is
deemed necessary t o chamfer a hole wit h a spot or cent er drill bit when a solid-carbide drill bit is
used, it is best pract ice t o do so aft er t he hole is drilled.

When drilling wit h a hand-held drill t he flexibilit y of t he bit is not t he primary source of inaccuracy
—it is t he user's hands. Therefore, for such operat ions, a cent er punch is oft en used t o spot t he
hole cent er prior t o drilling a pilot hole.
Core drill bit

HSS core drills in various

sizes

A magnetic core drilling

machine making hole with
annular cutter (core drill)

The t erm core drill bit is used for t wo quit e different t ools.

Enlarging holes
A bit used t o enlarge an exist ing hole is called a core drill bit . The exist ing hole may be t he result
of a core from a cast ing or a st amped (punched) hole. The name comes from it s first use, for
drilling out t he hole left by a foundry core, a cylinder placed in a mould for a cast ing t hat leaves
an irregular hole in t he product . This core drill bit is solid.

These core drill bit s are similar in appearance t o reamers as t hey have no cut t ing point or means
of st art ing a hole. They have 3 or 4 flut es which enhances t he finish of t he hole and ensures t he
bit cut s evenly. Core drill bit s differ from reamers in t he amount of mat erial t hey are int ended t o
remove. A reamer is only int ended t o enlarge a hole a slight amount which, depending on t he
reamers size, may be anyt hing from 0.1 millimet er t o perhaps a millimet er. A core drill bit may be
used t o double t he size of a hole.

Using an ordinary t wo-flut e t wist drill bit t o enlarge t he hole result ing from a cast ing core will not
produce a clean result , t he result will possibly be out of round, off cent er and generally of poor
finish. The t wo flut ed drill bit also has a t endency t o grab on any prot uberance (such as flash)
which may occur in t he product .

Extracting core
A hollow cylindrical bit which will cut a hole wit h an annular cross-sect ion and leave t he inner
cylinder of mat erial (t he "core") int act , oft en removing it , is also called a core drill bit or annular
cut t er. Unlike ot her drills, t he purpose is oft en t o ret rieve t he core rat her t han simply t o make a
hole. A diamond core drill bit is int ended t o cut an annular hole in t he workpiece. Large bit s of
similar shape are used for geological work, where a deep hole is drilled in sediment or ice and t he
drill bit , which now cont ains an int act core of t he mat erial drilled wit h a diamet er of several
cent imet ers, is ret rieved t o allow st udy of t he st rat a.

Countersink bit
A count ersink is a conical hole cut int o a manufact ured object ; a count ersink bit (somet imes
called simply count ersink) is t he cut t er used t o cut such a hole. A common use is t o allow t he
head of a bolt or screw, wit h a shape exact ly mat ching t he count ersunk hole, t o sit flush wit h or
below t he surface of t he surrounding mat erial. (By comparison, a count erbore makes a flat -
bot t omed hole t hat might be used wit h a hex-headed capscrew.) A count ersink may also be used
t o remove t he burr left from a drilling or t apping operat ion.
Ejector drill bit
Used almost exclusively for deep hole drilling of medium t o large diamet er holes (approximat ely
3⁄ –4 in or 19–102 mm diamet er). An eject or drill bit uses a specially designed carbide cut t er at
4
t he point . The bit body is essent ially a t ube wit hin a t ube. Flushing wat er t ravels down bet ween
t he t wo t ubes. Chip removal is back t hrough t he cent er of t he bit .

Gun drill bit

Gun drills are st raight flut ed drills which allow cut t ing fluid (eit her compressed air or a suit able
liquid) t o be inject ed t hrough t he drill's hollow body t o t he cut t ing face.

