Product Selection Guide
Find the Right Drill Bit by Workpiece, Hole Size and Machine
Select the drilling scenario first, then match the product family, shank type, material grade and related guide. This makes the Drill Bits page work more like a buyer decision tool, not only a category list.
HSS Twist Drill Bits
Good first choice for mild steel, aluminum, wood and plastic. Confirm diameter, shank, length and coating before quoting.
Drill Bit Selection Matrix
Use this long table when customers send only a material name or a rough application. It connects product type, shank, material grade, coating and common SEO guide pages.
| Color block | Use scenario | Recommended product | Shank / machine | Material / coating logic | Buyer focus | Related guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal | Mild steel / carbon steel General workshop holes, brackets, frames | HSS twist drill bit | Round shank, drill press or handheld | M2 HSS, black oxide or TiN optional | Low cost, broad size range, stable quality | HSS for mild steel |
| Metal | Stainless steel 304/316 sheet, tube, plate | Cobalt drill bit or carbide drill bit | Round shank, drill press preferred | M35/M42 cobalt for heat resistance; carbide for rigid production | Low RPM, firm feed, cutting fluid, avoid work hardening | Stainless guide |
| Metal | Cast iron / abrasive metal High wear production drilling | Carbide drill bit | CNC or rigid drill press | Solid carbide or carbide-tipped, coating by application | Tool life, runout, rigidity, chip evacuation | Carbide vs HSS |
| Aluminum | Aluminum plate / extrusion Window profile, machine plate, non-ferrous parts | Sharp HSS twist drill bit | Round or hex shank, handheld or drill press | Sharp edge, polished flute useful; coating not always necessary | Prevent chip welding, burrs and grabbing | Aluminum guide |
| Sheet | Thin sheet metal / electrical panels Control box, cabinet, HVAC panel | Step drill bit | Hex shank, cordless drill | HSS step drill, TiN coating optional | Clean round holes, multiple diameters, less grabbing | Drill bit types |
| Masonry | Concrete / brick / stone Anchor holes, construction drilling | SDS hammer drill bit | SDS Plus or SDS Max rotary hammer | Carbide tip, brazing quality, flute design | Impact transfer, tip durability, dust evacuation | SDS concrete guide |
| Masonry | Large concrete holes Pipe, conduit, installation holes | Core drill bit / hole saw system | Rotary hammer or core drill machine | Segment quality, cooling method, depth requirement | Diameter, working length, machine compatibility | SDS comparison |
| General | Wood / plastic / repair kits DIY, hardware retail, mixed use | HSS twist drill bit set | Round or hex shank | Economy HSS or general-purpose set | Packaging, size range, retail presentation | Size chart guide |
| Precision | Tap holes / clearance holes Threading, assembly, screw passing holes | Metric HSS twist drill set | Drill press preferred for accurate holes | Exact diameter control, DIN/ANSI size system | Tap drill chart, tolerance, size marking | Tap vs clearance |
| Precision | Production drilling Repeat holes, industrial batches | Carbide or cobalt drill bit | CNC / rigid drill press | Solid carbide, cobalt, TiAlN or application coating | Cost per hole, runout, tool life, batch consistency | Drill speed chart |
What to Confirm Before Ordering Drill Bits
- Workpiece: mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, concrete, wood or plastic.
- Diameter range, total length, working length and shank type.
- Material grade: HSS, M35 cobalt, M42 cobalt, carbide-tipped or solid carbide.
- Coating: black oxide, TiN, TiAlN or polished flute for non-ferrous drilling.
- Packaging: bulk pack, plastic box, blister card, private label or neutral packing.
Complete Drill Bit Product System
Drill Bit Selection Matrix by Material, Type, Shank, Grade and Packaging
Use this matrix like the saw blade selection table: start from the workpiece, then narrow down by drill bit type, machine shank, base material, coating, size standard and packaging requirement.
