Step Drill

[Mike Pio]

My wife bought me an early x-mas gift -- a set of 3 step drill bits. The problem is, I'm really not sure why I'd need them. I guess I don't fully understand their benefits. Can you fill me in??

TIA

-m

[Adam Diehl]

Step drills are good for drilling sheet metal, tubing, etc. where you need to go through successively larger drill bit sizes to get a hole of a given size. Basically it saves you from having to change the drill bit half a dozen times to get one hole drilled. As for wood working, I'm not sure what you'd use it for.

-AD

[J]

If you are ever going to build steps you need them.

-j

[BobS]

For one think - wood screws.

_______ | | \ / \ / | | < Shank | | | | | | < Tapered Threads | | \ / \/

Bob S.

[Doug Miller]

Countersinking wood screws is the first thing that spring to mind. One diameter for the threaded portion of the screw, one for the unthreaded shank, and one for the head.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

[Phisherman]

I don't have any step drill bits, but I'd consider a set a nice gift. These speed up the process of drilling a tap hole, another size for the screw shank, and a countersink all with a single drilling. For projects that need lots of screws, all the better.

[Adam Diehl]

Must be different than the step drills I'm used to. The one's I've used have steps that are much too shallow (maybe 1/8" - 3/16" per step) to be of any use for pre-drilling screw holes. I just use a combination drill bit/countersink for that sort of thing. Anyone have a link to a step drill specifically for wood screws?

-AD

[Bob G.]

====================== I bet you can not find a HVAC installer who does not have a step bit in his tool "Bucket"... My son gave me one when I was doing the sheet metal work for my shop... worked like a charm...

Never even though of using it to drill holes in wood

Bob Griffiths

[Murray Peterson]

"Mike Pio" wrote in news:WJpvd.2696$Sq.1751@fed1read01:

I have some Unibits, and they are wonderful for drilling holes in sheet metal. You can incrementally work up to the hole size you want, and they create a perfectly circular hole -- multi-flute bits create almost an oval hole.

No idea where they would be good for wood.

[CW]

Yes, what Adam said. They give very clean holes, better than twist drills, in sheetmetal. Handy things to have, even if you don't use them often.

[Nova]

Drill bit like those supplied with the Kreg pocket hole jig are also referred to as step drill bits.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[LRod]

I always thought of them as gimmicky. Then the one time I halfway had a use for one I priced it out and found out they're not in the gimmick aisle. I did a workaround.

The Teutels on American Chopper (Brawl in the Family) use them a lot, so they must not be as gimmicky as I thought.

- - LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

[Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliot]

If you're tired of twist drills grabbing thin sheet metal bits out of your hand, then you'll want to use a step drill. Cut nice round holes through thin metal like a hot skewer going through butter brickle ice cream.

Mmmmm. Butter brickle ice cream.

[Lawrence Wasserman]

They're handy for sheet metal work or other thin stock. I can't see much use for them in woodworking though.

[Lawrence Wasserman]

Yeah, I thought the OP meant a Unibit-style step drill, but maybe he did mean a wood screw combo bit, or maybe even a step drill for making pocket holes?

[CW]