Indexable drill bit

Indexable drill bit s are primarily used in CNC and ot her high precision or product ion equipment , and
are t he most expensive t ype of drill bit , cost ing t he most per diamet er and lengt h. Like indexable
lat he t ools and milling cut t ers, t hey use replaceable carbide or ceramic insert s as a cut t ing face
t o alleviat e t he need for a t ool grinder. One insert is responsible for t he out er radius of t he cut ,
and anot her insert is responsible for t he inner radius. The t ool it self handles t he point deformit y,
as it is a low-wear t ask. The bit is hardened and coat ed against wear far more t han t he average
drill bit , as t he shank is non-consumable. Almost all indexable drill bit s have mult iple coolant
channels for prolonged t ool life under heavy usage. They are also readily available in odd
configurat ions, such as st raight flut e, fast spiral, mult iflut e, and a variet y of cut t ing face
geomet ries.

Typically indexable drill bit s are used in holes t hat are no deeper t han about 5 t imes t he bit
diamet er. They are capable of quit e high axial loads and cut very fast .
Left-hand bit

An 1/8 inch left-hand drill bit

Left -hand bit s are almost always t wist bit s and are predominant ly used in t he repet it ion
engineering indust ry on screw machines or drilling heads. Left -handed drill bit s allow a machining
operat ion t o cont inue where eit her t he spindle cannot be reversed or t he design of t he machine
makes it more efficient t o run left -handed. Wit h t he increased use of t he more versat ile CNC
machines, t heir use is less common t han when specialized machines were required for machining
t asks.

Screw ext ract ors are essent ially left -hand bit s of specialized shape, used t o remove common
right -hand screws whose heads are broken or t oo damaged t o allow a screwdriver t ip t o engage,
making use of a screwdriver impossible. The ext ract or is pressed against t he damaged head and
rot at ed count er-clockwise and will t end t o jam in t he damaged head and t hen t urn t he screw
count er-clockwise, unscrewing it . For screws t hat break off deeper in t he hole, an ext ract or set
will oft en include left handed drill bit s of t he appropriat e diamet ers so t hat grab holes can be
drilled int o t he screws in a left handed direct ion, prevent ing furt her t ight ening of t he broken
piece.

Metal spade bit

A spade drill bit for met al is a t wo part bit wit h a t ool holder and an insert able t ip, called an
insert . The insert s come in various sizes t hat range from 7⁄16 t o 2.5 inches (11 t o 64 mm). The
t ool holder usually has a coolant passage running t hrough it .[13] They are capable of cut t ing t o a
dept h of about 10 t imes t he bit diamet er. This t ype of drill bit can also be used t o make st epped
holes.
Straight fluted bit
St raight flut ed drill bit s do not have a helical t wist like t wist drill bit s do. They are used when
drilling copper or brass because t hey have less of a t endency t o "dig in" or grab t he mat erial.

Trepan
A t repan, somet imes called a BTA drill bit (aft er t he Boring and Trepanning Associat ion), is a drill
bit t hat cut s an annulus and leaves a cent er core. Trepans usually have mult iple carbide insert s
and rely on wat er t o cool t he cut t ing t ips and t o flush chips out of t he hole. Trepans are oft en
used t o cut large diamet ers and deep holes. Typical bit diamet ers are 6–14 in (150–360 mm) and
hole dept h from 12 in (300 mm) up t o 71 feet (22 m).

For wood

Brad point bit

A 10.5 mm brad point drill bit

The brad point drill bit (also known as lip and spur drill bit , and dowel drill bit ) is a variat ion of
t he t wist drill bit which is opt imized for drilling in wood.
Convent ional t wist drill bit s t end t o wander when present ed t o a flat workpiece. For met alwork,
t his is count ered by drilling a pilot hole wit h a spot t ing drill bit . In wood, t he brad point drill bit is
anot her solut ion: t he cent er of t he drill bit is given not t he st raight chisel of t he t wist drill bit , but
a spur wit h a sharp point , and four sharp corners t o cut t he wood. While drilling, t he sharp point of
t he spur pushes int o t he soft wood t o keep t he drill bit in line.

