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

Mike Pio wrote:

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??

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

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 16:38:52 -0700, "Mike Pio"
wrote:

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


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.

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.

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

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
======================
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

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.

"Adam Diehl" wrote in message
...

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

Adam Diehl wrote:

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

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)

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 16:38:52 -0700, "Mike Pio"
wrote:

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??

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

http://www.woodbutcher.net

On 12/13/2004 3:38 PM Mike Pio wrote:

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??


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.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westphalia: "Mellow Yellow (The Electrical Banana)"
KG6RCR

In article ,
Adam Diehl wrote:

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.

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

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?
--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

No gimmick. They work great.
"LRod" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 16:38:52 -0700, "Mike Pio"
wrote:

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??

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

http://www.woodbutcher.net