Drilling cast iron, ferrous and non-ferrous metals requires careful selection of equipment and equipment with sufficient power. Drills designed to work with soft materials, will not be able to cope with metals. The work will be slow, the finished holes will be of poor quality, and the drills will be subject to excessive wear and require regular replacement. All these problems can be avoided if you decide which metal drills are better.
Main criteria
Universal drilling tool various materials does not exist, and even seemingly similar metals may have completely different equipment requirements. High-quality drills from reliable manufacturers are quite expensive, but with the right choice they can last for a very long time, saving a lot of time and money on the job.
When choosing a tool, you need to pay attention primarily to the following points:
If you make a choice, focusing on these points each time, the likelihood of receiving low-quality products is minimized.
Selecting a drill type
There are three main types of drills: spiral, stepped and conical (countersinks). A fourth type is somewhat less common - annular cutters, also called core drills. They are designed to create large holes up to 150 mm.
To decide on one of the types among these options, you need to focus on following criteria choice:
- Required diameter of the finished hole.
- Penetration or through drilling is required.
- Steel grade, appearance products and other features of the processed metal.
- Required hole depth.
- Characteristics and features of the tool used for work: drill, screwdriver, hammer drill, etc.
You should not buy drills in whole sets if they are required in isolated cases and for household purposes: such a purchase will be economically unjustified. For domestic purposes, it is advisable to purchase goods individually, for specific needs, and for professional purposes - in sets, depending on the field of activity.
Shank selection
The shank is the part that is attached to the chuck of a drill or other tool. There are three common types of fasteners: conical, cylindrical and hexagonal. Good metal drills can have any type of fastening: this only affects the tool that can work with a specific equipment.
Based on this, it is advisable to choose drills with hex shanks for hand tools. It is important to remember that you cannot replace one type with another, so last word remains with the equipment used. Compatibility of equipment with equipment guarantees maximum operating efficiency.
Alloy composition and markings
The cutting part of the tool will only be able to drill through a workpiece or work surface if it is significantly stronger than it. To make it easier to determine which products are made of what, metal drills are specially marked. In addition, many types of spraying and alloys can be immediately recognized by color.
How metal drills are marked:
Carbon is not indicated in the labeling, since it is always present in the original raw materials. The same is true with chromium, although its content can reach up to 4%. Domestic marking is even simpler: next to each letter indicating the metal there is a number indicating its percentage in the alloy. For example, the designation P7M6K6 indicates 7, 6 and 6% tungsten, molybdenum and cobalt content, respectively. The letter F may also appear - vanadium, but the cobalt version and alloys with molybdenum and tungsten are more common.
Metal drills: dimensions, table (DIN marking data - imported designation for high-strength steel, like HSS).
Color interpretation
All options laid out on store shelves can be divided into four categories based on color. Each color says a lot about the quality of the equipment and its intended characteristics.
The choice should be approached from a practical point of view. If the store has inexpensive options black, they will do an excellent job with everyday tasks and one-time jobs. It makes sense to spend money on high-quality products in golden shades if you have to great job and tens to hundreds of holes in the metal.
Popular manufacturers
There are a number of manufacturers whose products you can trust. There are few of them, and most of the companies are quite well known and well-known.
- it is important to know not only for professional builders, but also for those who often do metal work with their own hands.
Today in any hardware store you can buy drills of the most different forms and sizes, and it is important to choose from all this variety of equipment exactly what you really need.
In the article you will find out which drills are best to choose in this or that case, whether it is worth buying sets and which ones, or just one device, as well as other questions that will help you make your choice correct drill on metal.
Before buying a drill, be sure to decide for what purposes you will use it, otherwise choose correct option will be almost impossible.
You should choose a drill based on the type of drill you will use in your work, as well as the type of holes you will need to make.
For holes with a large cross-section, drills of the appropriate length and diameter are used - usually powerful drills with low speeds.