Met als are t ypically isot ropic, so even an ordinary t wist drill bit will shear t he edges of t he hole
cleanly. Wood drilled across t he grain, however, produces long st rands of wood fiber. These long
st rands t end t o pull out of t he hole, rat her t han being cleanly cut at t he hole edge. The brad
point drill bit has t he out side corner of t he cut t ing edges leading, so t hat it cut s t he periphery of
t he hole before t he inner part s of t he cut t ing edges plane off t he base of t he hole. By cut t ing
t he periphery first , t he lip maximizes t he chance t hat t he fibers can be cut cleanly, rat her t han
having t o be pulled messily from t he t imber.

Brad point drill bit s are also effect ive in soft plast ic. When using convent ional t wist drill bit s in a
handheld drill, where t he drilling direct ion is not maint ained perfect ly t hroughout t he operat ion,
t here is a t endency for hole edges t o be "smeared" due t o side frict ion and heat .

In met al, t he brad point drill bit is confined t o drilling only t he t hinnest and soft est sheet met als,
ideally wit h a drill press. The bit s have an ext remely fast cut t ing t ool geomet ry: no point angle,
combined wit h a large (considering t he flat cut t ing edge) lip angle, causes t he edges t o t ake a
very aggressive cut wit h relat ively lit t le point pressure. This means t hese bit s t end t o bind in
met al; given a workpiece of sufficient t hinness, t hey have a t endency t o punch t hrough and leave
t he bit 's cross-sect ional geomet ry behind.

Brad point drill bit s are ordinarily available in diamet ers from 3–16 mm (0.12–0.63 in).

Wood spade bit

Spade bit s are used for rough boring in wood. They t end t o cause splint ering when t hey emerge
from t he workpiece. Woodworkers avoid splint ering by finishing t he hole from t he opposit e side
of t he work. Spade bit s are flat , wit h a cent ering point and t wo cut t ers. The cut t ers are oft en
equipped wit h spurs in an at t empt t o ensure a cleaner hole. Wit h t heir small shank diamet ers
relat ive t o t heir boring diamet ers, spade bit shanks oft en have flat s forged or ground int o t hem
t o prevent slipping in drill chucks. Some bit s are equipped wit h long shanks and have a small hole
drilled t hrough t he flat part , allowing t hem t o be used much like a bell-hanger bit . Int ended for
high speed use, t hey are used wit h elect ric hand drills. Spade bit s are also somet imes referred t o
as "paddle bit s".

Spade drill bit s are ordinarily available in diamet ers from 6 t o 36 mm, or 1⁄4 t o 11⁄2 inches.

Spade bits

Tiny spade bit

Spoon bit
Spoon bit s consist of a grooved shank wit h a point shaped somewhat like t he bowl of a spoon,
wit h t he cut t ing edge on t he end. The more common t ype is like a gouge bit t hat ends in a slight
point . This is helpful for st art ing t he hole, as it has a cent er t hat will not wander or walk. These
bit s are used by chair-makers for boring or reaming holes in t he seat s and arms of chairs. Their
design is ancient , going back t o Roman t imes. Spoon bit s have even been found in Viking
excavat ions. Modern spoon bit s are made of hand-forged carbon st eel, carefully heat -t reat ed
and t hen hand ground t o a fine edge.

Spoon bit s are t he t radit ional boring t ools used wit h a brace. They should never be used wit h a
power drill of any kind. Their key advant age over regular brace bit s and power drill bit s is t hat t he
angle of t he hole can be adjust ed. This is very import ant in chairmaking, because all t he angles
are usually eyeballed. Anot her advant age is t hat t hey do not have a lead screw, so t hey can be
drilled successfully in a chair leg wit hout having t he lead screw peek out t he ot her side.

