Basics of Drilling

The majority of drilling is predominantly completed by using high speed steel or cobalt twist drills.  Through the years, ongoing improvements such as particle metal and design features have continuously increased productivity.

In today’s environment, regardless of the equipment being used, basic principles should always be followed to ensure the best results when drilling metal.

1.  Select the shortest length drill you can to hold size and location.
2. The proper feed rate will break chips more efficiently and reduce drill wear.
3. Excessive speed will result in premature wear, while going to slow can break the drill.
4. Split point drills should be used for alloyed material and where location is critical.
5. When drilling harder materials select cobalt drills to withstand higher red heat.
6. Black oxide treatment adds toughness and lubricity to extend tool life.

21^st Century drilling techniques apply to many production conditions, while sophisticated tooling such as carbide, diamond, coated and coolant feeding are used for high performance results. Millions of holes are drilled everyday using conventional twist drills so remember to always practice the basics for best results.

Now that you understand the basic principles to remember when drilling take a look at our extensive selection of twist drills available from Regal.