When it comes to drilling holes, the process can be simple or complex depending on the level of accuracy that is required. If you are just doing something simple like drilling a pilot hole into wood, you can usually just go for it and produce results that are clean and accurate. If you are using a milling machine to place a hole in a piece of steel or other hard material, you will need to use a few tools to get the job done right. Spot drills and carbide twist bits are the best way to make sure that your holes are drilled exactly where you need them everytime.

Drill Bit Issues
Your average drill bit is a long tool with a pretty large cutting surface. Sadly tool length tends to have a negative impact on the accuracy of that tool. Virtually all materials have some level of flexibility, including metal. This means that when rotating at high speeds, your drill bits will begin to flex. You might not be able to see this phenomenon with the naked eye, but the tip of your drill bit will wobble slightly around its central axis. This leads to drill bits deflecting off of hard surfaces and “walking” off their mark, potentially damaging your bit and your workpiece.

Spotting
One way to significantly increase the accuracy of your drill bits is to spot the hole before drilling it. The process of spotting involves using a much shorter and more accurate tool to create a dimple in your workpiece that your drill bit can fit into cleanly. Spot drills are short tools ending in a sharp pleated point and are only designed to penetrate the workpiece for the length of the cutting point. Carbide spot drills are extremely rigid, making them one of the best options when accuracy is important.

Final Drilling
As long as you have properly spotted the hole, you should be able to drill it nice and easily. The most important thing to consider is the drill point angles of your spot drill and your final twist carbide drill bit. As long as the spot drill has a wider angle, the twist bit should be able to reach the base of the spot drill’s depression without contacting one of the edges first. This will help ensure that the final hole is clean and centered.

If you are looking for spot drills and carbide drill bits for your shop, you need to try the solid carbide tools from Online Carbide. The team at Online Carbide are dedicated to producing high quality end mills and drill bits from solid micrograin tungsten carbide. All of their tools are made to precise tolerances using extremely accurate computer guided grinding machines, meaning their end mills and drills are designed with sharp and accurate edges from day one. If you have any questions about their products or you are interested in ordering custom cutting tools for your shop, feel free to reach out to a member of the Online Carbide team by sending an email to [email protected].