The selection of an appropriate drill point angle for your bit should be informed by questions about your application.  Yes—a hole is a hole is a hole—but what is the purpose of the hole, what type of metal are you cutting into, and what are the specifications for the finished hole?
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In addition to the drill point angle, factors that can affect successful drilling include:

• Rigidity
• Speed
• Length of the Drill
• Coolant Flow
• Type of Drill Point

There are two main characteristics that define a drill point.  First is the included angle of the point and the second is the configuration of the point.  The point configuration is a key element in the choice of drill styles for a particular job.

The most common included angles for drills are 118° and 135°.  These angles are an artifact from the time when drilling was largely a manual process, and the drill bits were conventional conical shapes.  Over time, tool makers learned that by grinding a conical point with a flat surface (a facet) to create a linear chisel, they could reduce the thrust required and also improve the process of cutting the metal or wood and removing the chips.  If you’re drilling by hand, this is a clearly a major benefit.
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Today, with advanced drilling machines, multi-faceted drill points are the norm.  Not only do they require 50% less thrust, but they also generate 60% less heat than a conventional drill point. And there are a number of different configurations, each of which—when combined with a particular drill point angle—is suitable for specific jobs.

The general purpose drill points found on most jobber drills are 118° angled drills. They are typically used for cutting into soft metals such as aluminum, whereas the 135° variant is best suited for hardened materials, such as stainless steel. A 135° drill is flatter than 118°, which means that more of its cutting lips engage with the material surface sooner to begin the full metal cutting action.

Check out our guide below for what angles are optimal based on the material that is being drilled:

There are a number of drill point configurations and these may be found in both 118° and 135° variants.  The different configurations are selected based on the drilling application—for example:

• Are you cutting into hard metal or soft?
• Is self-centering possible or will a guide bushing be needed? 

Conventional points with 118° point angles are used most commonly for drilling in a wide array of materials.  Other drill point configurations include:
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There’s an old proverb “A bad workman always blames his tools,” which means that success is not dependent on the tools we use, but how we use them. 

In the case of drill points, that may not be 100% true.  While you can drill a hole with almost any drill point, the one you use may not be the best for the whole job, whether you are drilling one hole, a hundred holes, or thousands! 

​By choosing the right drill point configuration and included angle, you can receive longer tool life, more precise hole geometry, cleaner breakthrough and improved job productivity.

If you have questions about the right drill point for your job, just ask us!
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Different tool engineering, composition, and design affect the way they perform and which workpieces they will cut most effectively. Several factors determine which drill bits work best on various steels and alloys, copper, zinc, aluminum, tin, etc., owing to the properties of ferrous vs. nonferrous metals.

Ferrous Metals

Ferrous metals, of course, are those that contain iron. These include stainless, carbon, and alloy steel, and cast and wrought iron. Ferrous metals generally possess more tensile strength than their non-iron-based counterparts. That makes them ideal for use in building materials, structural and ornamental designs, and heavy industrial products such as shipping containers, tools, and appliances. Tool manufacturers must consider hardness and strength when designing and engineering drills made for cutting ferrous metals.

Non-ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metals - especially copper, lead, zinc, and tin also occupy important niches in the construction and manufacturing industries. Because they contain no iron, these metals are valued for their use in applications where they come into contact with moisture that would rust ferrous metals. They also are malleable, ductile, and easily manipulated into various shapes for components, housings, etc.  They are non-magnetic, making them quite useful in electronic components.
 
Hardness is the primary consideration when choosing a drill to cut metal.

​Drills incorporate various design elements in order to cope with these different challenges

Drill bit points can be altered to provide more precise hole-starting, centering, and quality, as well as conduciveness to varying feeds and speeds. The standard 118-degree point is used because it offers a “good enough” fit for most applications.

​Standard points can be used for most “softer” steels and non-ferrous metals. Standard 135-degree split-point drills can cut these materials, as well as harder steel alloys. In these harder materials, the split-point offers the advantage of working at lower feed pressure and centering of the hole with minimal walking. Learn more about how to find the right drill point angle for your application

As we might expect, the harder the material being drilled, the harder the tool must be to get the job done. Carbon steels are too soft for cutting metal; only high-speed steel (HSS), carbide-tipped, and solid carbide bits should be used in cutting metal, no matter how soft. HSS is common because of its low cost and ability to drill softer carbon steels as well as zinc, copper, aluminum, and other non-ferrous metals.

Alloying HSS with 5 to 8% cobalt adds  “red” hardness which allows the tool to maintain the sharp cutting edge longer and allows for slightly faster speeds, making these drills suitable for working in heat-treated steel, cast iron, and even some titanium alloys.

For exponential increases in speed and wear resistance, nothing beats using a carbide tool. It withstands extremely high temperatures, resists wear, and maintains rigidity better that HSS. It costs much more, but is the only long term, high volume option when the work piece is stainless steel or alloyed steel. Carbide-tipped HSS saves some costs and is a viable option for nonferrous metals such as copper, bronze, and other materials that are highly abrasive.
 
