Metal drill comparison 2018


Purchase advice for the metal drill comparison or test 2018

  • Metal drills are metal twist drills for metal, which is why they are also called metal twist drills. They are sharp enough to cut in steel or cast iron.
  • Milled metal drills were milled in the factory and are usually very precise. Roll-rolled drills do not always guarantee an accurate cut as they are rolled into shape when manufactured by rolling.
  • Drills made of high-speed high-speed steel (HSS) are particularly robust. If normal steel has been alloyed with chromium, molybdenum or vanadium, it is also very durable.

Metal drill comparison 2018: drills

1. How do you recognize good metal drills?

Metal drill comparison 2018: 2018

Milled drills are i.d.R. silver or golden and rolled black.

On her color: Black drills are always roll-rolled and all others are milled, The metal drills can also be divided into these two categories by their method of production:

  • rollforged
  • milled

Rolled drills were rolled into shape between rolls during production, This procedure is very favorable, but the drills are not always equally precise: Sometimes, fuzzy and inaccurate models are hidden between the metal drills.

Milled drills were ground and milled after they came out of the forging process. This is Although more expensive, but much more precise and promises a high success rate: The end result has almost always metal drill test winner quality.

If you only occasionally drill in metal, you will be happy with a roll-rolled and cheap metal drill. For high-quality and precise drilling you should definitely choose a milled model.

What the TiN coating is about or the twist angle, we tell you in the purchase advice below in our metal drill comparison 2018.

2. Purchase advice for the best metal drill

Twist angle for the hardness

Unfortunately, traders and manufacturers rarely specify the helix angle of their drills. The helix angle is the angle at which the drill picks up the chip. If the angle is very sharp, the lifted span will be rather short, This is usually the case with tough metals. Aluminum as a soft metal gives off a long chip.

However, the helix angle is not indicated with a number of degrees, but only with a letter:

  • H for very hard metals (about 16°)
  • N for normal hard metals (about 30°)
  • W for soft metals (about 40°)

However, most metals belong to the category N. Stainless steel, however, requires a drill with the helix angle H.

2.1. Material & alloy

The best tools are made of the so-called high speed steel (HS steel or HSS for short). If a HS steel drill was milled, it is usually abbreviated HSS-G. Roll-rolled HS steel is then called HSS-R. HSS drills are always stainless.

Almost all current metal drills are made of HS steel, There are hardly any drills made of tool steel (WS) or high speed steel (SS). Iron drills no longer exist.

But you will also encounter other steel variants that consist of an alloy. Alloys are not as tough as HS steel, but still sufficiently robust for all types of metal.

Among the alloys are steel compounds with chromium vanadium (CV), molybdenum (Mo) or cobalt (CO for cobalt). These are called:

  • CV-steel
  • Mo steel
  • CO-steel

Very rare are carbide (HM) drills. It is particularly strong and hard (harder than HS steel), but also less flexible and breaks under extreme conditions.

Confusions with stainless steel: Manufacturers like to call their drills also stainless steel drills. However, it does not mean that they are made of stainless steel, but that the drills are ideal for stainless steel.

To drill in stainless steel, the tools must be very hard, as the metal is particularly tough. The best drill for stainless steel consists of HSS (helix angle: H), Stiftung Warentest recommends that you work with stainless steel coated steel drills.

2.2. coating

Metal drill comparison 2018: comparison

The Bosch metal drills made of HSS-TiN reveal their coating with the golden color.

For metal drills, a coating does not protect against rust, but keeps it sharp longer. As a rule, coated metal drills are coated with titanium nitrite: the so-called TiN coating. They recognize a coating on the golden color of the drills.

Rarer, but as helpful as titanium are cobalt coatings. They make for a multicolored shimmer like a rainbow. Thus, the drills not only visually gain a metal drill test, but the coating keeps them sharp for a long time.

2.3. drill bit

The fine tuning of your drill search begins with the selection of the angle of the drill bit. If you buy a metal drill new, you will often encounter the indication 118° or 135°. This value indicates the angle of the cutting edges on the drill bit.

Drill tips with an angle of 118° are considered very thin. They dissipate heat while drilling but are also less stable than thicker drill bits.

Drill tips with an angle of 135° belong to the thick and are very stable. However, they also get hotter while drilling.

Why a drill should not glow: When a drill begins to glow at work, it becomes dull as the alloy is changed by the heat.

2.4. What does DIN 338 mean?

Metal drill comparison 2018: comparison

The DIN 338 only confirms that the drill fits in any standard drill chuck. About drill manufacturers and quality it says nothing.

