Match the Bit to the Material & the Hole

A drill can only do its job properly when the bit at the cutting end suits the material, hole size & type of work in front of you. P&N Drill Bits give you options for everyday drilling plus more specialised hole-making across workshop, fabrication, installation & trade work.

Different jobs call for very different cutting tools. P&N's drill range includes jobber drills, step drills, panel drills, Quickbits, drill sets plus specialised options for particular materials & applications.

That means the best place to start isn't simply diameter. Start with what you're drilling, the type of hole you need & the equipment you're using.

Browse Drills for more drilling options or Drill Accessories when you're putting together the surrounding setup.

Start With the Material in Front of You

Steel, stainless steel, aluminium, timber, plastic, sheet material & other workpieces place different demands on a drill bit.

P&N offers general-purpose Bright drill options suited to drilling metal, wood or plastic. Selected cobalt options extend into tougher metal applications including steel, stainless steel, cast iron, brass & aluminium.

Other P&N drill designs serve more specific jobs. Step drills are intended for materials including sheet metal, aluminium, plastic & fibre glass while selected TCT Forstner bits are designed for cutting abrasive particle board, MDF & timber.

The important part is matching the individual bit to the work rather than assuming one drill-bit type is ideal for every material.

For metalworking jobs that continue beyond drilling, Metal Cutting & Grinding Tools can help complete the wider workshop setup.

Jobber Drill Bits for Everyday Hole-Making

Jobber drills are one of the most familiar choices for workshop drilling.

P&N offers jobber drill options across different materials, finishes, diameters, sets & pack formats. Selected TiN-coated jobber drills use HSS Co with a 5% cobalt formula to improve abrasive & heat resistance at higher cutting temperatures.

Those selected drills also feature a 135° split point for accurate positioning with less drilling pressure, parabolic flute geometry for chip evacuation plus a precision-engineered parallel shank.

P&N also offers Bright jobber drill sets for general-purpose drilling across metal, wood or plastic.

Rather than choosing solely by coating or appearance, consider:

► The material being drilled
► Required finished diameter
► Drill construction
► Point geometry
► Shank compatibility
► Whether you need one size, several sizes or frequently used replacements

Accurate hole position matters before the cutting starts too. Punches & Awls can help with marking & preparation where the job calls for a defined starting point.

Step Drills for Progressive Hole Sizes

P&N Step Drills take a different approach from a conventional jobber bit.

Their stepped cutting profile allows multiple hole diameters to be produced with one tool. P&N specifies its step drills for sheet metal, aluminium, plastic & fibre glass, making them particularly useful where the material plus required hole range suit this style of drilling.

The next step can also deburr the previous hole while P&N's spiral-flute design is intended to reduce vibration plus provide greater control during drilling.

Before selecting one, check the starting diameter, maximum diameter & individual step increments against the holes you need to produce.

For work where dimensions need to be checked before drilling begins, Measuring & Layout Tools can help with accurate preparation.

Panel Drills & Quickbits for More Specific Jobs

Some drilling tasks call for something more specialised than a standard jobber drill.

P&N panel drills provide options for repetitive panel or sheet work, including double-ended designs within the range. Selected versions use TiN-coated HSS construction.

P&N Quickbits bring a 1/4″ hex quick-change format to several drilling applications. The wider P&N range includes quick-change jobber drills, drill sets plus self-centring hinge installation bits.

Self-centring Quickbits are particularly useful where accurate pilot-hole positioning is important around suitable hardware installation.

P&N also produces drill/countersink Quickbits that combine pilot drilling with countersinking for compatible screw-hole applications.

This is why drill selection should begin with the actual operation. A general-purpose hole, repetitive panel hole, stepped opening, self-centred pilot hole or combined drill/countersink job can each point towards a different bit.

For jobs where the workpiece needs to remain stable while drilling, Fabrication Tools & Workholding can form part of the surrounding setup.

Individual Drill Bits, Packs or Sets?

The right format depends on how you work.

Individual drill bits make sense when you know the exact diameter required or need to replace a particular size.

Multipacks can be useful where the same diameter is consumed regularly. P&N offers selected TiN-coated jobber drills in trade-pack formats across multiple sizes.

Drill sets provide a spread of diameters for workshops where hole sizes regularly change. P&N offers several set configurations, including Bright, TiN-coated, Quickbit plus combined jobber/step or jobber/countersink formats.

A larger set isn't automatically the better purchase. Think about which diameters & bit styles are actually used in your workshop.

Spring Jobsite Prep Getting Your Gear Ready provides further reading around getting frequently used tools & equipment ready before workloads increase.

A Better Hole Starts Before Drilling

Choosing the bit is only part of the preparation.

Confirm the finished diameter first, then check the workpiece material plus the drill-bit type intended for it. Mark the hole accurately where required, secure the work appropriately then check that the bit's shank suits the drilling equipment being used.

A practical order is:

► Identify the material
► Confirm the required hole size
► Choose the appropriate drill-bit style
► Check the bit's material, coating or cutting design
► Confirm shank compatibility
► Position the hole accurately
► Secure the work appropriately
► Use drilling equipment suited to the application

For anyone building their first working setup, The Apprentice's First Tool Kit: What You Actually Need provides practical guidance around choosing equipment that earns its place in the kit.

Look After the Tool Behind the Bit

A suitable drill bit still relies on the equipment driving it.

If a drill begins behaving differently under load, develops unusual movement or shows other signs that something isn't right, checking the tool before continuing can prevent a small issue becoming a bigger interruption.

7 Signs Your Power Tool Needs a Service Before It Fails on Site covers some of the warning signs worth watching for.

Keeping bits organised also makes it easier to identify missing sizes, separate different drill types & find the right option before the next hole. Small Parts Organisers can help keep smaller workshop equipment sorted between jobs.