Still Using Twist Drills? Here’s Why A Core Drill Might Be Better For You

When it comes to drilling in metalwork, twist drills are often a cheap and easy option to get the job done. That being said, if your current project requires a constant and high quantity of drill holes a Core Drill may be a better fit for you. In this Machines4U Know-How article, with some advice from the guys at Addler, we give you a few reasons why Core Drills may be a better choice than Twist Drills for your metalworking jobs.

Currently, most premium drill bits on the market will give you anywhere between 100-200 uses before failure. While that number is certainly nothing to sneeze at these bits can be pricey and not economical if budget is a factor for you. Here’s where Core Drills come in. For those who don’t know, Core Drills are the most economical way to drill holes, instead of drilling through the entire piece, Core Drills cut through only the outer diameter of the drill hole. Resulting in less waste and no pre-drilling.

Put simply, ‘More with Less’ is the ideology with Core Drills. For example, if you required a ’50mm Diametre hole – the core drill only removes 15% of the material to create the hole, with a similar amount of force required to drill a 30mm hole. The twist drill requires a huge amount of torque and drilling force, removing all of the material of that hole size, taking extra time and effort’.

Not only does this mean less waste and no pre-drilling, you also get a longer life out of your drill. How? Simply because Core Drills require relatively small amounts of torque and feed pressure. On top of that, less stress on the bit will result in a superior finish saving you time and money.

The fact these drills don’t require any pre-drilling is a leap forward in efficiency.  Utilising an ejector pin to locate the center, you can cut to finish the first time, this will both save you time and give you ensured accuracy on every cut.

What is more, cooling of Core Drills is far more effective than its counterparts. With these drills, the ‘coolant flows from the top of the cutter and is centrifugally spread down the inside of the cutter, reaching the cutting tip. The coolant is kept on the cutting tip, effectively cooling, cleaning, and lubricating. This helps increases the life of your drill and removes the annoyance of any overspray or mess associated with twist drills’.

Overall, Core Drills are undoubtedly the better alternative for any cutting or boring jobs you may have. Promising improvements on cut time, efficiency, drill life and waste management there is no reason not to consider a Core Drill if you happen to be in the market. For a wide range of new and used Core Drilling equipment be sure to check out the Machines4U marketplace.