Seven bit lines by their makers' figures
| Bits | Type | Diameters | Shank | Cutting material | Tools the maker lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch Brad Point | Brad point | 1/8–5/8 in | Cylindrical, 1/8–3/8 in | Not stated | Portable drills and drill presses |
| Bosch Daredevil spade | Spade | 1/4–1-1/2 in | 1/4 in | Not stated | Corded and cordless drills |
| Bosch Daredevil auger | Auger | 1/4–1-1/2 in | Not stated | Not stated | Rotary drills/drivers |
| Freud PB-100 set | Forstner | 1/4–2-1/8 in, 1/8 in steps | 1/4–3/8 in | Not stated for the set | Hand-held drills and drill presses |
| Diablo Forstner | Forstner | 1/4–2-1/8 in | 3/8 in minimum chuck | High-speed steel | Drill presses and hand-held drills |
| Milwaukee SELFEED | Self-feed | Example: 2-1/8 in | Hex | Not stated; resharpenable | A drill chuck |
| W. L. Fuller countersinks | Taper drill and countersink | Sized by screw gauge, #2–#18 | Taper point drill | High-speed steel drills | Not stated |
Each figure is the maker's own for its own bits; "Not stated" means the document reviewed does not say. Not a ranking.
Equipment notePaid link
16-piece Forstner bit set, 1/4 to 2-1/8 in
Freud PB-100
Freud's PB-100 from the table above: sixteen Forstner bits for flat-bottomed holes, 1/4 to 2-1/8 in in 1/8 in steps, for hand drills and drill presses, by Freud.
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Matching bits to the work
| Work | Bits that suit it | Why, from the documents |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture and cabinet holes that show | Brad point | Bosch: a centering tip and clean holes in soft and hard wood; WEN prefers brad points in wood |
| Flat-bottomed and overlapping holes | Forstner | Freud and Diablo: flat-bottomed, pocket and overlapping holes |
| Holes through framing | Spade, auger, self-feed | Bosch and Milwaukee: tips that pull the bit through; listed for drills |
| Screws set flush or plugged | Taper drill with countersink, plug cutter | Fuller: predrill, countersink and counterbore by gauge in one pass |
| A drill press | Brad point, Forstner | Listed by their makers for drill presses; WEN rules out auger bits |
Built from the makers' statements above. Hardwood and softwood have separate pilot sizes in Fuller's chart. Not a ranking.
What to compare
- The hole. Choose the type for the holes you drill most; the guide to wood drill bits sets out what each type is for, and the types chart draws them.
- The tool. Check that the maker lists the bit for your drill or drill press. Bosch lists its spade and auger bits for drills only.
- The shank. It must fit your chuck: Diablo's Forstner bits need a 3/8 in chuck, while Freud runs its larger carbide bits on reduced shanks. A hex shank fits an impact driver only if that driver's manual allows the bit.
- The range. A set is the sizes it contains. Freud's PB-100 steps by 1/8 in from 1/4 to 2-1/8 in; Bosch's spade line runs from 1/4 to 1-1/2 in.
- The material. Freud says its carbide/titanium tips give cleaner cuts and lasting sharpness; Diablo's are high-speed steel. These are the makers' claims; neither is compared here.
- Upkeep. Milwaukee describes its SELFEED cutters as resharpenable and its feed screws as replaceable.
Before choosing drill bits
- Types chosen for the holes you actually drill
- Each bit listed by its maker for your drill or press
- Shanks within your chuck's capacity
- Sizes in the set match your work and hardware
- Countersinks sized to the screw gauges you use
Sizes across fractional, number, letter and metric series are on the drill bit size chart; pilot and clearance sizes for screws on the pilot hole chart.
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is the maker's own for the bits named, from its product page or catalog. Makers' claims about speed, life or cleanliness of cut are quoted as claims and were not checked. No bit was tested and none is ranked.
- 1.
Brad Point Drill Bits. Bosch.
Used for: Brad-point bits from 1/8 to 5/8 in on cylindrical shanks of 1/8 to 3/8 in; a centering tip, extra-wide flutes; for portable drills and drill presses; soft and hard wood.
- 2.
Daredevil Standard Spade Bits. Bosch.
Used for: Daredevil spade bits from 1/4 to 1-1/2 in on a 1/4 in shank, 4 and 6 in long; spur-and-reamer tips and a fully threaded tip; for corded and cordless drills.
- 3.
Daredevil Auger Bits. Bosch.
Used for: Daredevil auger bits from 1/4 to 1-1/2 in, 6-1/2 in long and longer; for rotary drills/drivers; softwood and hardwood.
- 4.
PB-100 Forstner Bit Set and carbide Forstner bits. Freud.
Used for: The PB-100 set of sixteen Forstner bits from 1/4 to 2-1/8 in in 1/8 in steps on 1/4 to 3/8 in shanks; carbide Forstner bits with micro-grain carbide/titanium tips on reduced shanks; for hand-held drills and drill presses.
- 5.
FB-007 High-Speed Steel Forstner Bit. Diablo (Freud).
Used for: High-speed steel Forstner bits from 1/4 to 2-1/8 in with a forged, hardened steel body and a 3/8 in minimum chuck; for drill presses and hand-held drills.
- 6.
SELFEED Bit 2-1/8" (48-25-2122). Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: SELFEED bits with a centre feed screw, a hex shank, removable feed screws and resharpenable cutters, for repetitive large holes.
- 7.
Countersinks, Counterbores, Tapered Drills, Plug Cutters catalog (PDF dated 2006), page 4: Recommendations for Wood Screw Predrill Sizes and Lengths. W. L. Fuller, Inc., 2006.
Used for: High-speed steel taper point drills with four-flute countersinks sized by screw gauge (C3 for #2 to C18 for #18), plug cutters matched to its counterbores.
- 8.
Model 4214 12-inch Variable Speed Drill Press manual (2015), as hosted by a retailer. WEN Products, 2015.
Used for: Brad point bits preferred in its drill press for wood, auger bits not to be used.
About this buying guide
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