Drill bits are cutting tools that have specially designed for the purpose of making holes, usually in a circular shape. These drill bits come in a variety of different sizes and shapes and can create many types of holes of different depths and sizes in many types of material.
There are various sizes of drill bits which are designed for use on particular materials, including wood. Types of drill bits intended for use with wood include the likes of spade bits, as well as Hole saws, Installer Twist bits, and Forstner bits.
Spade bits
Spade bits, as the name implies, see each shaft terminating into a blade that resembles the appearance of a spade. The spade is flat with the centre being a very sharp point that serves as a guide and is able to centre the hole in addition to leading the way. The cutting edges still do the hard work, however.
Spade bits are probably the most inexpensive drill bits and are capable of boring holes very quickly, with a simple and easy to modify a design that can be useful when smaller size bits are required.
Hole saw drill bits
Hole saw drill bits feature a blade and a mandrel as their two main components, with the latter essentially serving as the shaft to which the blade is attached. The mandrel fits inside the drill and allows the unit to rotate at high speed and drill holes. Unlike some blades, the blade here comes in the form of a hollow cylinder that has teeth situated at the top edges.
Hole saws are intended for use on work types that fall somewhere between the function of sabre saws and spade bits and in addition to being able to drill through wood can also deal with plastic and metals such as aluminium, iron and steel.
These drill bits are particularly important when the likes of cables, tubing, piping and conduits are being installed in wood.
Installer Twist bits
Installer Twist bits are a kind of twist drill bit, which are one of the most common home use drill bits, but more specialised and intended for use with wirings such as entertainment and security systems. After a surface has been drilled through, a wire can be inserted into a small hole that runs through the bit and the drill can then be used to draw the wiring through that new hole.
Forstner bits
Forstner bits are special drill bits that are intended for use during the installation of concealed hinges, which are normally between 26 and 35 millimetres in diameter. The design means that users do not have to drill through the wood, though there are two types of these drill bits, those that make use of a saw tooth rim and those that use a continuous rim.
Continuous rim bits
Continuous rim bits come with a clean edge and are ideal for use with small holes, while sawtooth rims result in the production of rougher holes and are better suited for larger holes, while also being longer-lasting.
Other drill bits suitable for wood include Brad-point bits and Ship Auger bits. It is vital to consider your needs when choosing wood drill bit types.