Accessories

Related Videos:

×
×
×

Drill accessories refer to the bit that goes into your drill. There is a wide variety of bits for driving, drilling, polishing, sanding, sawing and more.

Learn how to choose the right bit for any job! Check out our overview video with Ana White and be sure to review the Glossary for common terms and lingo.


  • share

Tips & Safety
Related Projects
Tool Diagram
Glossary
FAQs

TIPS

Fitting a bit tip to the screw head

A bit should fit snugly into a screw head. Try the different sized tips to find the best fitting bit.

Keep a supply of different kinds of fasteners on hand

Long screws, short screws, screws for metal, screws for wood, bolts and nuts. Keep a supply that will fit your most common needs.

Outdoor work needs a special kind of fastener

They need to be galvanized or rust-proof.

Get a set of driving bits

There is a large variety of fasteners available in the market. It's a smart investment to buy a set of driving bits so you never have to worry about coming across a fastener you cannot use. With out the correct bit, your fastener is obsolete.

Get a set of drill bits

You will need to have a variety of different sized drill bits for different applications.

Diagram: Drill / Driver Accessories
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
Accessory Bit

There are bits for drilling holes and bits for driving fasteners.

Instructions: Loosen the chuck by hand, insert the drill bit's shank and tighten firmly.

Auger Bit

A bit used to "bore" or create deep holes in wood.

Awl hand tool

An Awl hand tool is a tool with a long metal spike used to mark or to drill holes in different materials.

Black oxide bits

High Speed Steel Drill Bits with a Black Oxide finish which is created by a combination of chemicals and heat during the manufacturing process. Because of this finish, they have a higher resistance of rust and stay sharper longer; for use in general purpose drilling

Brad-point bit

A bit with 3 small points at the tip. Prevents the bit from "walking" when you start drilling. For precise drilling and for wood only.

Countersink

A bit that creates a pocket for the screw or fastener to fit in and be flush with the top of the material. The size of the pocket should match the size of the screw head. High Speed Steel countersinks can also be used to clean the edges of holes in metal and plastic.

Drill Bits

Used for drilling holes in various materials.

Driving/Screwdriving Bits

Forged or milled metal piece with a tip and a shank used for driving in all types of fasteners

Fasteners

Hardware that keeps two or more pieces of material together

Flush screw

A screw whose head is exactly level with the material it is fixed to. Might be used for molding or furniture

Fortsner Bit

A wood drilling bit that makes a clean flat bottom hole. These bits shoould only be used on a drill press because of high torque they produce.

High Speed Drill Bits

General purpose bits used for drilling in wood, plastic, and metal. High Speed refers to the metal used to manufacture these kind of bits.

Hole Saw

A pilot drill bit attached to a cylindrical cutter. Used for making large holes, ussually in 2 by material; Can be used for installing lighting under cabinets

Impact rated bits

Driving bits manufactured with a special material or profile that withstand the high torque of an impact driver; for use with impact drivers

Lag screws

A Lag Screw is a heavy-duty wood screw used for structural support . Might be used for building a deck or trellis.

Masonry Bits

Drill bits with a carbide tip used to drill holes in brick, mortar, block and concrete.

Nut driver

A hex design bit used for driving in nuts, bolts and other hex head fasteners.

Pilot hole

Pilot holes are used primarily to prevent the wood from splitting. They can also be used to keep the screws on track and make it easier to drive.

Plug

A piece of wood used to cover a hole usually made by a fastener driven below the surface of the workpiece material. Might be used for decorative pieces

Pocket Hole

A hole is made for driving screws at an angle. Commonly used for furniture

Pocket hole jig

An accessory that helps you drill pocket holes.

Screw gauge

A chart with holes that can be used to determine the size of the screw to be used and the pilot hole needed.

Self-tapping screws

A fastener that makes its own hole as it's driven used for driving into sheet metal.

Shank

The section of the bit that goes into the drill's chuck. The most typical shanks are round, 3-flat, reduced and hex shaped.

Sink

To drive a fastener into material.

Spade bit / Paddle bit

A drilling bit with a flat, spade shaped head. Used for making larger holes.

Stripped/ Stripping Screws

A stripped screw has a head in which the tip design has been deformed by a spinning driver bit. They can be very hard to get out.

Sub flush screw

A screw whose head is below the surface of the material it is fixed to.

Tapered head wood-screws

A common type of fastener used for wood work.

Tile Bits / Glass Cutting Bits

Drill bits with a triangular carbide tip or tips used to drill holes in glass and tile.

Titanium coated drill bits

High Speed Steel Drill Bits with a Titanium Nitride coating which helps the drill bit stay cooler when in use, especially when drilling metal. This helps the drill bit stay sharper longer. For general purpose drilling

How do I pick the right bit for my job?

Ask yourself several questions about the project to help you know which bit is best. Are you drilling a hole or driving a screw? If you're drilling a hole for a fastener, you need to select a bit smaller than your fastener. If you're driving, you simply match the screw's head to the appropriate bit.

Why are there so many different kinds of screws and driver bits?

Each screw type is designed to interact with your tool in a different way. Many DIY-ers prefer torx (star-shaped) or square head (square shaped) because they are much harder to strip out, and they allow more torque to be transferred to the screw without damage. Slotted heads and Phillips heads are losing popularity as more powerful tools are developing.

Why are there so many different kinds of drill bits?

There are all kinds of drill bits that are made to drill all kinds of material. Wood, metal, plastic, glass, stone…etc. All these materials have their ideal kind of bit.

What kind of bit is best for wood?

Twist bits, brad-point bits, auger bits, forstner bits, spade bits and hole saws are all great choices for creating holes in wood. The bit you choose will depend on the size and finish needed.

What kind of bit is best for plastic?

Twist bits work great in plastic, however the size of the hole you desire will play a big role in the type of bit you choose.

When do I need to use heavy fasteners like lag screws?

Deck building and other weight/load bearing projects are typically best for larger fasteners.

How do I drive a lag screw?

Clamp your material together and drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than your lag screw. Attach a nut driver bit or socket adapter with a socket and drive the lag screw till it is fully fastened. Some DIY-ers recommend driving lag screws quickly as opposed to starting slowly and increasing the speed.

How do I know how long my screws should be?

Measure the pieces you're joining and pick a screw that will go all the way through the top piece and about 1/2 way through the bottom piece. In other words, 3/4 of the total thickness of the two pieces.

How do I know how thick my screws should be?

Screw gauges (thickness) are rated 2-16. The smallest ones are best for small detail work and the largest are meant for structural/heavy load use. A mid-range gauge is usually best for general DIY.