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Different Types of Drill Bits: A Simple Guide to Making Your Way to Drilling

Types of drill bits
Written by Brent Butterworth
Last Update: April 29, 2023

If we look around, we find different types of drill bits around. They are the cutting tools attached to drill for making different kinds of holes. If you want to become satisfied with your drill, you need to choose the right types of drill bits. Finding the perfect drill bits is quite a hard work. However, there are some basic types of drill bits, such as wood drill bits, concrete drill bits, masonry drill bits, and metal drill bits.

In our everyday life, we may have to make holes in different objects. Whether you need to hang the photo frame, build your cabinet or fix your shelf, you need a drill machine or drill press. For ordinary uses, some masonry bits and twist bits are quite enough. Let’s get, to know about the differences in the different types of drill bits to help you choose the right one. Continue Reading!

Different Types of Drill Bits Explained

Drill Bits for Wood

Woodworking requires special types of drill bits. For perfect woodworking, you need the right wood drill bits. There are three main types of wood drills available. They are Paddle bits, Auger bits and Brad Point bits.

  • Paddle Bits or Wood Spade Bits

Paddle Bits or Wood Spade Drill Bits

Paddle bits are sometimes called Wood Spade bit. They have pointed tip in the front part which responsible for starting the hole. The hole becomes large and full when the flat shape starts to make holes. The spade size helps determines the whole size. There are generally 6 millimeters to 38 millimeters diameter paddle bits are available.

  • Auger Bits

Auger Drill Bits

Auger bits are generally used in dry hardwood or board. They are perfect for deep holes with a large diameter in dry wood or timber. This bit can cut very precise and deep holes. This drill bit comes with spiraling shafts design with threaded, thin points.

  • Brad Point Bits

Brad Point Drill Bits

Brad Point bits also known as dowelling bits are one of the variations of Twist drill bits. This bit has one central point with two distinguishable raised spur. It helps to drill straight. If you use this drill bit with a power drill, it will cut and create holes at super-fast speed. This type of drill bits is perfect making holes for dowels with 3 to 10 millimeter.

There are also some other wood drill bits around. For example, the Countersink bit is generally used to make a hole and to cut space for the screw head. The plug cutter designed to reduce the wood and make wooden plugs for the screw head to cover. The Hinge cutters are generally used for door hinges.

Drill Bits for Metal: The Twist Bits

Metal bits are also known as the Twist bits are black colored drill bits. Along with metal, twist bits can also be used for hard plastics and woods. Twist bits are most common and widely used for electric or hand drill. This drill bits come with a front edge with the spiral body. The front edge makes the hole and the spiral removes debris to make the drilling process smooth and straight.

Twist bits are made of either High-Speed Steel (HSS) or Carbon Steel.

High-Speed Steel made Twist bit is suitable for almost all types of material including hardwood and metal.

Carbon Steel made Twist bit is not for metal. This bit is suitable for wood and plastics.

Masonry Drill Bits

Masonry Drill Bits

Masonry bits are used for a variety of masonry surfaces. According to its name these drill bits are designed for stone, brick, concrete, tiles or blocks drilling. Some masonry drill bits are made with tungsten carbide with steel shaft and some other made of silicon bronze for more durability and to cut through hardest of surfaces. Some concrete drill bit can also cut through concrete walls with a power drill.

There are some special drill bits are around like, Rotary bits, Percussion Bits and Diamond Bits.

Rotary bits are durable carbide made and can cut through brick, stone, concrete without any damage.

Diamond Bits designed for the very hard surface. This drill bit is used with a 45-degree angle to reduce slipping. Also, this drill bits need to operate slowly for smoothness and perfection.

Percussion bits are used in hammering functions, and it is relatively easy to penetrate masonry with these kinds of drills.

Multi-Purpose, Universal Bits

Multi-Purpose Drill Bit

Multi-Purpose drill bits are extraordinary, durable diamond ground and tungsten carbide made. These drill bits can be used in rotary drill models as well as hammer drill models. This type of drill bits is designed to drill almost anything which includes wood, hard plastic, metal, tiles, ceramics, etc.

Special Drill Bits

Special Drill Bits

Besides wood, metal, masonry and multi-purpose drill bits there are some particular types of drill bits to perform particular kinds of drilling. Those include Glass and Tile bits, Screwdriver bits, Step bits, Saw bits, SDS-Special Drilling System Bits and hole cutter bits.

Drill Bits Set

Drill Bits Set

For a lot of drilling actions, the full drill bits set is good. A full drill bit set includes all necessary and mostly used drill bits set. So, you can do different kinds of drilling job right away.

Final Words

Finding the perfect drill bits for a particular task can be hard sometimes, especially if you are not familiar with different drill bits and drill bit sharpeners. Most standard and common bits are designed for metal, wood and masonry. You can also buy multi-purpose drill bits to perform more than one task with one bit. However, you need to know the right application. There are also some special bits for particular drilling task. You can also choose one of them.

Finally, we believe you read and understand different types of drill bits and their functionality.  For more information and query you can always write back to us. Happy Drilling!

About the author

Brent Butterworth

A Professional Woodworker & Custom Furniture Builder

Brent lives in Wisconsin and is a woodworker, custom cabinetmaker, interior consultant, and a freelance writer who got the opportunity to write several magazine articles for different publications on home improvement and woodworking. He’s always amazed at the depth and breadth of woodworking all over the globe, and feels proud to be a part of this great effort. Brent has built everything one can imagine, from unique art furniture to different types of home furniture to canoes and even a sailboat.

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