Drilling 5mm holes with a 10mm shank?

[JohnLashuay]

Is there any advantage to using a 5mm drill bit with a 10mm shank for the purpose of only drilling the adjustable holes? If so is there any technical name for this drill bit?

Is there a difference between drill bits and router bits?

Thanks,
-John

[Brad McIntosh]

John,

Yes, the advantage is that a drill is designed to drill and should do it faster and a lot cleaner. Drills are designed to do their cutting while they plunge and are very efficient at that.

Right Hand 5mm drill with 10mm shank (about $14-15 ea)


You just need a 10mm collet to hold it.

DRILLS WILL NOT CUT GROOVES, OPENINGS OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT REQUIRES CUTTING WITH THE SIDE OF A TOOL.

Router bits are designed to primarily cut with the side of the tool. You can use them to drill holes with a plunge-only action, but since they are engineered to cut more efficiently with the side of the tool, plunging is not usually a router bits forté (strength).

[JohnLashuay]

Thanks Brad!

Do you drill bits have a flat on the shank? How do these fit in a router collet (if they are flat)?

Do you drill through with the brad point or do you use something different?

Thanks,
-John

[Brad McIntosh]

John,

In response to your questions...

"Do your drill bits have a flat on the shank?"
Yes, our drill bits have a flat on the shank. These are standard drill bits that will run at about 6000 RPM. At this low spindle speed, tool balance is not an issue.

"How do these fit in a router collet (if they are flat)?"
The shank is 10mm in diameter with a small flat on one "side". They simple slip into the 10mm collet. The gap left by the flat on the shank is not a problem.

"Do you drill through with the brad point or do you use something different?"
Yes, our customers drill through with the brad-point bits. Some clients will actually manually adjust the daylight of the 5mm tool by 0.010" so as to cause the tool to penetrate the material just that much more to account for the brad-point.


Thermwood should be able to offer you what you need at their on-line store: http://www.woodworkerswholesale.com/

[JohnLashuay]

Thanks Brad!

This is all new to me. I appreciate you insight!

-John