Taper Drill Bits For Metal

Taper Drill Bits for Metal – The Ultimate FAQ Guide

Can taper drill bits be used for metal? Why does a lot of businesses choose tapered shanks over other types of drill bits?

Those are among the most common questions people encounter about tapered shank drill bits.

And in this FAQ guide, you’ll not only learn about taper drill bits; we’ll also give you the best tips about finding the perfect taper drill bit manufacturer for your needs!

What is meant by tapered is that the body of the drill is decreased the further it goes down.

The purpose of tapered drill bits for metal and for other materials is for it to easily be compatible with a wide array of power drills.

What is a Taper Drill Bit Set?

A tapered shank drill bit set is a set of point angle drill bits you can purchase as a whole.

In addition to that, taper drill bit sets can come in groups of 8, 10, 12, 22, etc.

The purpose of a taper drill bit set is for you not to worry about the specific size of the taper drill bit; it comes in a set.

So, you’ll be able to choose the correct and the most appropriate size for your project.

The Importance of Taper Drill Bits for Metal

Why do a lot of people choose taper drill bits for metal and for other hard materials?

The answer to that is simple – it’s because of the gripping power and the wide compatibility of tapered shank drill bits.

Unlike the regular types of drill bits, tapered drill bits are multifunctional.

Nevertheless, you can use tapered shank drill bits for metal and it will be highly effective.

Straight Drill Bits vs. Taper Drill Bits

Apart from their terms, how else do straight drill bits and taper drill bits differ?

For one, a straight shank drill bit is a type of drill bit where its shank runs straight, without any cuts and grooves.

A taper drill bit, on the other hand, has its shank tapered or decreased in the material.

• Straight drill bits are used in processing shallow holes; tapered drill bits are used for drilling deep holes – or locations that are difficult to reach
• Tapered shank drill bits allow it to be directly mounted to the drill’s spindle, tailstock, or lathe; straight shank drill bits are considered as the most usual and the most traditional
• Straight drill bits can wiggle and can be mounted improperly, while taper drill bits have perfect centering.

Those are just three (3) of the main differences of straight shank and tapered shank drill bits in terms of their functionality and their compatibility with other tools.

How Do You Choose the Correct Taper Drill Bits for Metal Applications?

There will never be a shortage of drill bits in the market; but how do you select the best one for the application you need?

Before you look for any technical parameters and features, you need to know about these information as they’ll assist you when you need to purchase the correct drill bits:

• Material the Bit is Made Of
• Point Tip of the Bit
• Bit Length
• Coating of the Bit

Material the Bit is Made Of

More often than not, the efficiency and the quality of the tapered drill bit is determined by the hardness of it.

While that’s the most influential factor, focusing on that might not be the most ideal.

You need to choose a drill bit made from a material that’s harder than the substrate or the target workpiece.

• High Speed Steel (HSS) – You can choose HSS for general purpose, which includes ferrous and non-ferrous metals, carbon steel, wood, etc.
• Cobalt – Cobalt is best used for hard metals, stainless steel, aluminum steel, wear plates, etc.
• Carbide – Last but most definitely the least is carbide; you can efficiently utilize carbide to work on a wide array of abrasive materials like non-ferrous metals, cast iron, fiberglass, etc.

Point Tip of the Bit

In case you’re not aware, the point tip of tapered shank drill bits matter because they’re the ones that would determine the effectiveness and the cleanliness of the cut.

Generally, a 118-degree tapered drill bit point angle is the most commonly used type of bit for wood, drywall, and other types of softer workpieces and substrates.

On the other hand, 135-degree tapered shank drill bit point angles are recommended that you use for heavy-duty, high temperature, and high tolerance applications.

It’s the most ideal because it prevents the drill bit from “walking,” or from not being aligned to what the cut is, which can cause the workpiece to be damaged – or worse, cause injury to the machine operator.

Bit Length

Knowing the length of the drill bit is important as they can play a huge role in the deepness or shallowness of the hole you’re going to create.

The lengths of taper drill bits come in five (5) groups:

Screw Machine Length Drill Bits

This length is known to be the shortest of all the types of bits.

Furthermore, screw machine-length bits also have the least length-to-diameter ratio.

Mechanics Length Drill Bits

Mechanics-length drill bits are what you want to use if you want less chances of your bits being damaged or broken.

They have short flute lengths compared to regular-length drill bits.

Extra Length Drill Bits

Extra length drill bits are the bits that are commonly used in aerospace and aircraft applications.

As a matter of fact, they’re known in the market as “aircraft-length” drill bits because of this purpose.

Taper Length Drill Bits

This type of drill bit is made and produced for the purpose of drilling pilot holes, preparing them for wood screw shanks and other applications.

Jobber Length Drill Bits

Lastly, jobber length drill bits are the most common type of drill bits in the industry.

You can use them for general purposes; and these drill bits have flute lengths that are between 8 and 15 times the total diameter of the drill, making them fit well enough to almost all kinds and types of drills.