Drill color – important criterion, helping to choose the right correct device. By color you can easily determine the quality of the product and, therefore, its expected service life.
It's better not to buy the device gray, because they are the least reliable of all.
The gray color indicates that the drill has not been processed in any way: such tools do not have a protective layer, resistance to fire or deformation.
Naturally, buying such a drill will be the cheapest, but you won’t be able to use it more than once.
A black metal drill is of higher quality because it has been processed using superheated steam.
The service life of such products will be higher, as well as the cost, but their price is low, so buying such drills will not be a problem.
The most good drills- those who have golden hue, however, they also differ from each other.
Tools with pale gold are somewhat inferior in quality to bright products - they undergo a processing process that allows you to relieve the internal stress that is present in the material, and also increases the strength of the product.
The most expensive thing to buy is drills bright yellow color However, they are the strongest and most durable. They are made from titanium, the most durable type of metal.
Such drills have a minimal level of friction, so it is more convenient to work with them, and their service life is much longer compared to other tools.
Of course, it is logical to buy the highest quality device - this way you will save time and be able to use the tool much longer.
If metal work is not your full-time activity, then you can get by with cheaper analogues - black or light golden drills.
Most important when purchasing a drill, have its size.
It’s easy to buy a drill of the size you need, because... The size range for this tool is very wide - the main thing is to know what size you need.
If you are not sure which size to choose, then it is best to follow the GOST classification, which divides all devices into 3 groups.
The first group includes short instruments, the size of which does not exceed 20 mm in diameter and 131 mm in length.
The elongated group includes tools that reach a length of up to 205 mm, while their cross-section parameters are similar to short drills.
Long group drills include tools with a diameter of 1-20 mm and a length of 56-242 mm.
Drill shape
A drill is a simple tool and consists of only three elements: the cutting part, the shank and work surface, which is necessary so that the chips do not accumulate inside the hole, but are immediately brought out.
Although this is a standard tool for working with metal, many people also use it to work with wood, plexiglass, ceramics, plastic, concrete and other materials.
Thus, you can choose its shape, suitable not only for working on metal, but also for other surfaces.
According to their design, drills are divided into two groups: the tools of the first group are called flat, and the second are called spiral.
Decide which of the two types is most suitable for you before you buy a drill.
The advantages of flat tools are that they do not react to possible distortions during work, are cheaper than spiral ones and have a simpler design.
The disadvantages of such drills are their smaller diameter during sharpening and the lack of automatic chip removal.
One of the varieties of such drills is a conical tool for metal. This drill can be purchased separately or in a set, depending on the need.
The conical type tool is used to work with drilling machine, or a two-handed drill. If you need to make a hole with a large cross-section, then pay attention to this option.
A more popular type of drill is the twist drill. They are more often purchased due to their great application possibilities - they are suitable for creating almost any holes and working with different materials.
Such a drill has the shape of a cylinder, and on its “body” there are special recesses-grooves in the amount of one or two pieces.
Thanks to their presence, the chips do not linger during operation, but are immediately removed from the hole.
Spiral devices differ in the type of tail: it can be standard, crown, designed for threading, left-handed, high precision or stepped.
The standard cylindrical device has a diameter of up to 12 mm and can be used both in production and at home.
Private craftsmen most often buy this type of tool. A core drill is used to create large holes with a diameter of at least 30 mm.
The tip of the tool has a crown equipped with teeth. This device is best used for working on thin metal.
The threading tool allows you to create a thread of the required section. If you purchase a tool for these purposes, then you need to buy one that is 1 mm smaller than the cross-section of the future hole.
The stepped device is the most versatile because it allows you to make holes of different diameters.
The only limitation on working with it is that it can only be used to work on sheet metal with a thickness of no more than 2 mm.
The diameter of the tool is quite large and can reach 30 mm.
Buying such a drill is usually more expensive than others, but the price depends on the size of the section, and for small sections it will be quite acceptable.
The left-handed device can only be used to unscrew hardware: a screw, bolt or self-tapping screw, so buying it will only be relevant for these purposes.
