Different Types of Power Drill Bits

Drill bits are essential parts of power tools for the home-improvement arsenal. There is almost a drill bit for every type of application. These drill bits are made from steel or cobalt and have special coatings and tips like carbide, diamond, or titanium for extra strength. There are approximately about 20 types of drill bits that exist. But only a small portion of these types are used by the everyday craftsman.

Here are the general common types of bits in use today.

1. Twist Bit – this is the most common drill bit and can be used for a wide drilling tasks in soft or thin metal, plastic and wood.

2. Spade Bit – or sometimes called the flat wood bit. Shaped a spade, the bit flat blade surface with a center point tip. It can bore holes in wood in varying diameters for recessing a bolt head or a screw.

3. Masonry Bit – this is similar to a twist bit. However, it has a special cutting tip made from either a resilient composite of silicon and bronze or tungsten carbide. The bit is designed for drilling into stone type surfaces and hard rock. Used to drill into concrete, bricks, marble, granite and other natural quarried stone.

4. Hole Saw Bit – this bit looks like a round cookie cutter with tiny, sharp teeth. It is used for boring large holes in light metal, wood and plastic.

5. Tile and Glass Bit – this bit has an arrow-shaped tungsten carbide tip that resembles like a long finishing nail. This bit is best for glass and ceramic tile drilling applications.
6. Forstner Bit – this bit drills holes with a round and flat bottom. This is commonly used in building cabinetry and furniture.

7. Spur – this bit is also common for wood, ceramic and glass surfaces. This bit sport a spur designed configuration that is somewhat similar to the twist drill bits. This is often used for boring a clean hole due to its longer and cleaner drill point.

8. Screwdriver – these bits sport a hexagonal tip and are normally fitted onto rechargeable reversible drills. These are not designed for high speed and hard material drilling. It has low rotating power rate. Sometimes, these bits are used to bore small pilot holes onto a material to guide a more powerful drill for a deeper hole.

9. Auger Drill Bits – this is a type of hole saw bit that cut large, deep accurate holes. It has a spiraling shaft that comes to a fine threaded point. It is made of carbon-steel and can be re-sharpened.

10. Wood Spade or Paddle Bits – The pointed tip begins the hole and the paddle-shaped blade bores large, wide holes. The size of the whole is clearly marked on the paddle’s face.

11. Specialty Woodworking Bits – the countersink bit enlarges a hole’s opening so that a screw can fit flush. When you need to cover screw heads, use a plug cutter that cuts wooden plugs. This bit removes the wooden plug through a side opening in the bit. A hinge cutter on the other hand has a tungsten-carbide tip that cut holes for kitchen cabinet door hinges. These are specialty drill bits for carpentry work.