NOTE: It is worth noticing that the diameter of the drill bit will identify the complete and overall length of it. To cite an example, a jobber drill bit that sits at ¼” will always be shorter than a jobber bit that’s ½”.

Bit Coating

The coating of taper drill bits, akin to other types of materials, is there to help extend the life and functionality of the drill bit.

In addition to that, coatings also add some kind of aesthetic to the drill bit. It improves its performance under certain conditions; all depending on the type of coating.

Black Oxide

This is the most common type of drill bit coating. It appears to be in the “black” color and its purpose is to help retain the lubricants and other fluids on the bit.

It is highly recommended to use Black Oxide drill bits for ferrous metals and materials, but not in non-ferrous metals, such as aluminum.

TiN

TiN, short for Titanium Nitride, is a type of coating that gives another layer of smoothness and lubricity.

The main advantage of TiN-coated taper drill bits is that they provide longer tool life and higher speeds in drilling.

TiAIN

From Titanium Nitride, we now go to Titanium Aluminum Nitride.

They’re the most effective if you use them with the goals of achieving high drilling and feed rates.

It is highly advisable that you use them in a wide array of high-temperature alloys such as titanium, stainless steel, and other ferrous metals.

Bright Finish

A bright finished drill bit is a drill bit that has zero finishing or coating.

What’s done instead is that the flutes are carefully and thoroughly polished to enhance the removal of chips.

Before purchasing a drill bit or a drill bit set, it is imperative for you to know these properties and characteristics.

Knowing them gives you the upper hand in determining the specific sets of taper drill bits for metal and for other materials as well.

What is an HSS Taper Drill Bit?

HSS or high speed steel is a kind of steel that is used by manufacturers as the base material for taper drill bits.

Therefore, you can consider it as the regular kind of taper drill bits you can purchase in the market.

But, you should always remember that those aren’t the only types of taper drill bits for metal; there are other tapered shank drill bits you can go for.

The Top Taper Drill Bits for Metal Manufacturers

We always talk about this and we always give you the best companies and manufacturers of drill bits – why is that so?

Because we want you to know how these manufacturers perform.

Apart from the fact that they’ve been in the industry for the longest time, they also possess certain characteristics and qualities that other manufacturers fail to develop.

Here are the top manufacturers of taper drill bits for metal and for other materials:

• Bosch
• IRWIN
• DeWALT
• Makita
• VonHaus
• COMOWARE
• Drill America

Many of you are familiar with these brands – and you’re correct, they’re world-renowned!

However, the main cost or drawback of choosing these manufacturers is the fact that they can easily position their sales expensively.

Because they’ve been the kings and queens of the power tools and drill bits industry, it’s somewhat acceptable that their rates are tremendously absurd.

The Manufacturing Process of Taper Drill Bits for Steel

How do manufacturers create and produce taper drill bits? Here’s a general structure of how they’re made:

1. The raw material arrives at the manufacturing plant, and they’re usually in tubular form
2. These rods are cut to the specific length and size of the drill bit
3. Once cut, they’re rid off of whatever debris that got stuck
4. If they’re all clean and tidy, they’re heat treated, just up until they reach the molten point
5. It’s slightly cooled and fed to the roll forging machine to create the flutes
6. Next, the tips are cut depending on the angle and the type of bit being produced
7. The tip is grinded to achieve the diameter and the figure desired
8. The next step is straightening; a worker checks and observes if the drills are straight
9. Using a lathe, the shank is reduced, creating the groove on the body of the shank
10. It’s also milled, this is what creates the “taper” at the end of the shank
11. Part of the last step is polishing, where the flutes are sharpened
12. It goes through heat treatment again to further strengthen the taper drill bit more
13. Once all of these are done, the point is grinded so that it achieves extreme quality sharpness

This is the typical process of how a regular taper drill bit is manufactured – it doesn’t include the marking, coating, and the final observation.

Who is the Top Chinese Taper Drill Bits Manufacturer?

Chinese manufacturers are wanted by a lot of businesses due to the fact that:

The drill bit and other power tools manufacturing factory of Tenyu Tools

• They offer lower costs for tapered shank drill bits, even at outstanding quality
• You can talk to them and their team of experts and engineers easily
• They provide instantaneous quotation even if you just contact them
• The taper drill bits we offer can be specific to what you need!

But among the many taper drill bit manufacturers, no other company is trusted but us here at Tenyu Tools Co., Ltd.

We’ve been the best and the most trusted taper drill bits manufacturer for more than a decade. Never once did we fail to give our clients the quality they’ve always wanted.

What Business Advantages Can You Get For Working With Tenyu Tools?

Being an ISO 9001-certified manufacturer, you can get the assurance that our drill bits factory is clean, organized, and well managed.

We have an online workshop that showcases how good and how viable our factories and manufacturing processes are!

You can count on us to deliver to you the specific taper drill bits you need at the most reasonable price possible!

Contact us, send us an email – or get a free quotation from us! We will never fail you – you can trust us the same way our other 990+ clients have!