Tools with increased precision are the best of all. They are purchased in cases where the result must be as high as possible.
The price of such devices depends on the accuracy class to which they belong - it can be class A1 or B1.
Manufacturer and labeling
Before you buy a drill, look at where and by whom it was made.
It is better to buy only proven devices, because... if the production technology was violated, then neither color nor correct form product will not help create a high-quality result.
From the right technology production depends on how well the tool will be sharpened, how durable it is and can last, resistance to corrosion and other external influences, etc.
It is best to look in advance on the Internet for reviews of a particular company and buy a drill that has the largest number of positive reviews.
The highest quality metal drills are marked USSR.
Finding them today is not so easy, however, if you buy such an instrument, it will last a long time: many note the high quality, long term operation and minimal abrasion of the device.
Ruko tools are also deservedly popular: they are of high quality and reasonable prices.
The most popular models are the TL 3000, due to the fact that they have wide functionality, as well as cross sharpening and several layers of titanium modifications.
Such drills are not always used for working on metal - they are most effective in processing materials that form large chips, such as wood.
Before choosing a device marking, keep in mind that the diameter may vary depending on the manufacturer.
If you see a drill without markings, it means its cross-section is less than 2 mm; on devices with a diameter of 2-3 mm, the steel grade and cross-section are indicated, and on drills with a larger diameter you can also find information about the cross-section, grade of material and the presence of additional substances in it, if they exist.
The instrument marking includes a combination of letters and numbers.
It is better to remember them before buying a tool: the letter P denotes high-speed steel, the alphanumeric combination indicates the presence of additional impurities in the material: it could be, for example, K6 - this is how cobalt is designated, but there may be other impurities.
If you decide to buy tools Russian production, then there will be no other markings on them, but if these are foreign instruments, then they must also indicate: country of origin, trademark, grade of material, cross-section and diameter of the instrument, advice on use and accuracy class.
Foreign instruments have specific markings, usually a combination of letters such as HSS-R, HSS-G, etc.
The Hand Tools company offers to buy metal drills from RESOLUX. Products manufactured under this brand are designed for comfortable work and making the most accurate holes in metal.
Depending on the standard, materials, characteristics, cost and production method, they are distinguished various types tool.
According to GOST 10902-77, in terms of quality and price, medium series drills with a cylindrical shank RESOLUX are divided into three groups:
1. Rolled drills R6M5 with the following characteristics:
- working part - polished;
- accuracy class B1;
- 1 - 20 mm;
Drills are mounted in three-jaw chucks of machine tools or hand drills. Manufactured in sizes starting from 13 mm. In this case, the shank is ground down to 13 mm, due to which a drill with a diameter of 16 mm can be fixed in a 13 mm chuck.
2. Drills according stainless steel P9 with the following characteristics:
- working part - polished;
- accuracy class B1;
- 1 - 13 mm.
Tools allow you to maximum efficiency process stainless steel, structural and other difficult-to-process steel grades. They are located in the middle price segment.
3. Drills R6M5 with accuracy class A1
This professional tools, widely in demand for production needs, at enterprises where increased demands are placed on the properties and characteristics of products, as well as on the precision of drilling.
In the production of tools in this series, high-quality steel grade R6M5 and the grinding method are used.
Suggested sizes: 1 - 13 mm.
Rolled drills are the most attractive in price, as they are made in the simplest and most accessible method. The low cost of the rolling method is explained by the high speed and automation of production:
- at the first stage, special blanks are made from rods;
- then they are heated and pulled through, due to which a working part similar to a spiral is formed;
- the workpieces are carefully ground and sharpened.
Grinding a working spiral from a solid workpiece is the most expensive production method. The reasons for this are: low production speeds, the most careful processing and, as a result, the highest quality of the product.
Drills with a conical shank are produced by milling. Since complete automation of the process is impossible due to the large size of the workpieces, it requires a lot of time.
