There is a lot of you have to consider when choosing the right drill bits for your project. But, if you ask yourself some easy question, and then answer them, making the choice is not that complicated.
What to ask when choosing a drill bit
First question and most obvious question, what size hole do you want make. Answering that will tell you what size drill bit you need. Is the answer, “I don’t know yet”? Then you probably need bit that can do multiple sizes or a set that gives you lots of options.
Next question, What shape do you need your hole to be? It seems like a silly question but let’s look a little closer. Do you want your hole do be perfectly round and centred? Does it have to be an exact size. Is it going all the way through the material. Is it going to be the space for a screw or a pipe or just a convenient channel for wires? Do the sides have to be smooth and even? The answers to these questions tell you what shape drill bit you need.
Third question, what material are you trying to make a hole in? This is another deceptively obvious one, broadly speaking drill bits fall into 3 categories regarding materials: wood, metal, and masonry (bricks, concrete etc). The answer to this question will tell both about the shape of the drill bit you need and it’s material properties. Some materials require harder steel, special coatings, additional composites and so on. Using the wrong bit shape for the material can also cause the brittle materials to shatter, pose a safety risk or just make a ragged unsightly hole approximately where you need it neat and precise one.
Last question, what if you’re not just making holes? A lot of drill also have a driver function, turning your hole maker into an electric screwdriver. The next or sub question is then, what does the screw look like? Then it’s just a matter of finding the driver bit that matches the size and head of the screws.
Helping you find the answers
Don’t worry, here are some resources to help you understand and answer the questions above and find the right bits for your holes.
- This Drill Bit Sets guide will give you a broad overview of drill bit sets and answer some FAQ’s. There is also Everything You Need to Know About Twist Drill Bits which goes into more detail about twist drill bits specifically.
- Drill bit guide: What Drill Bit Do I Need? Is quite a comprehensive guide to drill bits and their purposes. It includes a great diagram of the anatomy of a drill bit. And, a good depiction of matching bit to screw head.
- In A DIY er’s Guide to Drill Bits Leah demystifies some of the stranger bits in sets that you may already own.
- Adam Savage’s Guide to Drill Bits! is an anecdotal primer on drill bits presented is his usual contagiously enthusiastic and entertaining way. This is worth a watch just for the fun of it.
So get the bit between your teeth (don’t really, it’s an idiom) and find the right bits for your project. If you’re looking for a project that may or may not require the use of a drill look here.
