High Speed, cobalt and titanium are some of the drill bit types used for cutting metals. As stainless steel is quite hard to cut, titanium or cobalt drill bits are used as they can easily cut through hard metals without damaging the surface. High speed steel drill bits can easily resist heat and their sharpness helps in drilling various other materials such as PVC, fiberglass, wood, aluminum, etc. Although these drill bits come in a variety of sizes, shapes, design and coating, they are meant to perform specific tasks. Choosing the right drill bit for stainless steel for a project will decide the success of your project.
Below are our recommendations for the 4 best drill bits for stainless steel on the market:
Neiko Titanium Step Drill Bit
These Titanium step drill bits are very well suited for novice users. The product can be easily used on galvanized, electrical cabinets and even stainless steel surfaces. Neiko Titanium Step Drill bit not only drills holes, but also easily enlarges the existing holes in your steel surface. Neiko Titanium Drill bit is a best selling product because of its durability and double flute for swift control and excellent grip. These are self-starting and do not need extra punching. If you want to drill a quick hole, these are the best drill bits for stainless steel surfaces.
Bosch Cobalt Twist Drill Bit
This plastic case from Bosch has twist 21 drill bits of various dimensions. The Bosch Cobalt twist drill bit is best suited to drill on your electronic projects having steel shells without causing any scratches on the paint. One can easily make some modest holes with a very nominal effort. Also, the drill doesn’t bind after penetrating the metal. These sharp twists are the best drill bits for steel surfaces because they are relatively sharper compared to many others and can penetrate at steeper angles. Above all the benefits, these drill bits are reasonably priced and hence very affordable and are among the best drill bits for stainless steel.
Dewalt 14-Piece Cobalt Pilot Point Drill Bit
This Cobalt Pilot Point drill bit from Dewalt offers maximum speed and shelf life in stainless steel. The precision-crafted Cobalt drill bits are sturdy and offer fast cutting. The higher torque offers professional boring of holes. The pilot tip design provides high performance and users can easily drill through stainless steel without any hassles. The drill bit is packed in heavy duty ABS material compliant to the industry grade. These bits cut metals relatively faster compared to the other drill bits with lesser effort. The sharp bits are durable and do not break easily. So, why not enjoy a much nicer cutting experience for such a low price?
Drill America Shank Drill Bit
Whether you are trying to drill a hole on your vehicle that has steel surface or on a thin steel plate, these drill bits come handy. The high speed shank drill from Drill America can easily drill holes in stainless steel materials and other hard metal applications. They are ideal for drilling materials of low and medium tensile strength. The wear resistant round shape Shank drills have flat ends of the three sides to provide sufficient grip when used with chucks. It is much easier to get rid of the chips while drilling as the spiral flute evacuates chips when the tool moves counter-clockwise direction. This reduces clogging while drilling holes. These are among the best drill bits for steel.
Things to Consider When Buying Drill Bits for Steel
For accurately centering the drill, you can use a round shank. In some cases grip may be more important where hex shanks with flat surfaces allow you to drill without adjusting the chuck. Carbide can be used for production drilling and stainless steel grades as it is the hardest of the drill materials. However, remember not to use drill bits made of carbide for drill presses or hand drills as they can easily damage the material.
When you are looking for drilling stainless steel you should also consider multi-purpose drill bits such as High-Speed Steel (HSS) for cutting metals, plastic or wood. It is not only economical, but also easy to maintain. Also, the drill bit angle decides how far you can drill into the steel material. 118° Standard is the most commonly found angle in majority of bit drills. Shorter drills are accurate and are more rigid than the longer ones. For faster drills, use 135° Self-Centering when you are drilling stainless steel materials. When you have to drill in confined areas, make sure to use shorter drills.
Flute design decides how easily you can remove the chip while drilling. Parabolic or the open design is more suitable for quickly drilling and cleaning chips from the bored hole. Generally 30° angles are ideal flute designs. Dill point coatings decide how easily you can drill the stainless steel surface. For example, black oxide surface treatment eases chip flow from the drilled hole, Titanium nitride (gold color) coating increases the speed and improves the tool’s shelf life and Titanium carbonitride are most suited for stainless steel and various alloys as they are more wear resistant as compared to other coating materials.
Conclusion on Drill Bits for Stainless Steel
Once you have made up your mind to select the best drill bit for stainless steel, it’s simply a matter of drilling on the steel material you need to focus. If you are looking for the best value without compromising quality, you must consider the above mentioned drill bits for drilling steel. Whether you select Bosch, Dewalt or Drill America, getting your drill bit to match the depth and hole diameter you need is more important. Selecting the best drill bit for your stainless steel material can improve the shelf life of your drill bits. This directly impacts your productivity and if you make the right choice, you will get more work done with each drilling.