You can buy long and elongated drills with a conical or cylindrical shank from the company " Hand tools"in Moscow. For more information about prices for metal drills, please call.
For those who carry out construction and installation work, the drill will be the best assistant. Inserted into a drill or others mechanical tools, it will drill a neat hole or tighten a screw.
There is no universal drill, and an incorrectly selected one will ruin the job or make it impossible, so you should carefully choose it. In most cases, you will have to select a drill yourself, because, unfortunately, not every seller in a hardware store will give the right recommendations on the quality of this tool and the work for which it is suitable.
Do I need to buy drill bits in sets? How do you know what shape a drill should be? What drills are suitable for? You will find answers to questions in the article.
- Spiral – universal, suitable for any type of hole;
- Conical - characterized by a smooth conical shape, suitable for holes of any diameter. Need constant supervision from a master;
- Stepped – also conical in shape, but they make the process of drilling holes of a certain diameter easier due to the presence of steps of different sizes;
- Core cutters (annular cutters) – for holes with a diameter of 12 to 150 mm, multi-layer materials. They are characterized by low cutting force and produce high roughness values that cannot be achieved with other types of drills. Suitable even for conventional drills. The shank must be strong and powerful to prevent slippage in the chuck. They are chosen depending on what kind of work is being done and what type of steel is being used. They differ from wood drills in the sharpening angle and the presence of two longitudinal grooves that divert the chips to the side.
Options in the photo
The most powerful drills for large holes 
Due to the steps of a given diameter, such drills make it easier to drill standard holes. Working with a conical drill requires constant attention from the master. Twist drills are the most familiar and common
Professionals highlight 5 points general criteria choosing a drill for metal:
- The type and characteristics of the metal you are going to work with, including the grade of steel;
- Depth of “penetration”;
- Type of drilling (through or penetrating);
- Hole diameter;
- What tool do you use (hand or electric drill, varieties - hammer drill, screwdriver or drill), its general characteristics.
Please note that buying a set of drills for household use not worth it. If you don't use drills for professional purposes, you won't need many tools and your money will be wasted. If you are going to buy a drill for permanent use, do not skimp.
Features of choice
Professionals choose drills based on the following criteria:
- Material;
- Blossom;
- Labeling;
- Sharpening angle;
- Size;
- Shank;
- To the manufacturer.
It’s not difficult to identify them by eye, but before doing this, be sure to find out what type of drill you have. For example, large cross-section holes will require low-speed, high-power drills with appropriate drill bits. Additionally, please note that some types of drills are used only with cooling solutions, in order to avoid burning them and the metal.
Which material is better
To use a drill at home, it is better to choose one drill for working with metal of different densities. When choosing a tool for working with aluminum and steel, focus on cost.
Cheap - Chinese-made products. They quickly break or become dull. For long-term operation they will be required in plural, and their total cost is disproportionate to the purchase of a single, but high-quality drill.
When looking for quality tools, turn to products from well-known brands. They are made of solid steel and are solid rolled.
Drills top quality- solid rolled
Counterfeits are determined by weight. The drill should not be too light.
Choose by color
On store shelves you can find drills in the following colors, which directly indicate their quality:
This does not mean that you don’t need to buy gray or black drills. Approach your choice from a practical standpoint - if you only need to drill a couple of holes, you can save money by buying several drills, and if you plan to drill more global work– it’s better to buy a “golden” drill, which will last much longer.
Marking
All data about the drill is printed on its shank
Drill markings a implies a certain combination of alphanumeric values and indicates:
- Drill diameter A;
- Steel hardness;
- Metal impurities in the alloy;
- Technology and place of production.
Please note that markings are not placed everywhere - for example, drills with a diameter of less than 2 mm do not have them. On domestically produced instruments with a diameter of 2 to 3 mm, a mark and section are given, on products with a size of 3 mm or more - data on the cross-section, grade of metal, impurities in the alloy, brand. If you decide to buy imported drills, they will indicate the country of origin, brand of company and metal alloy, drill diameter and cross-section, accuracy class and recommendations for use.
