How to choose a drill
| Drill Type | Price | Split Point * | Application | Comments |
| Bright | $ | 118 | Every day use | Both Bright and Black drill bits have the same hardness and made from the same alloy. Bright drills have been polished to achieve a cleaner look. Choosing one over the other is strictly an aesthetic decision. This is a great entry level drill for every day use and for drilling into wood, Softer metals and drywall. |
| Black | $ | 118 | Everyday use | Black drills are made from the same material as Bright but instead of a shine, they receive a surface coating. Great for making holes in wood, soft metals, drywall and anything else that needs to be drilled. |
| Heavy Duty | $$ | 135 | Harder Material | This drill is made from a harder material and receives a surface coating. Great for harder metals. This is work horse of drills and a great investment. |
| Black and Gold | $$$ | 135 | Dual Use | This drill is also called Black and Gold by many. Made from the same material as Heavy Duty but receives a special coating during the manufacturing process. This turns the walls golden color and also makes the outside of the drill bit more slippery. This is a great dual purpose drill for use in hard metals and also softer metals such as aluminum. This is a great choice for many professionals who want to buy only one set of drills and get the job done. |
| Cobalt | $$$$ | 135 | Heat Resistant | The Cobalt drill is perfect for applications were heat is an issue. The cobalt dissipates heat easily to prevent burning. This drill is perfect for continues use of drilling into tough materials such as stainless steel. |
| Titanium | $$$$$ | 135 | Hardest Material | This drill is coated with super hard Titanium Nitrite during the manufacturing process. This special coating increases drill life many fold and also creates lower friction for faster and smother drilling. This is the Cadillac of drills and if money is no object, then this is your drill. |
* Split Point refers to the angle at the tip of drill bits. Standard quality drills are manufactured with a 118 degree split point. Heavy duty drills are made with a 135 degree split point which penetrates easier and helps get the hole started faster with less walking.
How to pick a drill size:
Drill bits are created using 4 different sizing methods. Fractional drills are measured in fractions of an inch. They start usually at 1/16" and increase by 1/64 th of an inch and go up to a 1/2" drill. Anything over 1/2" is considered reduced shank or Silver and Deming. Fractional sizes are by far the most popular sizes of drill bits. 29 of the fractional drills are included in a 29 piece drill set. Buying this sets ensures that you have all the sizes in your tool box for any application.
Wire Gauge or Number Drills are measured from Number 1 to Number 80 with 1 being the largest. The Number drills are sized for special applications and to match many different tap sizes. Number drills are available in 60 piece or 80 piece sets.
Letter Size drills are measured from the letter A to Z with A being the largest. These very special drill sizes are also made for very specific applications and to match tape sizes. Letter size drills are available in 26 piece drill sets.
Metric Drills are made using the metric system which is popular in Europe and Asia. Metric drills start from 0.35mm and usually go up to 17.0mm.
