Twist drills

Twist drills are one of the most common tools used for many drilling purposes. Many different types of bits like masonry bits are also designed with the help of this basic tool.

Twist drill meaning and use:

This drill is most commonly used with a hand or electric drill. The other common name of twist drills is twist bits. It is usually made from high speed steel and carbon steel. High-speed steel facilitates the twist drill to work on many different materials. High-speed steel is able to sustain under high temperatures. Carbon steel however can work only on wood; therefore its popularity is less as compared to high-speed steel. The effectiveness of this drill can be improved if it is coated with Titanium Nitride. The coating is very useful for increasing the hardness and firmness of the drill. It also helps the drill to remain lubricated for a long time. Twist drills can be used on metal, plastic and other materials effectively. However they are not recommended to operate with certain kinds of soft steel. Twist drills are very effective for drilling small holes. The sizes are therefore in the range of 0.8 to 12 mm. sometimes; sizes greater than 12mm can also be available.

Care and management:

As the twist drills are relatively smaller in size, the tips can be clogged up, when drilling holes in harder variety of wood. To avoid any damage, the tip should be frequently withdrawn, when in use to remove waste and dirt. Twist drills should not be used on unspecified material as it can get damaged if used on surface; the twist drills are not specially designed for. As far as possible there should be very little pressure when working with this particular type of drill because of its small size. To keep the drill in perfect shape, it is very necessary to care for it on regular basis. The tool needs to be sharpened with oilstone, drill sharpener or grindstone jig. However, if your drill is coated with Titanium Nitride, you can damage the coating when sharpening the tool. Using proper angle with sharpening the bit can minimize the damage.

Twist drill is therefore the most important tool that every aspiring handyman should have in his shopping cart before beginning any new project.