Accurate, Versatile Drilling for Workshop & Trade
When accurate holes need to be drilled across changing workshop materials, the drill has to start cleanly, cut efficiently & suit the equipment being used. Sutton Viper Plus jobber drills are designed for general-purpose machine & handheld drilling, combining M2 high-speed steel construction with a Futura Nano PVD coated tip & 118° split-point geometry to improve penetration & help minimise wandering at the start of the hole.
The Sutton D179 Viper Plus range is designed for drilling materials including stainless steel, steel, aluminium, cast iron, brass, wood & plastic. This versatility makes these Sutton jobber drill bits particularly useful for fabrication, machinery maintenance, repairs & general engineering where the material on the bench can change from one job to the next.
For jobs where establishing the hole position is particularly important, Sutton Tools | Drills - Spotting TiNite provides a dedicated spotting option. Drill Accessories can also help complete the wider drilling setup.
What Are Sutton Viper Plus Jobber Drills?
Sutton Viper Plus D179 drills are general-purpose jobber-length twist drills manufactured from M2 high-speed steel. The term “jobber” refers to the conventional drill-length format commonly used for everyday workshop drilling, providing a practical balance between drilling reach & rigidity where specialist extra length isn't required.
The D179 differs from a basic bright HSS drill through the treatment applied at the working end. Sutton uses a Futura Nano PVD coated tip, concentrating the wear-resistant treatment where the cutting edges perform the work. Sutton identifies the surface finish as a TiAlN tip.
A 118° Form C split point is used to improve penetration & minimise drill wandering when starting a hole. Sutton also specifies the D179 for machine & handheld drilling, making it a versatile drill format for appropriate portable equipment, pedestal drills & other suitable workshop setups.
Why Choose Sutton Viper Plus Jobber Drills?
A general-purpose drill earns its place in the workshop by handling everyday drilling without making every job a specialist-tool decision. Sutton designed the Viper Plus D179 around that requirement, combining familiar jobber-length proportions with a split point, M2 HSS construction & a coated cutting tip.
The split-point geometry is particularly useful when starting accurately matters. A drill that wanders before establishing the hole can move away from the intended centre, creating problems later when brackets, fasteners or mating components need to line up. Accurate layout still matters, so Measuring & Layout Tools are worth considering when several holes need to follow a drawing, template or existing component.
M2 high-speed steel provides the cutting-tool foundation, while the coated tip is designed to improve wear performance at the cutting end. Sutton states that Viper Plus has been independently tested to exceed twice the tool life of its standard Viper drill under the manufacturer's test conditions. Actual workshop life will still depend on drill diameter, material, speed, feed, cooling, workholding & operator technique.
The D179 is also intended for more than one workpiece material. Sutton lists stainless steel, steel, aluminium, cast iron, brass, wood & plastic among its applications. That doesn't mean each material should be drilled using identical operating conditions; it means the drill range gives workshops a versatile starting point across varied general-purpose work.
Common Applications
Fabrication & Component Work
Brackets, mounting plates, guards, frames & fabricated components often require several accurately positioned holes before assembly can begin. Jobber drills suit this type of work where conventional drilling depth is sufficient & the component needs a straightforward twist-drilling operation.
Where the finished hole later requires chamfering, deburring or preparation for a countersunk fastener, Sutton Tools | Drills - Countersinks provides a logical follow-on operation rather than asking the jobber drill to produce a finish it wasn't designed to create.
Stainless Steel Drilling
Sutton includes stainless steel among the intended applications for the D179 Viper Plus range. Stainless still requires attention to the complete drilling setup, including appropriate speed, feed, workholding, tool condition & cutting fluid where suitable for the operation.
The coated tip shouldn't be treated as permission to run every stainless job aggressively. The drill still needs to cut rather than rub against the workpiece.
Machinery Maintenance & Repairs
Maintenance work can involve drilling replacement brackets, guards, mounting points, repair plates & other components where conventional jobber length provides sufficient reach. The ability to use D179 drills in suitable machine or handheld setups gives maintenance crews flexibility when the work can't always be brought neatly to a fixed machine.