When reaming a pre-bored st raight -sided hole, t he spoon bit is insert ed int o t he hole and rot at ed
in a clockwise direct ion wit h a carpent ers' brace unt il t he desired t aper is achieved. When boring
int o solid wood, t he bit should be st art ed in t he vert ical posit ion; aft er a "dish" has been creat ed
and t he bit has begun t o "bit e" int o t he wood, t he angle of boring can be changed by t ilt ing t he
brace a bit out of t he vert ical. Holes can be drilled precisely, cleanly and quickly in any wood, at
any angle of incidence, wit h t ot al cont rol of direct ion and t he abilit y t o change t hat direct ion at
will.

Parallel spoon bit s are used primarily for boring holes in t he seat of a Windsor chair t o t ake t he
back spindles, or similar round-t enon work when assembling furnit ure frames in green
woodworking work.

The spoon bit may be honed by using a slipst one on t he inside of t he cut t ing edge; t he out side
edge should never be t ouched.
Forstner bit

25 mm (1.0 in) Forstner bit

Another Forstner bit

Forst ner bit s, named aft er t heir invent or, Benjamin Forst ner, bore precise, flat -bot t omed holes in
wood, in any orient at ion wit h respect t o t he wood grain. They can cut on t he edge of a block of
wood, and can cut overlapping holes; for such applicat ions t hey are normally used in drill presses
or lat hes rat her t han in hand-held elect ric drills. Because of t he flat bot t om of t he hole, t hey are
useful for drilling t hrough veneer already glued t o add an inlay.

The bit includes a cent er brad point which guides it t hroughout t he cut (and incident ally spoils
t he ot herwise flat bot t om of t he hole). The cylindrical cut t er around t he perimet er shears t he
wood fibers at t he edge of t he bore, and also helps guide t he bit int o t he mat erial more precisely.
Forst ner bit s have radial cut t ing edges t o plane off t he mat erial at t he bot t om of t he hole. The
bit s shown in t he images have t wo radial edges; ot her designs may have more. Forst ner bit s have
no mechanism t o clear chips from t he hole, and t herefore must be pulled out periodically.
Sawt oot h bit s are also available, which include many more cut t ing edges t o t he cylinder. These
cut fast er, but produce a more ragged hole. They have advant ages over Forst ner bit s when
boring int o end grain.

Bit s are commonly available in sizes from 8–50 mm (0.3–2.0 in) diamet er. Sawt oot h bit s are
available up t o 100 mm (4 in) diamet er.

Originally t he Forst ner bit was very successful wit h gunsmit hs because of it s abilit y t o drill an
exceedingly smoot h-sided hole.

Center bit
The cent er bit is opt imized for drilling in wood wit h a hand brace. Many different designs have
been produced.

The cent er of t he bit is a t apered screw t hread. This screws int o t he wood as t he bit is t urned,
and pulls t he bit int o t he wood. There is no need for any force t o push t he bit int o t he workpiece,
only t he t orque t o t urn t he bit . This is ideal for a bit for a hand t ool. The radial cut t ing edges
remove a slice of wood of t hickness equal t o t he pit ch of t he cent ral screw for each rot at ion of
t he bit . To pull t he bit from t he hole, eit her t he female t hread in t he wood workpiece must be
st ripped, or t he rot at ion of t he bit must be reversed.

The edge of t he bit has a sharpened spur t o cut t he fibers of t he wood, as in t he brad point drill
bit . A radial cut t ing edge planes t he wood from t he base of t he hole. In t his version, t here is
minimal or no spiral t o remove chips from t he hole. The bit must be periodically wit hdrawn t o
clear t he chips.

Some versions have t wo spurs. Some have t wo radial cut t ing edges.

Cent er bit s do not cut well in t he end grain of wood. The cent ral screw t ends t o pull out , or t o
split t he wood along t he grain, and t he radial edges have t rouble cut t ing t hrough t he long wood
fibers.