DIN 338 simply states that the shape of the drill does not exceed certain limits (Length, diameter). However, you do not have to pay attention to buying an average metal drill, as most models comply with DIN standards.

However, pay attention to these DINs with extremely thick or thin drills, as in extreme cases some drills could deviate too much. On the other hand, DIN says nothing about drilling quality.

2.5. Suitable for the drill chuck?

Apart from DIN sizes, the shape of the drill shank is also important. Widely used are round shaftswhich fit into any standard chuck (including tool holder) of any drill. It is also irrelevant whether it is a quick-release chuck or a classic chuck.

Metal drill comparison 2018: comparison

On the packaging, only abbreviations (e.g., HSS-R) or images of the metal type, point angle, or DIN are printed.

In rare cases, metal drills have hexagonal shanks or an SDS shank. However, you need the appropriate chuck for these shanks: hexagon drill chuck or SDS drill chuck. Mainly SDS drills are found under the stone drills.

2.6. drill sizes

Depending on the drilling project, you should pay attention either to the drill diameter or to the drill bit length, because in some online shops only one millimeter number is specified, which was not consistently assigned to the diameter or the length. Not always, but mostly the diameter is meant.

The thinner you choose a drill, the shorter it will be. Only special drill designs are thin and long. With thin drills, it is normal for them to break off quickly, Particularly thin models have a diameter of about 1 mm and thickness can be up to 12 mm. In an average metal drill set are usually sizes from 1 to 10 mm.

3. Tips and tricks for drilling in metal

Metal drill comparison 2018: drill

Cutting oil prevents the drill from getting hot quickly.

As already mentioned, too much heat is a problem when drilling in metal. Cutting oil prevents the drill from getting hot quickly, This coolant can also be used for milling or sawing in metal.

The heat damages the metal to be cut and the drill itself. Too hot a drill turns blue when glowing, When this case has arrived, the drill's alloy has been attacked and it is rapidly losing its sharpness.

From a material depth of 20 mm, the use of cutting oil is already worthwhile. For stainless steel, you may need to use the oil for shallower depths.

4. Special types and shapes of metal drills

In the following table we present you specialized metal drill types:

Typeparticularities
screw tap

Metal drill comparison 2018: comparison

  • also called tappers or machine taps
  • cuts threads in existing holes
  • is usually performed as a hand drill in the bit holder without a drill
  • often has a hex shaft
Step drills

Metal drill comparison 2018: 2018

  • also called cone drills or conical drills
  • cuts standardized hole sizes
  • extends existing holes

5. Frequently asked questions about metal drills

5.1. How do I recognize metal drills?

Metal drill comparison 2018: metal

Drills compared: stone drills, wood drills, metal drills (from left).

metal drill differ on closer inspection at the top of stone or wood drills: Drills for metal are simple and have only the cutting thread, which converges conically at the top.

Wood drills have particularly sharp cutting at the topthat pull down over the shaft. On the top, they also have a so-called center point. This is a small thorn that is stuck in the wood and centers the point. Frequently found in the wood area and so-called snake drill, in which the cutting edges are far apart.

  • For wood drill comparison

Stone drills have small "wings" at the drill bitwith which they smash the rock in the borehole. Metal drills are rather simple in comparison, since they have neither center point, nor "wings" on the drill bit.

  • To the stone drill comparison

Limits of the universal drill: Universal drills, which are also supposed to be good for wood and concrete, look a bit like the metal drills. However, they are not always robust enough for deep holes in metal.

5.2. Which manufacturer makes the best metal drills?

Metal drill comparison 2018: 2018

Milled HSS drills are characterized by high precision.

The well-known tool manufacturers Bosch, Metabo and Makita are also launching suitable attachments and accessories for their machines. In various Internet forums, hobby-handyman are however divided opinion concerning the quality of the brand accessory. It is the same with the metal drills. However, drills from Proxxon, Alpen and S & R are very popular.

The still relatively unknown manufacturer Technolit advertises with its special metal drill series SAS-P W that these Cut metal with ground side blades, This allows you to simultaneously cut laterally into the metal while drilling. This is handy if you want to make an oval opening in a sheet. However, Technolit has not yet established itself in online trading.

5.3. What do metal drills cost?

Drills cost not much per piece: the most expensive ones are around 1 to 2 euros. However, they are usually in the set, so you should always divide the total price by the number of drills, In our metal drill comparison 2018 we have already taken over this task in our table at the top of the page.

