Choosing the Right Drill Bit for the Job

03 November 2020

When purchasing drill bits, it’s important to know exactly what you need to tackle the job at hand. Getting the right bit depends on a number of factors, like what material you will be drilling, how deep you need the hole or how accurate your drilling needs to be. Here, we discuss some of the most common drill bits you are likely to come across so you can ensure your drill bit is up to the task.

Jobber Drills

Jobber drills are the most common drill bit, used for a wide range of applications in industrial projects, construction and home renovation.

Jobbers are long length drills and are capable of drilling holes up to four times their diameter. Several types of jobber drills are available:

• HSS (High-Speed Steel) jobber drills are the cheapest and most commonly used for general drilling in softer materials such as wood, mild steel and aluminium.
• TiN coated jobber drills are coated to prevent heat build-up, making them a longer lasting alternative to HSS jobbers. TiN coated jobbers are a popular choice among professionals.
• Cobalt jobber drills are designed for use with hardened metals such as stainless steel and cast iron

Large diameter drills with a 1/2” shank are commonly known as Blacksmiths Drills.

Taper Shank Drills

Taper Shank Drills have, as the name implies, a tanged ‘Morse Taper’ shank.

The Morse Taper allows the drill to be mounted directly into the tapered hole of a drill press spindle or sleeve, allowing for very accurate centring.

Tapered shanks are available in No’s 0 to 7 Morse Taper and used for general purpose drilling in ferrous and non-ferrous materials.

Stub Drills

Stub drills are much shorter than jobber drills and are used for drilling shorter, more accurate holes. They are commonly used in machining tools for drilling into sheet metal, cast iron and non-ferrous metals.

Centre Drills

Centre drills are used for drilling components that require machining between centres. They are also useful for starting a precise hole before using another drill, such as a jobber drill.

Masonry Drills

As the name implies, Masonry Drills are used with a hammer-action drill for drilling into stone, concrete and brick.

SDS Drills

Like masonry drills, SDS drills are used in stone, masonry and brick. While regular masonry drills feature a smooth shaft, an SDS drill shaft features grooves that snap into the chuck, allowing for the up and down hammer movement.

SDS drills are available in SDS, SDS Plus and SDS Max. SDS and SDS Plus each feature a 10mm diameter shank, with SDS Plus being the most commonly used. SDS Max bits have an 18mm diameter shank and are designed for heavier masonry work.

At FWB, we stock a wide range of drill bits, taps and dies. To view our range, click here.