The highest quality drills are characterized by the USSR marking.
Main types of marking:
- HSS-R and HSS-G – suitable for working with cast, alloyed, carbon steel with a strength of up to 900 N/mm2, aluminum, cupronickel, graphite, bronze or brass alloy and cast iron;
- HSS-G Co 5 – for processing metals with a strength of up to 1110 N/mm2, suitable for drilling stainless steel, carbon, alloy, non-heat-resistant, heat-resistant steel;
- HSS-GTiAN/TiN – drills with titanium-nitride-aluminum coating, suitable for working with cast iron, brass, cupronickel and bronze, cast steel.
There are also drills made of cobalt (one of the most expensive and durable types of drills, suitable for drilling hard metals) and hard metal alloys (suitable for processing thick metals, have one-sided, acute angle sharpening).
Sharpening angle
The sharpening angle is the angle between the edges
The sharpening angle is the angle between the edges. For various types metal it is different. For example:
- Drills for steel have a sharpening angle of 116-140 degrees;
- To work with bronze, brass and aluminum, you will need a sharpening of 110-135 degrees (such drills are most common);
- For “stainless steel” - 120 degrees;
- For cast iron - 118 degrees.
The ease of drilling depends on how correctly you select the drill according to the sharpening angle. different types metal
What size are drill bits?
There are different sizes of drills, but our country’s GOST sets the following parameters:
- Short (GOST 4010-77) – diameter 0.3-0.20 mm, length – 20-131 mm;
- Extended (GOST 10902-77) – diameter 0.3-0.20 mm, length – 19-205 mm;
- Long (GOST 886-77) – diameter 1-20 mm, length – 56-254 mm.
They allow you to make holes of different depths.
What is a shank and what are they?
The shank is the part of the drill that is clamped by the drill or hammer chuck. At first they were of the same type - tetrahedral, placed in the hole of the drill chuck and secured with a screw. Later, improved types of shanks appeared, used for various types of tools.
Shanks are:
- Cylindrical - found most often. As a rule, such products have the same base size and drill diameter. Sometimes there are models in which the shank is thicker or thinner than the drill. The disadvantage is that the shank slips, which makes it impossible to transmit a large torque to the drill. Advantage - if the drill jams in the working surface, the drill will be protected from damage;
- Hexagonal (aka hexagonal and hex) shanks - suitable for various types of drills. Disadvantage: insignificant accuracy when using a ¼-inch holder;
This shank shape fits almost any drill model
- SDS shanks are the brainchild of TM Bosh for hot changing drills in rotary hammers. There are different types: SDS (with two grooves with a diameter of 10 mm, inserted into a 40 mm chuck), SDS-plus (common shanks with a diameter of 10 mm, placed into a 40 mm chuck, used on light hammer drills, drill diameter - 4-26 mm ), SDS-top (rare, have 2 open and 2 closed grooves, characterized by a diameter of 14 mm, in a chuck - 70 mm, drill diameter - 16-25 mm, suitable for 4-kg class hammer drills with a replaceable chuck), SDS -max (widespread, suitable for drills over 20 mm, inserted into a 90 mm chuck, diameter – 18 mm, have 3 closed and 2 open slots), SDS-quick (4-10 mm), SDS-hex (used in jackhammers, pikes, drills);
Shanks designed specifically for rotary hammers
- Splined shanks – have the same parameters as SDSMax;
- Triangular - clamped into three-jaw chucks, the main advantage is that they transmit large torques;
Drills- a very popular tool not only in different areas activities, but also in everyday life, in daily use. A very wide range of drills from different manufacturers sometimes simply confuses the average buyer. Let's find out how to choose a drill for metal and which manufacturer's drills should be preferred.
