A short guide to drill bits

When creating a drill bit collecting, it’s a good idea to build up a basic set of the bits that should serve for the most DIY tasks. This includes universal twist drills for wood, metal and plastic, and a set of TCT masonry drills for brick, block, concrete and mortar. For more sophisticated material, you will require drill bits that are larger or designed for a specific purpose. Since good quality drill bits can be expensive, it’s crucial to keep your bits in a case rather than letting them roll around loose in a toolbox. Furthermore, cutting edges might be damaged if the drill bits are stored incorrectly. In addition, it’s vital to keep your drill bits sharp by sharpening them occasionally. Do not wait until they become entirely blunt.

Twist bits

Twist drill bits are the most common drilling tools used with a hand or electric drill. The front edges of the drill bit cut the material, and the spirals along the length remove debris from the hole. Twist drill bits can be used on timber, metal, plastic, etc. These drill bits are frequently made from these materials:

• High-speed steel for drilling most types of material.
• Carbon steel for drilling wood.
• Twist drill bits are can also be coated with titanium nitride (TiN). This golden coating increases the hardness of the drill bit and is used for drilling metal.

Twist drill bits are available in sizes from 0.8-12 mm plus. However, these drill bits tend to clog quickly, so you should withdraw them regularly to remove the waste.

Masonry bit

Masonry drill bits are ideal for drilling into brick, stone, quarry tiles or concrete. The cutting tip of these drill bits is generally made from tungsten carbide bonded to a spiralled steel shaft. However, some masonry drill bits are durium-tipped with a highly durable silicon bronze alloy as the cutting point. Masonry drill bits can be used with a hammer action power drill, which may lead cheaper bits to shatter. As a result, you should use a slow rotational speed for drilling into harder materials. This will prevent the tip from overheating. In addition, it’s necessary to withdraw the bit often to remove dust. Masonry drill bits range in size from 4 to 16mm.  Additionally, long masonry drill bits of between 300 and 400 mm can drill through masonry walls.