Best Wood Drilling Bits

If you are serious at all about woodworking, you need a set of brad point drill bits to make clean holes in wood with no “blow-out” as the bit exits the work. We’ve found a GREAT set for the money!

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We really enjoy our PowerMatic® VS2800 Drill Press - it’s a great machine! You can check out our review of it at https://youtu.be/u_n69t-FvXg

Adding the right accessories has made all the difference, including a column-mounted bit and accessory holder, and work hold-downs. Take a look for yourself at
https://youtu.be/sySYvHLTM4U

When doing woodworking, avoid using standard drill bits for metal. They will do the job, but not as precisely and cleanly as tooling made for the task. For metal bits, the drill point design and geometry are optimized to drill metal. Both the way the bit is sharpened and the way it cuts lead to two common problems when drilling wood. First, the center point tends to wander unless a definite starter hole or dimple is put in place. Second, the bit tends to tear out around the exit hole, because of where the bit is cutting first as it travels (the center, not the rim). Even a good backup block doesn’t always eliminate the ragged exit.

To drill wood, a good set of brad point bits is a “must-have!” Here’s why.

First, the brad point drill has just that; a brad-point. This sharp central point assures that drill bit deflection is all but eliminated. The brad-point sticks out furthest on the “working end” of the bit. Then, the spurs at the edges of the bit stick out a bit shallower than the brad-point, so they begin cutting the hole edges smoothly, as well as help guide the bit accurately. Third, the sharpened lips shear out the remainder of the hole and move the chips back where the drill bit’s flutes carry the chips away.

The means the hole from the top side is very clean. But what about the exit hole?

Again, because of the way the bit is designed, the brad-point, followed by the edge spurs, exits the work first, shearing off the edges of the hole instead of pushing uncut wood fiber out. After you use these types of bits for your woodworking, you won’t want to go back!

Having said all that, there is a wide range of quality of bits and associated price points. If you live in the U.S. and want a very good set, made entirely in the U.S., for a VERY reasonable price (about $30 at the time of filming), then we’ve found a great solution for you.

Check out Montana Tools® X29 Brad Point Drill Bit Set. These bits are very sharp, reasonably priced, and drill VERY clean and fast. They are manufactured by Rocky Mountain Twist in Ronan, MT, USA. These bits are industrial quality. The 6 pc. set contains 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" & 1/2" sizes and are not offered at this time in metric sizes. The approximate metric mm equivalents, listed in the same order as the imperial sizes, are 3.175, 4.763, 6.350, 7.938, 9.525, 12.700 millimeters. I wish they offered them in larger sizes, but this is not planned for right now.

While we don’t make a commission or have received product for this episode, we are glad to pass on good information when we get it. Rocky Mountain Twist/Montana Tools is offering a 10% discount for you when you use this link: https://www.montanabrandtools.com/discount/DIRT21.

These bits are also available in bright finish jobber lengths in 6 and 12 packs. You can order them at https://rockymountaintwist.com/products/jobber-length-brad-point-hss-bright.

You can also check out Montana Tools® drill speed and quality test video here: https://youtu.be/1mAOXvvKrXE

If you need to put threads into wood so you can use connectors, check out E-Z Lok® fasteners. E-Z Lok® makes a whole line of threaded inserts for metal, wood products, and wood. You can buy sets complete with the inserts, precisely-sized drill bit, and insert tool. Inserts are available by themselves as well. Visit www.ezlok.com to get more info or to purchase these great products.

Check out our reviews and installation methods at:
Foolproof Threaded Insert Installation as well as https://youtu.be/Gh7bbAO_PSA

#drillbit #drilling #wooddrill #tools #woodworking