Tip: this is a long selection table. On mobile or small screens, swipe left/right to compare all columns.
| WORKPIECE / MATERIAL | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color block | Selection dimension | Use scenario | Recommended product | Shank / machine | Material / coating | Size / standard logic | Quotation focus | Related page |
| Material | Mild steel / carbon steel | General workshop holes, brackets, frames | HSS twist drill bit | Round shank; handheld or drill press | HSS 4341 for economy, M2/6542 for better life; black oxide or TiN optional | DIN 338 jobber length; metric 1–13mm common | Low cost, full size range, stable repeat orders | HSS Twist Drill Bits |
| Material | Stainless steel 304 / 316 | Sheet, tube, fabrication, repair and production drilling | M35 cobalt drill bit; M42 for premium line | Drill press preferred; handheld possible with control | M35/M42 cobalt; TiAlN optional for production | Lower RPM; split point useful; common 2–13mm sets | Heat resistance, avoid work hardening, cost per hole | M35 vs M42 |
| Material | Aluminum sheet / plate / extrusion | Window profile, aluminum panel, machine plate | Sharp HSS twist bit or step drill for sheet | Round/hex shank; cordless or drill press | Sharp HSS, polished flute helpful; coating not always needed | Use lubrication; step drill for thin panels | Prevent chip welding, burrs and grabbing | Aluminum guide |
| Material | Concrete / brick / masonry | Anchor holes, installation holes, construction work | SDS hammer drill bit | SDS Plus or SDS Max rotary hammer | Carbide tip, brazing strength, flute design | Choose diameter + working length + total length | Impact transfer, tip durability, dust evacuation | SDS Hammer Drill Bits |
| Material | Wood / plastic / DIY mixed use | General repair kits, retail sets, home use | General HSS twist drill set | Round or hex shank | Economy HSS, bright finish or black oxide | Metric/imperial combination sets | Packaging, visible size marking, retail price point | Size chart guide |
| DRILL BIT TYPE | ||||||||
| Color block | Selection dimension | Use scenario | Recommended product | Shank / machine | Material / coating | Size / standard logic | Quotation focus | Related page |
| Type | Twist drill bits | General through holes and pilot holes | HSS / cobalt / carbide twist drill | Round, hex, reduced shank, Morse taper | Choose material grade by workpiece hardness | 118° for general use; 135° split point for metal centering | Most universal product family | Types explained |
| Type | Step drill bits | Thin sheet metal, electrical panels, HVAC boxes | HSS step drill bit | Hex shank cordless drill | HSS with TiN/TiAlN coating optional | Step range such as 4–12, 4–20, 4–32mm | Clean multi-size holes, less grabbing | Step drill guide |
| Type | SDS hammer drill bits | Concrete, masonry, brick, stone | SDS Plus / SDS Max hammer bit | Rotary hammer only | Carbide tipped alloy steel body | Diameter + working length + total length | Construction users, rental and contractor market | SDS comparison |
| Type | Carbide drill bits | Cast iron, hardened steel, abrasive production work | Solid carbide or carbide-tipped drill | CNC or rigid drill press | Ultra-fine grain carbide; coating optional | Runout and geometry matter more than package size | Tool life, precision, cost per hole | Carbide Drill Bits |
| Type | Hole saw / core drill direction | Large diameter holes in sheet, wood, concrete or panels | Hole saw / core drill bit | Arbor system or core drill machine | Bi-metal, carbide tipped or diamond depending on workpiece | Choose OD, depth and arbor compatibility | Large holes without removing full material volume | Types explained |
| SHANK / MACHINE | ||||||||
| Color block | Selection dimension | Use scenario | Recommended product | Shank / machine | Material / coating | Size / standard logic | Quotation focus | Related page |
| Shank | Round shank | Standard HSS/cobalt twist drill applications | HSS or cobalt twist drill | Keyed/keyless drill chuck | General HSS, M2, 4341, cobalt | Broadest compatibility with drill press and hand drill | Low cost, standard stock, easy sourcing | Shank types |
| Shank | Hex shank | Cordless drill, quick-change work, step drill kits | Hex shank HSS or step drill | Quick-change holder, cordless driver | HSS, TiN coated step drill common | Good for retail and jobsite kits | Reduced slipping, fast bit change | Shank types |
