Drill Bit for Metal

[Size: 5/8 Inch]
Works great. Cut 8 holes in 1/8 inch steel.

[Size: 1Inch, Size: 1Inch]
I don’t often have a need to drill 1-inch hole in metal using a twist drill. Typically I’d drill a pilot hole and use a boring head on my mill or boring bar on my lathe to get to dimension. But I always believe that it’s best to have more tools than you actually need, and since I didn’t have a cobalt steel twist drill for metal at a 1” size, I decided to order this one.This is a hefty piece of equipment—a very sturdy 1-inch diameter twist drill with a 1/2-inch shank and a working length a little over 3-1/2 inches. The flutes are smooth and sharp and appear to be very well-made. After I unboxed this drill, I inspected it closely and didn’t find any imperfections. I measured this drill at about two thou undersize, which is certainly good enough for a twist drill. (Better undersized than oversized when you’re talking about twist drills.)Once I finished checking out this drill, I decided to try something I would never normally do—use a twist drill to drill a 1-inch hole in an 8th-inch thick piece of mild steel. No pilot hole. No creeping up to size. Not even a punch mark. I just plunged this 1-inch twist drill into the metal to see what would happen. Surprisingly, the bullet tip worked really well. The drill didn’t drift at all. The point dug in and started cutting very quickly, right on target. Once the bullet tip was at depth, things slowed down when the cutting edges started doing their work, as one would expect. I applied cutting fluid and kept at it, generating clouds of smoke and chips that were discolored from the heat. (This is one of the reasons I’d never normally do this type of operation.) My bench-top drill press struggled at times, but eventually this twist drill got the job done.The hole this twist drill created was pretty good given how much abuse I put the drill and the metal through. A little rough in places, and not perfectly smooth, but not too bad, considering. The hole was about 15 thou under dimension, which says to me there was minimal deflection in this hefty twist drill. I think that’s pretty impressive. True, if I were actually using a procedure like this on a project, I’d have a lot of cleanup and dimensioning to do on the hole I drilled. But for a test run, this twist drill definitely passed with flying colors.After this abusive operation, I didn’t see any damage, chipping or blunting to any of the flutes. And since the shank has three flats ground into it, even when the drill bogged down in the material, my chuck held firm. There was no damage or indication of slippage on the shank.In the end, while I don’t see myself using this twist drill very frequently, I can definitely recommend it if you have need for something like this. Only time will tell if it’ll hold up when I try drilling anything tougher than mild steel with it, but for now, I’m very pleased with the quality and performance of this twist drill. A five-star product in my opinion.

[Size: 1Inch, Size: 1Inch]
I haven’t had a chance to actually drill with it yet, but first impression is very good. It came well protected and the cutting edges are extremely sharp.The shank has three flat sides, which should give the chuck a better grip and help keep it from slipping. The pilot tip also looks good and should help keep the bit centered when starting the hole.So far, everything looks exactly like it should. I’ll update the review if anything changes after using it, but based on the build and condition it arrived in, I’m giving it five stars.

[Size: 3/4 Inch, Size: 3/4 Inch]
These are arguably some of the finest drill bits I now have in my collection. These are made of M35 HSS so they will hold up to a lot of abuse. The bullet point tip is nice and wide making it more reliable than a common pilot point. Very sharp, precise grinds at the cutting edges. The inner vein is ground beautifully and is very smooth along it's length. It has a thick web down the center making it nice and rigid. The grind is exceptionally clean and smooth. These are built well and look like they will last a long time. They cut like butter right through with a clean hole. These bits didn't wander or wobble in the collet. These are industrial grade materials selected to create a premium bit with longevity in mind, so I do find them to be competitively priced. Follow a speed chart for the material you're cutting and these will last through a lot of uses.

[Size: 1Inch, Size: 1Inch]
The Crosstar 1 inch drill bit appears to be a quality manufactured metal cutting tool. Everything starting with the outer and inner packaging to the tool in hand maintains the consistent appearance of a professional quality product.The 1-inch drill bit arrived in a branded box containing a sliding plastic case with the drill bit inside. The bit was further encased in protective plastic for shipment.The shank is reduced to 1/2 inch and easily fits the chuck of my drill press.I had to push the project requiring the 1-inch hole back, so have not used this bit on steel.My rating is based on packaging, look and feel of the product as compared to other similar products I have. I expect it will work well for my light use DYI based activities based on the robust pilot point and flatter 135-degree drilling geometry and 5% (M35) cobalt makeup.I will update this review after using it if this drill bit does not meet my expectations.

[Size: 1Inch]
This is a solid, well made drill bit that feels like a quality tool the moment you take it out of the case. The reduced shank fits securely in a standard drill chuck, and the bit stays stable while drilling without slipping.I used it on metal and was impressed with how easily it cut while producing a clean, accurate hole. The 135 degree tip starts where you want it without wandering, and the coating seems to help keep the cut smooth while reducing heat buildup. Just remember to use cutting oil and lower drill speeds when working with harder metals for the best results.The storage case is also a nice touch for keeping the bit protected between uses. If you need a large diameter drill bit for metalworking or fabrication, this one delivers the performance and quality I was hoping for.

[Size: 1Inch]
Used this drill it to cut six 1 inch holes into a 1/4 inch thick stainless steel plate I am using on bumper I am building for a four wheeler with a winch mount in it. Now while I did drill the holes in steps, the final step was from 3/4 to 1 inch and this bit performed flawlessly. I was very impressed with both the cutting speed and the bits retention of it sharpness. I use my drill press's lowest speed setting (180 rpm) along with a steady supply of cutting fluid, and this bit cut me a beautiful coil spring spiral of material. Even after that the bit is still sharp and more than ready to drill more stainless material. I would definitely recommend this brand for anyone looking for well priced, quality cobalt drill bits for drilling hardened or stainless steel materials.