Workshop Manufacturing
Jigs, fixtures, mounts & one-off components often require repeatable hole positions. The split point helps with hole starting, but the workpiece still needs to be measured, marked & secured correctly before drilling.
Preparing Holes for Threading
When a drilled hole is going to become an internal thread, the required tapping-hole diameter needs to be established before drilling. The outside diameter of the finished fastener isn't the tapping-drill size.
Once the preparation hole is complete, Sutton Tools | Taps - JIS Uncoated provides a related Sutton range for suitable internal-threading applications.
Product Selection Guide
Choose the Diameter From the Finished Requirement
Start with what the component needs rather than whichever drill is already in the chuck. Clearance holes, tapping holes, pilot holes & finished-size holes can all require different diameters even when they're part of the same assembly.
Check the drawing, fastener, mating component or required finished dimension first, then choose the drill.
Identify the Workpiece Material
The D179 can be used across several materials, but cutting conditions need to reflect what's actually on the bench. Stainless steel doesn't drill like aluminium, while cast iron introduces different cutting characteristics again.
Where suitable lubrication or cutting fluid forms part of the operation, Alpha | Lubricants & Cutting Fluids provides a closely related workshop category.
Decide Whether Jobber Length Is Right
Jobber length is useful because it provides enough reach for a broad range of conventional drilling work without adding unnecessary drill length.
If the hole is deeper than a standard jobber drill can comfortably handle, a different drill format may be more appropriate. Extra reach should be selected because the job requires it, not because a longer drill appears more versatile.
Match the Drill to the Equipment
Sutton specifies the D179 for machine & handheld drilling, but that doesn't mean every diameter belongs in every drill.
Check chuck capacity, machine capability, available speed range, workpiece support & the overall setup before starting.
Know When a Twist Drill Isn't the Best Cutter
A conventional jobber drill removes material across the entire diameter of the hole. As the required opening becomes larger, another cutting method can sometimes make more sense.
For larger circular openings where a hole-cutting system better suits the work, Sutton Tools | Holecutters - HSS provides an alternative Sutton cutting approach.
Expert Tips
Let the Split Point Start the Hole
The 118° split point is designed to improve penetration & reduce wandering. Excessive pressure at the beginning can work against that advantage, particularly if the workpiece isn't properly supported.
Position the drill accurately, secure the job & allow the cutting edges to establish the hole.
Don't Confuse Versatility With One-Setting-Fits-All
The same D179 family may be suitable for steel, stainless, aluminium & other materials, but the operating approach shouldn't automatically remain unchanged.
Material, drill diameter, machine capability & hole depth all influence suitable drilling conditions.
Stainless Steel Needs a Cutting Edge, Not a Rubbing Edge
When drilling suitable stainless steels, maintain a setup that allows the drill to cut effectively. Excessive rubbing can create heat without productive material removal.
Pay attention to how the drill feels, how chips are forming & whether the cutting edge is still doing the work.
Standard Reach Can Be an Advantage
A longer drill isn't automatically a better drill. Additional length can introduce more opportunity for deflection, so jobber length is often the more practical choice when it comfortably reaches the required hole depth.
Read the Chips
Chips are one of the quickest ways to see whether the drilling operation is behaving normally. Changes in chip formation, excessive heat or poor evacuation can indicate that the cutting conditions, drill condition or setup deserve attention.
Inspect the Point Before Blaming the Drill Press
If a drill that previously cut well suddenly needs considerably more pressure, inspect the cutting edges before assuming there's a problem with the machine. Wear, damage, chip build-up or unsuitable operating conditions can all change how the drill behaves.
The Black Print: Blade Sharpening 101 Sharpen Or Replace looks at the broader workshop decision of maintaining a cutting edge versus replacing worn tooling.
Protect the Drill Between Jobs
Cutting edges can be damaged when tools are loose in drawers, boxes or bags just as easily as they can during poor drilling technique. Clean the drill after use, inspect the cutting end & store it so the point isn't continually knocking against other tooling.
How To Clean Your Gear Without Ruining It covers practical maintenance habits for workshop gear that needs to be ready when the next job arrives.