Metal drills
Metal drills are used to cut holes in unalloyed and alloyed steel, cast iron, non-ferrous metal, etc. This type of drill has a spiral shape, hence the corresponding name - twist drills. Twist drills have two longitudinal flutes that guide chips away during drilling. There are several types of twist drill shanks - conical, hexagonal and cylindrical. Conical ones are inserted directly into the machine, cylindrical ones into a special chuck.
If you are interested in the question: “Which metal drills are better?”, when choosing a drill, pay attention to the color, it will say a lot about the quality.
Choosing a quality drill by color
If the drill is black, it means that when finishing superheated steam was used. This drill has increased wear resistance.
If tempering was used during finishing to relieve internal stresses, the drill will have a faint golden tint.
High-quality metal drills have a bright golden hue - a layer of titanium nitride is applied to the drill. These are very high quality tools, have high strength and reduced friction. A little more expensive than the others, but also higher in quality than the others.
A regular gray drill (the cheapest) does not have any processing. Minimum price and the same service life, and nothing more.
Look at the photo of metal drills to finally remember the types of colors and their inherent characteristics.
Marking drills for metal
The marking depends on the diameter. Drills up to 2mm are not marked; drills up to 3mm are marked with steel grade and diameter; thicker drills may carry information about the manufacturer and accuracy class.
The drill marking begins with the letter P - high-speed steel. The content of various substances in the alloy is also indicated in the form of a numerical value. For example, K6 is part of cobalt, M3 is molybdenum content. On imported drills, the marking is in the form of HSS or Din values.
Having learned the characteristics and types of drills, you now know exactly how to choose a drill for metal. We will only give examples of high-quality drills that are widely used by professionals.
RUKO twist drills for metal TL 3000 (HSS-G, HSS-E, HSS-G TiN, HSS-G TiAlN)
Metal drills ruko model range TL 3000 is known to consumers as a high-quality material at an affordable price. The diameter of the drills is from 3 mm (they have a cross sharpening according to the DIN 1412 C standard). The drills have a sharpening angle of 130°. Depending on the specific model, they have coatings of titanium nitride, titanium aluminum nitride, etc.
Multi-purpose drill bits, great for deep drilling depths. Best suited for materials that produce long to medium chips.
HSS-G drills are excellent at drilling carbon and alloy steels, cast iron, copper and aluminum alloys.
In addition to carbon and alloy steel, HSS-E drills into stainless and acid-resistant steel, as well as copper and aluminum alloy.
HSS-G TiN and HSS-G TiAlN are suitable for all materials described above, as well as titanium alloy.
Metal drills BOSCH HSS-CO
BOSCH drills of the HSS-CO model range are made of high-speed steel according to all standards. The drills have an oxide coating that quickly removes chips during drilling. The standard 135° chisel-shaped edge with a mesh grind is suitable for almost any type of work.
Alloying with cobalt improves the strength and heat resistance of the drill. The tensile strength is 1000N/mm2, which allows it to work with most types of steel and alloys, as well as cope with heavy production tasks.
Accuracy class h8 ensures the required outer diameter tolerance.
HAISSER metal drills with titanium coating
One of the most powerful drills that are used under extreme loads in household and industrial conditions. The drills have a cross-shaped sharpening. The titanium coating provides maximum cooling, allowing you to work in the toughest conditions. The main application of drills is in the field of industrial and complex work. Angle 135 with mesh grinding. Titanium nitride coating provides minimal friction and reduced cold welding. Thanks to their high wear resistance, the drills have a uniquely long service life.
Metal drill BISON "Cobalt"
The ZUBR metal drill is made of high-speed steel R6M5K5. Has a cylindrical shank. In terms of strength class it belongs to category A1. The use of cobalt (5%) in manufacturing gives this drill additional strength and wear resistance.
Cobalt drills are used for drilling non-ferrous metals, stainless steel, difficult-to-cut tough steel, etc. Drills are made in accordance with GOST 10902-77. The price of BISON drills “Cobalt” is quite consistent with the quality of the product, so many buyers choose this product.
