Drill Bit Types

Almost everyone nowadays owns a power drill, be it a cordless drill or a regular one. Drills are indispensable in our lives, from simple fixer-upper projects to major home renovations. But when it comes to buying drill bits, many are at a loss. There seems to be so much choice out there. So how do you chose the right drill bit set?

First, you should always consider what surface material you going to use it for. That will dictate the material of the drill bits you should bye.

Here is a good source of information about various types of drill bits. But in a nutshell the materials are as such:

Low Carbon Steel Bits – cheapest, and least reliable. For soft wood only.

High Carbon Steel Drill Bits – next in terms of price. Works OK for hardwood. Needs to sharpened often

High Speed Steel Drill Bits (HSS Drill Bits) – most common in home workshops. Can handle most wood and metal jobs.

Titanium Coated Drill Bits — Stronger than HSS ones, but can’t be resharpened, because will lose their coating.

Carbide Tipped Drill Bits — Expensive, and hold their edge for a long time. But they break easily if not handled properly (not for newbies or unsteady hands)

Cobalt Drill Bits – usually used for drilling metals.

Diamond Drill Bits – the Cadillac of drill bits. This can be used on glass, marble, stone, ceramic, etc. Since diamond is the hardest material in nature.

Drill bits can also be classified by length. For example “jobbers length drill bit” is the standard bit size you probably see in abundance in your local hardware store. You can see a comparative chart of various common drill bit sizes.

The twist bits can also be classified by number of flutes. The number of drill bit flutes generally ranges from one to four, with two fluted being the most common.

Last, but not least, drill bits come in right hand and left hand version. The left hand ones cut in opposite direction and are used primarily in industrial situations.