Cent er bit s are made of relat ively soft st eel, and can be sharpened wit h a file.
A 19 mm (3/4 inch)
center bit, made
sometime before 1950
 Center bit tip detail

Auger bit
The cut t ing principles of t he auger bit are t he same as t hose of t he cent er bit above. The auger
adds a long deep spiral flut e for effect ive chip removal.

Two st yles of auger bit are commonly used in hand braces: t he Jennings or Jennings-pat t ern bit
has a self-feeding screw t ip, t wo spurs and t wo radial cut t ing edges. This bit has a double flut e
st art ing from t he cut t ing edges, and ext ending several inches up t he shank of t he bit , for wast e
removal. This pat t ern of bit was developed by Russell Jennings in t he mid-19t h cent ury.

The Irwin or solid-cent er auger bit is similar, t he only difference being t hat one of t he cut t ing
edges has only a "vest igal flut e" support ing it , which ext ends only about 1⁄2 in (13 mm) up t he
shank before ending. The ot her flut e cont inues full-lengt h up t he shank for wast e removal. The
Irwin bit may afford great er space for wast e removal, great er st rengt h (because t he design
allows for a cent er shank of increased size wit hin t he flut es, as compared t o t he Jenning bit s), or
smaller manufact uring cost s. This st yle of bit was invent ed in 1884, and t he right s sold t o
Charles Irwin who pat ent ed and market ed t his pat t ern t he following year.
Bot h st yles of auger bit s were manufact ured by several companies t hroughout t he early- and
mid-20t h cent ury, and are st ill available new from select sources t oday.

The diamet er of auger bit s for hand braces is commonly expressed by a single number, indicat ing
t he size in 16t hs of an inch. For example, #4 is 4/16 or 1/4 in (6 mm), #6 is 6/16 or 3/8 in (9 mm),
#9 is 9/16 in (14 mm), and #16 is 16/16 or 1 in (25 mm). Set s commonly consist of #4-16 or #4-
10 bit s.

The bit shown in t he pict ure is a modern design for use in port able power t ools, made in t he UK in
about 1995. It has a single spur, a single radial cut t ing edge and a single flut e. Similar auger bit s
are made wit h diamet ers from 6 mm (3/16 in) t o 30 mm (1 3/16 in). Augers up t o 600 mm (2.0 ft )
long are available, where t he chip-clearing capabilit y is especially valuable for drilling deep holes.
20 mm (0.79 in) auger
bit for wood

Auger bit tip detail

Gimlet bit
The gimlet bit is a very old design. The bit is t he same st yle as t hat used in t he gimlet , a self-
cont ained t ool for boring small holes in wood by hand. Since about 1850, gimlet s have had a
variet y of cut t er designs, but some are st ill produced wit h t he original version. The gimlet bit is
int ended t o be used in a hand brace for drilling int o wood. It is t he usual st yle of bit for use in a
brace for holes below about 7 mm (0.28 in) diamet er.

The t ip of t he gimlet bit act s as a t apered screw, t o draw t he bit int o t he wood and t o begin
forcing aside t he wood fibers, wit hout necessarily cut t ing t hem. The cut t ing act ion occurs at t he
side of t he broadest part of t he cut t er. Most drill bit s cut t he base of t he hole. The gimlet bit
cut s t he side of t he hole.
Gimlet bit for wood,
made sometime before
1950.

Gimlet bit tip detail

Hinge sinker bit

30 mm hinge sinker bit

The hinge sinker bit is an example of a cust om drill bit design for a specific applicat ion. Many
European kit chen cabinet s are made from part icle board or medium-densit y fiberboard (MDF)
wit h a laminat ed melamine resin veneer. Those t ypes of pressed wood boards are not very
st rong, and t he screws of but t hinges t end t o pull out . A specialist hinge has been developed
which uses t he walls of a 35 mm (1.4 in) diamet er hole, bored in t he part icle board, for support .
This is a very common and relat ively successful const ruct ion met hod.

