If we listed every type of specialist drill bit, it would be a pretty long list, but a good knowledge of what drill bits are available when a tricky drilling job presents itself is a useful thing.

In this month's Workshop, we have attempted to cover all of the main types, for a range of materials including steel, timber, concrete, glass and ceramics. Not all drill bits are suitable for use in your standard hand drill, and must be used in a drill press, magnetic base drill or even a metal lathe. 

A good set of metric and imperial sized HSS twist drills will probably cover the majority of drilling jobs around the farm, but did you know they can be custom sharpened for different materials? (See Table 1). Most farmers will also benefit from a set of cobalt drill bits for the times when that piece of steel is a lot harder than it initially looked.

Download the PDF here: Specialist drill bits - From the Workshop PDF