5.4. How to sharpen metal drills

Metal drill comparison 2018: drills

Sharpener sharpeners often have additional attachments for sharpening blade or scissor blades.

Even winners of a metal drill test will stump with the years. Drill lovers like to grind themselves, but the effort is great. You can sharpen the tip on a grindstone or invest in a drill sharpener. Cheap models are already available for 30 euros.

If you still want to grind, you have to precisely hit the anglebecause otherwise he grinds the tip of the grindstone dull. Not only should the tip angle be maintained (118° or 135°), but also the cutting edges leading away from the tip can get quirks.

The side cutting edges must remain even: If they were partially sanded during grinding, the blades would be uneven. Uneven drill blades jam while working, fabricate inaccurate holes and vibrate harder, causing the drill to break faster. The drill would finally ruin.

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Metal drill comparison 2018

FAQ - 💬

❓ What is the best drill for drilling metal?

👉 Cobalt drill bits are the best drill bits for hard metals including stainless steel. If you are using a hand drill then a 5% (M35) drill bit will be most suitable and it will be less brittle than other drill bits. TTP HARD drill bits are 5% cobalt and are a high quality drill bit.

❓ Which is better M35 or M42 cobalt?

👉 The added advantage of M35 cobalt drill bits is that they can be used in a hand held drill without too much fear of breakage. An M42 (8% cobalt) drill bit will drill harder metals however will also be more prone to breakage due to its inceased brittleness.

❓ Are cobalt drills better than HSS?

👉 Cobalt drill bits are incredibly strong. They can be operated at much higher speeds than a standard HSS drill bit. The ability to withstand heat means that cobalt bits perform for long periods without cooling or the need for cutting fluid. They are most often used to cut through hardened and abrasive materials.

❓ What is the strongest drill bit metal?

👉 Carbide (Carb) is the hardest and most brittle of the drill bit materials. It's used mostly for production drilling where a high-quality tool holder and equipment is used.

❓ Which is better cobalt or carbide?

👉 Carbide Drill Bits vs. As we have seen, both drill bits are made from high-grade materials and perform well. But in terms of strength, solid carbide drill bits are superior, with a hardness of 75 HRC and cobalt's hardness of 65 HRC on a Rockwell scale.

❓ Are cobalt bits better than titanium?

👉 Cobalt bits tend to be quite expensive. However, they are more durable and long-lasting than other options, including titanium. Because of this, they can often save you money in the long run.

❓ What does cobalt M35 mean?

👉 A: M35 and M42 refer to the percentage of cobalt in the cobalt steel alloy. M35 is five percent cobalt whereas M42 has eight percent.

❓ Which drill bits are better cobalt or titanium?

👉 Cobalt bits tend to be quite expensive. However, they are more durable and long-lasting than other options, including titanium. Because of this, they can often save you money in the long run.

❓ Which is better carbide or cobalt?

👉 Carbide Drill Bits vs. As we have seen, both drill bits are made from high-grade materials and perform well. But in terms of strength, solid carbide drill bits are superior, with a hardness of 75 HRC and cobalt's hardness of 65 HRC on a Rockwell scale.

❓ Which is a better drill bit cobalt or titanium?

👉 Cobalt bits tend to be quite expensive. However, they are more durable and long-lasting than other options, including titanium. Because of this, they can often save you money in the long run.

❓ What drill bits last the longest?

👉 Titanium (Coating) This type of drill bit lasts longer than black oxide. Titanium drill bits tend to drill faster than black oxide and chips move through the flutes better. One of the downsides is that the titanium nitride is just a coating and you lose the benefits as the coating wears off the cutting edges.

👉 Carbide-Tipped drill bit is very hard, easy to dissipate heat and can hold an edge longer than other type bits. Similar to the cobalt drill bit, it’s very brittle as well and maybe broken up in improper use. Carbide bits are applicable for drilling fiberglass reinforced plastic and nonferrous heavy metals. 6. Diamond Drill Bit

👉 But each type has its own peculiar properties. For example, sharpening titanium bits will grind off their coating, cobalt bits are great for tough steel but are brittle, etc. Read our short cobalt vs titanium drill bits comparison to choose the right bits for your project. The titanium bits work great for metal cutting machines.

👉 What is the difference between a wood drill bit and a metal drill bit? The main difference between a metal and wood drill bit is in geometry. The wood bit has a spur in the center that will penetrate the wood and keep the bit stable during drilling. The metal bit is a twist bit with conical cutting tips followed by spiral flutes.

👉 Compared with carbon steel bits, high-speed steel drill bit is a more popular choice on the market now.


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