A Forst ner bit could bore t he mount ing hole for t he hinge, but part icle board and MDF are very
abrasive mat erials, and st eel cut t ing edges soon wear. A t ungst en carbide cut t er is needed, but
t he complex shape of a forst ner bit is difficult t o manufact ure in carbide, so t his special drill bit
wit h a simpler shape is commonly used. It has cut t ing edges of t ungst en carbide brazed t o a
st eel body; a cent er spur keeps t he bit from wandering.
Adjustable wood bits

An adjustable wood bit meant for

use in a brace

An adjust able wood bit , also known as an expansive wood bit , has a small cent er pilot bit wit h an
adjust able, sliding cut t ing edge mount ed above it , usually cont aining a single sharp point at t he
out side, wit h a set screw t o lock t he cut t er in posit ion. When t he cut t ing edge is cent ered on
t he bit , t he hole drilled will be small, and when t he cut t ing edge is slid out wards, a larger hole is
drilled. This allows a single drill bit t o drill a wide variet y of holes, and can t ake t he place of a
large, heavy set of different size bit s, as well as providing uncommon bit sizes. A ruler or vernier
scale is usually provided t o allow precise adjust ment of t he bit size.

These bit s are available bot h in a version similar t o an auger bit or brace bit , designed for low
speed, high t orque use wit h a brace or ot her hand drill (pict ured t o t he right ), or as a high speed,
low t orque bit meant for a power drill. While t he shape of t he cut t ing edges is different , and one
uses screw t hreads and t he ot her a t wist bit for t he pilot , t he met hod of adjust ing t hem remains
t he same.

Other materials

Diamond core bit

The diamond masonry mort ar bit is a hybrid drill bit , designed t o work as a combinat ion rout er and
drill bit . It consist s of a st eel shell, wit h t he diamonds embedded in met al segment s at t ached t o
t he cut t ing edge. These drill bit s are used at relat ively low speeds.

Masonry drill bit

The masonry bit shown here is a variat ion of t he t wist drill bit . The bulk of t he t ool is a relat ively
soft st eel, and is machined wit h a mill rat her t han ground. An insert of t ungst en carbide is brazed
int o t he st eel t o provide t he cut t ing edges.

Masonry bit s t ypically are used wit h a hammer drill, which hammers t he bit int o t he mat erial being
drilled as it rot at es; t he hammering breaks up t he masonry at t he drill bit t ip, and t he rot at ing
flut es carry away t he dust . Rot at ing t he bit also brings t he cut t ing edges ont o a fresh port ion of
t he hole bot t om wit h every hammer blow. Hammer drill bit s oft en use special shank shapes such
as t he SDS t ype, which allows t he bit t o slide wit hin t he chuck when hammering, wit hout t he
whole heavy chuck execut ing t he hammering mot ion.

Masonry bit s of t he st yle shown are commonly available in diamet ers from 3 mm t o 40 mm. For
larger diamet ers, core bit s are used. Masonry bit s up t o 1,000 mm (39 in) long can be used wit h
hand-port able power t ools, and are very effect ive for inst alling wiring and plumbing in exist ing
buildings.

A star drill bit , similar in appearance and funct ion t o a hole punch or chisel, is used as a hand
powered drill in conjunct ion wit h a hammer t o drill int o st one and masonry. A st ar drill bit 's cut t ing
edge consist s of several blades joined at t he cent er t o form a st ar pat t ern.
25×500 mm SDS- Masonry Rebar
plus masonry bit bit tip resista
nt bit
with
four
carbid
e
cutter
s
 Star drill

Glass drill bit

Glass bit s have a spade-shaped carbide point . They generat e high t emperat ures and have a very
short life. Holes are generally drilled at low speed wit h a succession of increasing bit sizes.
Diamond drill bit s can also be used t o cut holes in glass, and last much longer.

