# Drill bits for wood/timber



## peter1 (Feb 28, 2007)

I'm planning to install a door viewer, the one I'm looking at requires a 13mm hole on the door, now I wonder which drill bit to get for this job:

1. a regular twist bit: it's relatively costly

2. a brad point bit: such as this one

3. a spade bit: the cheapest option

Obviously I don't want to mess this one up and end up replacing the whole door. So I'm interested to know which drill bit is easy to operate and produces a clean cut.

TIA


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## nacko (Jan 29, 2008)

drill a pilot hole (1/4" or so) all the way thru (nice and str8). then use whatever you want - drill from each side towards middle. as long as the bit is sharp you will have a nice hole, even with a spade (for cheap doors the auger bit would actually probably tear a knarly hole)


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## Kingfisher (Nov 19, 2007)

What he said but use only an 1/8" for the first hole this keeps the spade bit in the center wiht less wobble


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## Joba Fett (Aug 14, 2007)

Have your brother-in-law do this job. 
He probably has a $2.00 1/2" drill bit.


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## Joining_Heads (May 27, 2007)

Hold a board tight to the other side paying attention where the bit will come out so you dont spike your hand. This will eliminate blowout.


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

Joining_Heads said:


> Hold a board tight to the other side paying attention where the bit will come out so you dont spike your hand. This will eliminate blowout.


Better off just watching for the point of the spade bit to emerge, then complete the hole from the other side, or drill a 1/8" pilot hole as suggested and just drill as deep as you want from both sides. Not only will you get a straighter hole, but there is much less chance of the bit grabbing and wrenching your wrist or worse yet, wrenching out of the hole and damaging the door.

Spade bit is the most economical at a couple of $. Regular twist bits are a bad choice for wood, especially the larger sizes, as they tend to bite and pull chunks out of the surface.


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## Joining_Heads (May 27, 2007)

troubleseeker said:


> Better off just watching for the point of the spade bit to emerge, then complete the hole from the other side, or drill a 1/8" pilot hole as suggested and just drill as deep as you want from both sides. Not only will you get a straighter hole, but there is much less chance of the bit grabbing and wrenching your wrist or worse yet, wrenching out of the hole and damaging the door.
> 
> Spade bit is the most economical at a couple of $. Regular twist bits are a bad choice for wood, especially the larger sizes, as they tend to bite and pull chunks out of the surface.


Oh.. I didnt realize the TS wanted info on spade bits


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## arichard21 (Oct 17, 2007)

peter1 said:


> *2. a brad point bit: such as **this one*
> 
> 
> TIA


I like these bits for drilling for electrical in studs, but i agree with others that they aren't meant for something like this... they take massive ****** pf wood with them.


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## CowboyAndy (Feb 19, 2008)

I am a fan of the auger bits, but find that the first cutting blade of the bit (not the self feeder - is that what it is called?) dulls easy. What is the proper way to sharpen them?


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## End Grain (Nov 17, 2007)

Is the door one with a solid core? Or, might it just be filled with a compound? The advice about tearout and blowout is good and you want to be especially careful if its NOT an actual 100% solid wood door. You could get past the veneer or first wooden layer, hit a softer material and allow the drill bit to jump off-line through to the other side and punch its way through the other side instead of actually drilling the hole. Slow and steady with a sharp bit. Spade bits are great for solid wood but drilling from both sides will always produce better, sharper and cleaner results.


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