Drills made of cobalt-alloy High Speed Steel (HSS-E) or even drill bits with a thin film coating are needed for stainless steel. These are more expensive than normal HSS drill bits, but they enable drilling in special steel without a high level of drill bit wear.

Thin film coated drill bits are high-speed steel drill bits (HSS) that have any of a variety of coating blends typically with a titanium base. TiN (Titanium Nitride), TiALN (Titanium Aluminum Nitride) and TiCN (Titanium Carbonitride) are examples of thin film coaing typically used on drill bits. They are very hard, and corrosion-resistant and reduce the co-efficient of friction allowing for better lubrication of the tool. They last much longer than regular HSS drill bits, and they are good for cutting through any metal, including metal sheeting.

Thin film coated drill bits have a surface that is harder than cobalt. However, because they are coated, they lose the coating protection at the cutting edge when they are re-sharpened and subsequent tool life will be reduced. Uncoated drill bits are made of cobalt or HSS steel, and they can be sharpened without any loss in ​performance or tool life.

Understanding the characteristics of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and what twist drill is ideal for each material is key to high quality production and extending tool life. If you are still unsure of exactly which drill is right for your job, contact a Browne & Co. Sales Rep and we would be happy to assist you.

"Ergo" is a new trademark of Nine9 for ER type indexable cutter. The cutter is assembly kit by the 3 parts including Ergo nut, high strength Ergo pin and Integrated ER taper. Patented design mechanism to produce high clamping Forces and high runout accurancy.

It's perfectly suitable for driven tools and spindles with ER interface of CNC turning centers and swiss type automatic lathes such as Star, Citizen, Tsugami, Doosan, Tornos, INDEX, EMAG and so on.

​The Ergo provides types ER11, ER16, ER20, ER25 taper-shank cutter. The ergo tooling include milling cutter, spot drill, chamfering tool, corner rounding, engraving tool, deburring tool, center drill and boring tool.

Fullerton Tool Company now supplies, stocks, and supports InovaTools' products!

Their strategic partnership with InovaTools allows Fullterton to expand thier product offering by selling, stocking, and supporting Inovatools' coolant fed, deep hole drills, micro drills, modular tools, diamond coated end mills, and die & mold end mills.

Fullerton is Now Offering InovaTools:

• Coolant Fed Drills
• Deep Hole Drills
• Micro Drills
• Modular Tools
• Diamond Coated End Mills
• Die and Mold End Mills

Download our InovaTools Catalog for a full offering of available products sold by Fullerton or download the Tooling Portfolio for an overview of available InovaTools products

Fullerton Tool's 1565 AlumaDrill is a master of enhanced chip evacuation in high speed drilling in titanium, graphite, brass & copper, high si aluminum, low si aluminum, composites, plastics, and wood. Its unique radial grinds allow self-centering and increases aggressiveness in softer materials.
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1565 AlumaDrill Features:

• Enhanced chip evacuation in high speed drilling applications
• Unique radial grinds allow for self-centering and increases aggressiveness in softer materials
• 3 flute design
• 30 degree helix
• 130 degree high performance point
• Standard tools are uncoated; coatings are available upon request

​Start your search for an AlumaDrill with the button below:

In January of this year we welcomed a new member to our Browne & Co. sales team and with manufacturing companies opening up again, it's about time we introduce you to Jeff Terrace!

Just before joining Browne & Co in January 2019, Jeff worked at Hoffmann Group, a German cutting tool, hand tool, workstation and storage solutions manufacturer.

Jeff has been working as an InovaTool representative since February of 2019 and recently joined Browne & Company at the beginning of 2020 as our Cutting Tool Specialist. Please send Jeff and email or give him a call to introduce yourself or pick his brain about an application question.

Welcome to Montana and Rocky Mountain Twist!

Founded in 2001, Rocky Mountain Twist headquarters and 300,000 square foot manufacturing facility is located at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Ronan, Montana – a region known for great hunting, fly-fishing, four-season recreation, and now superior performance made in the USA industrial cutting tools.

The ultimate "Made In USA" Brad Point Drill Bit. The design is a result of exceptional engineering and precision manufacturing. The function is extremely smooth, precise and fast. Drills 12X faster than other “premium” branded brad point drill bits!

The  X29 Brad Point drill bits are designed, engineered and manufactured for speed, hole accuracy and exceptionally smooth drilling. The X29 point, spur and flute geometries are designed for efficient and extremely fast drilling – no more plugging, pecking or material burn. Outstanding performance in all wood species, plastics, acrylic and most manufactured materials. Get 12X faster drilling versus competitive drill bits; cleaner hole quality for minimal finish work; and save money with longer bit life.

Download your new copy today at the button below