PCB through-hole drill bit

A great number of holes wit h small diamet ers of about 1 mm or less must be drilled in print ed
circuit boards (PCBs) used by elect ronic equipment wit h t hrough-hole component s. Most PCBs
are made of highly abrasive fiberglass, which quickly wears st eel bit s, especially given t he
hundreds or t housands of holes on most circuit boards. To solve t his problem, solid t ungst en
carbide t wist bit s, which drill quickly t hrough t he board while providing a moderat ely long life, are
almost always used. Carbide PCB bit s are est imat ed t o out last high-speed st eel bit s by a fact or
of t en or more. Ot her opt ions somet imes used are diamond or diamond-coat ed bit s.

In indust ry, virt ually all drilling is done by aut omat ed machines, and t he bit s are oft en
aut omat ically replaced by t he equipment as t hey wear, as even solid carbide bit s do not last long
in const ant use. PCB bit s, of narrow diamet er, t ypically mount in a collet rat her t han a chuck, and
come wit h st andard-size shanks, oft en wit h pre-inst alled st ops t o set t hem at an exact dept h
every t ime when being aut omat ically chucked by t he equipment .

Very high rot at ional speeds—30,000 t o 100,000 RPM or even higher—are used; t his t ranslat es t o
a reasonably fast linear speed of t he cut t ing t ip in t hese very small diamet ers. The high speed,
small diamet er, and t he brit t leness of t he mat erial, make t he bit s very vulnerable t o breaking,
part icularly if t he angle of t he bit t o t he workpiece changes at all, or t he bit cont act s any object .
Drilling by hand is not pract ical, and many general-purpose drilling machines designed for larger
bit s rot at e t oo slowly and wobble t oo much t o use carbide bit s effect ively.

Resharpened and easily available PCB drills have hist orically been used in many prot ot yping and
home PCB labs, using a high-speed rot ary t ool for small-diamet er bit s (such as a Mot o-Tool by
Dremel) in a st iff drill-press jig. If used for ot her mat erials t hese t iny bit s must be evaluat ed for
equivalent cut t ing speed vs mat erial resist ance t o t he cut (hardness), as t he bit 's rake angle and
expect ed feed per revolut ion are opt imised for high-speed aut omat ed use on fiberglass PCB
subst rat e.
Two PCB drill bits.
 A box of #76 (0.02 in
or 0.51 mm) PCB drill
bits.

Installer bit

Fishing bit
Inst aller bit s, also known as bell-hanger bit s or fishing bit s, are a t ype of t wist drill bit for use
wit h a hand-port able power t ool. The key dist inguishing feat ure of an inst aller bit is a t ransverse
hole drilled t hrough t he web of t he bit near t he t ip. Once t he bit has penet rat ed a wall, a wire can
be t hreaded t hrough t he hole and t he bit pulled back out , pulling t he wire wit h it . The wire can
t hen be used t o pull a cable or pipe back t hrough t he wall. This is especially helpful where t he
wall has a large cavit y, where t hreading a fish t ape could be difficult . Some inst aller bit s have a
t ransverse hole drilled at t he shank end as well. Once a hole has been drilled, t he wire can be
t hreaded t hrough t he shank end, t he bit released from t he chuck, and all pulled forward t hrough
t he drilled hole. These bit s are made for cement , block and brick; t hey are not for drilling int o
wood. Sinclair Smit h of Brooklyn, New York was issued U.S. pat ent 597,750 (ht t ps://pat ent s.goog
le.com/pat ent /US597750) for t his invent ion on January 25, 1898.

Inst aller bit s are available in various mat erials and st yles for drilling wood, masonry and met al.
A 3⁄8 in × 18 in
(9.5 mm × 457.2 mm)
installer bit
 Closeup of installer
bit. The fishing hole is
visible in the flute in
the center of the
picture.