| Shank | SDS Plus | Common concrete anchor holes | SDS Plus hammer bit | SDS Plus rotary hammer | Carbide tipped; 2-cutter or 4-cutter | 10mm SDS Plus shank; common construction sizes | Fast-moving contractor range | SDS Plus bits |
| Shank | SDS Max | Large concrete holes and heavy-duty work | SDS Max hammer bit | SDS Max rotary hammer | Stronger carbide tip and body | 18mm SDS Max shank; larger diameter/long length | Higher value product line | SDS Max guide |
| Shank | Morse taper / reduced shank | Large twist drill and industrial machine use | Large HSS twist drill | Drill press, lathe tailstock, industrial chuck | M2/6542 HSS or cobalt by material | Confirm taper number or reduced shank size | Machine compatibility before price | Shank types |
| MATERIAL GRADE / COATING | ||||||||
| Color block | Selection dimension | Use scenario | Recommended product | Shank / machine | Material / coating | Size / standard logic | Quotation focus | Related page |
| Grade | HSS 4341 economy | Retail sets, DIY, light-duty mixed materials | Economy HSS drill bit | Round/hex shank | 4341 HSS, bright or black finish | Common metric sets and small diameters | Entry price, packaging and broad stock | HSS products |
| Grade | M2 / 6542 HSS standard | Workshop steel drilling and distributor line | Standard HSS twist drill bit | Round shank, drill press or handheld | M2/6542 with black oxide or TiN optional | DIN 338 and DIN 340 common | Better durability than economy line | Materials guide |
| Grade | M35 cobalt | Stainless steel and harder steel | Cobalt twist drill bit | Drill press preferred | About 5% cobalt, split point recommended | Lower RPM, cutting fluid, controlled feed | Best value cobalt line | M35 vs M42 |
| Grade | M42 cobalt premium | Production stainless and heat-heavy drilling | Premium cobalt drill bit | Rigid machine preferred | About 8% cobalt, more heat resistant | Useful where M35 life is not enough | Premium line, but more brittle | M35 vs M42 |
| Grade | Solid carbide | CNC precision and abrasive workpieces | Solid carbide drill bit | CNC / rigid machine | Ultra-fine grain carbide; TiAlN optional | Runout, tolerance and coolant matter | Cost per hole and precision | Carbide vs HSS |
| Grade | TiN / TiAlN / black oxide | Surface treatment and market positioning | Coated HSS/cobalt/carbide drill | Depends on base drill | TiN for appearance/wear; TiAlN for heat; black oxide for general use | Coating does not replace correct base material | Shelf appeal and performance upgrade | Materials guide |
| SIZE / STANDARD / PACKAGING | ||||||||
| Color block | Selection dimension | Use scenario | Recommended product | Shank / machine | Material / coating | Size / standard logic | Quotation focus | Related page |
| Spec | Metric drill bit sets | Global markets, maintenance kits, factory users | HSS / cobalt set | Round or hex shank | 4341/M2/M35 by market level | 1–10mm, 1–13mm, 1–20mm sets common | Size completeness and clear marking | Size chart |
| Spec | Tap drill / clearance holes | Threading, fastener assembly, machining | HSS twist drill bit exact sizes | Drill press preferred | M2/M35 depending on material | Tap drill chart and tolerance matter | Exact diameter, not approximate size | Tap vs clearance |
| Spec | Long series / extra-long drills | Deep holes and hard-to-reach drilling | DIN 340 / DIN 1869 HSS drill | Drill press or controlled handheld | HSS or cobalt by material | Long flute and total length must be confirmed | Deflection, chip evacuation and breakage risk | Failure guide |
| Spec | Private label packaging | Importer, wholesaler, retail channels | Any product family | Box, blister, plastic tube, bulk pack | Quality grade matched to market segment | Label, barcode, language and size chart | Brand consistency and reorder clarity | OEM drill bits |
| Spec | Sample / trial order logic | New distributor testing real workpieces | Mixed sample pack by category | Match customer machines | Choose 2–3 grades, not one random size | Test on actual material before bulk order | Reduce wrong bulk purchases | Drill Bits page |
Recommended Quotation Flow
- Confirm workpiece and machine first.
- Choose product family: HSS, cobalt, carbide, SDS, step or hole saw.
- Confirm shank, diameter range, working length and coating.
- Choose packaging: bulk, plastic box, blister card, private label or neutral packing.
- Test 2–3 matched samples before bulk order.