Flexible shaft bit

Anot her, different , bit also called an inst aller bit has a very long flexible shaft , t ypically up t o 72
inches (1.8 m) long, wit h a small t wist bit at t he end. The shaft is made of spring st eel inst ead of
hardened st eel, so it can be flexed while drilling wit hout breaking. This allows t he bit t o be curved
inside walls, for example t o drill t hrough st uds from a light swit ch box wit hout needing t o remove
any mat erial from t he wall. These bit s usually come wit h a set of special t ools t o aim and flex
t he bit t o reach t he desired locat ion and angle, alt hough t he problem of seeing where t he
operat or is drilling st ill remains.

This flexible inst aller bit is used in t he US, but does not appear t o be rout inely available in Europe.
Drill bit shank
Different shapes of shank are used. Some are simply t he most appropriat e for t he chuck used; in
ot her cases part icular combinat ions of shank and chuck give performance advant ages, such as
allowing higher t orque, great er cent ering accuracy, or efficient hammering act ion.

See also

Drill and tap size chart

Drill bit shank
Drill bit sizes
Drill rod
Endmill

References

Citations
1. "Practical demonstration
YouTube video" of square-hole bit,
(https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=rI-15fovYEY) . Youtube.com.
Archived (https://ghostarchive.org/varchiv
e/youtube/20211212/rI-15fovYEY) from
the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved
2014-05-10.

2. Todd, Robert H.; Allen, Dell K.; Alting, Leo

(1994), Manufacturing Processes
Reference Guide (https://books.google.co
m/books?id=6x1smAf_PAcC) , Industrial
Press Inc., pp. 43–48, ISBN 0-8311-3049-0.

3. Swan et al (September 7, 2018). "Tool Wear

of Advanced Coated Tools in Drilling of
CFRP." ASME. J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. November
2018; 140(11): 111018.
4. Nguyen, Dinh et al "Tool Wear of Superhard
Ceramic Coated Tools in Drilling of CFRP/Ti
stacks." Proceedings of the ASME 2019
14th International Manufacturing Science
and Engineering Conference. Volume 2:
Processes; Materials. Erie, Pennsylvania,
USA. June 10–14, 2019. V002T03A089.
ASME.

5. Nguyen, Dinh et al "Tool Wear of Superhard

Ceramic Coated Tools in Drilling of CFRP/Ti
Stacks." Proceedings of the ASME 2019
14th International Manufacturing Science
and Engineering Conference. Volume 2:
Processes; Materials. Erie, Pennsylvania,
USA. June 10–14, 2019. V002T03A089.
ASME.
 6. Judge, Arthur W (1947). Engineering
Workshop Practice (New and Revised ed.).
The Caxton Publishing Company Ltd.
pp. Vol i 136.

7. Modern machinery (https://books.google.c

om/books?id=hZzmAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA6
8) , vol. 5, Modern Machining Publishing
Company, 1899, p. 68.

8. "US Patent: 38,119 - Twist Drill Bit" (https://

www.datamp.org//patents/displayPatent.p
hp?pn=38119&id=18675) .
www.datamp.org.

9. Oberg et al. 2000, pp. 829, 846

10. Oberg et al. 2000, p. 846
 11. Gillespie, Laroux (2008), Countersinking
Handbook (https://books.google.com/book
s?id=esWtCQuLWtIC&pg=PA78) , Industrial
Press Inc., pp. 78–79, ISBN 978-0-8311-
3318-4.

12. U.S. patent 3,758,222 (https://patents.goog

le.com/patent/US3758222)

13. McMaster-Carr, p. 2438, 116th edition.

Cited references

Oberg, Erik; Jones, Franklin D.; Horton,

Holbrook L.; Ryffel, Henry H. (2000),
Machinery's Handbook (26th ed.), New
York: Industrial Press Inc., ISBN 0-8311-
2635-3.
External links

Nomenclature (https:// Wikimedia

Commons
web.archive.org/web/2
has media
0051230001027/http:// related to
Drill bits .
www.mfg.mtu.edu/mar
c/primers/drilling/nomen.html)

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