Why drill bit won't drill into wood?

[PoorOwner]

I have trouble with this it just won't start cutting, just heating up.
I finally have to use a 5/8 spade bit before this bit can barely ream it out with a lot of effort.

This is what I ordered exactly

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FXI9FK0/

 

[dodge610]

Try running the bit in reverse and see what happens. Looks like it is a left handed bit.

 

[PoorOwner]

I did read the description that running counterclockwise will clear the chips.

my drill press only goes clockwise so it is useless
I don't like to run large bit in reverse anyway as it may rip out the chuck.

 

[dodge610]

They make reverse drill bits that cut going in the counter clockwise mode i have a set. thought they might of sent you one of those by mistake.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

The pictures arent always accurate, but the picture doesn't look like its left handed. It also says cutting direction is right handed in the description. Whats the point of the bit look like? Is it damaged or the angle isn't right/even on both sides? Cutting edge sharp? Look up left handed bits you'll be able to tell if the ones they sent you is or not.

 

[dodge610]

Same thing happened to me with a new set of bits came to find out i was sent left handed bits by mistake.

 

[78C-10]

The product description says right hand cutting direction. That's a new one on me as to why it wouldn't drill through wood, unless you were sent a left hand bit.

 

[KnurledNut]

What kind of wood?

 

[ovrrdrive]

Can you post a picture of what they sent you?

 

[dodge610]

The description of the bit says right handed bit but the pic itself looks to be left handed. That is what i am seeing.

 

[PoorOwner]

here is the actual, what do you think?
I was drilling into bamboo counter and feels like pine, black cheap bits, step bits, spade bits all bore it with ease.

 

[dodge610]

That one is up too some one with better eyes than me.

 

[KnurledNut]

Def a RH bit.

 

[drink]

Taken from the product features:

•When run in a counterclockwise direction (right-hand cut) spiral fluted tools evacuate chips up and out of the cut to reduce clogging

 

[dodge610]

Thats what i thought just couldnt see it clear enough. ***** to get old.

 

[drink]

From the specifications:

Cutting Direction
Right-Hand

 

[KnurledNut]

The point angle looks good.
The relief angle might be a bit shallow.
Ever sharpened bits on a bench grinder before?

Is the counter solid bamboo?
That stuff is extremely hard and dense!
You might need to slow the bit down.

 

[dodge610]

we know what the specs say but it isnt cutting according to the op.

 

[LXCam]

Ya it's RH for sure. Drill a 1/4 pilot hole and your problem will end. There's just not enough point at that angle to get it to bite.

 

[PoorOwner]

I had at least a 3/8 pilot hole, then 1/2 hole, then 5/8 hole with a 11/16 step bit started before this thing will just rub through, I am going to return this, I thought it may be some weird bit only for metal.

 

[ovrrdrive]

If you look closely at the one they sent you it is very different from the one in the pic both on Amazon and on the Drill America Website. They either mis-cut it or sent you a different bit. The way the point is on the one you have it doesn't look like it would cut at all. Your's looks like a single flute bit. The one on the website has more than that. The extra flutes change the point geometry.

 

[404]

Start with a pilot hole the size of the web at the tip of the drill. Maybe 3/16. Bit may be ground incorrectly as well.

 

[OccupantRJ]

If it won't drill, it is not correctly sharpened, or turning in the wrong direction. The drill you have is for clockwise rotation, looking at it from the **** end. AKA, a right hand drill. My bet is that the area right behind the cutting edge is rubbing, keeping the cutting edge from engaging. Not enough relief.

 

[uart]

I have trouble with this it just won't start cutting, just heating up.

I had at least a 3/8 pilot hole, then 1/2 hole, then 5/8 hole with a 11/16 step bit started before this thing will just rub through, I am going to return this, I thought it may be some weird bit only for metal.

Ok that's plenty overkill on the pilot. Sometimes with a large plain point drill like that the chisel point is a bit wide so it doesn't start too well, but even a 1/8 or 3/16 pilot would have overcome that. If that thing still won't start with the huge pilots you gave it, then it's definitely sharpened incorrectly.

This is what I ordered exactly
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FXI9FK0/

Which going by your other picture is not what you received. Looks like "bait and switch" to me. The one shown there on Amazon looks like quite a high quality bit. The one you received looks very cheap and roughly made in comparison, probably a low quality Chinese import.

This is a surprisingly common occurrence with cheap import drill bits, sharpened so poorly (with a negative relief) that they simple cannot cut.

 

[larry_g]

I have more than once had a chip or fiber wrap around the cutting edge and underneath the cutting edge preventing the cutting edge from doing its job. Also look up relief angle and see if yours is correct for drilling wood.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[619DioFan]

I do believe that bit is for drilling metal. might have something to do with it not working in wood.

 

[Jeff Mcmillan]

When you have a pretty large pilot (1/2-3/4 the bit size) try pressing the drill bit down without power and look at how the cutting edge contacts the wood. I'm guessing the cutting edge will be a bit above the wood and the contact point will be set a bit back because of an improperly ground edge.

If you sharpen your own bits this is easy to fix, but otherwise you're better off swapping out the bit. This is a pretty common problem when people first try sharpening bits by hand on a grinder and occasionally happens with factory ground bits.

 

[The Cobbler]

as others have said, looks like there's not enough relief,but hard to tell from the pic.

 

[uart]

Also look up relief angle and see if yours is correct for drilling wood.

I do believe that bit is for drilling metal. might have something to do with it not working in wood.

I agree that the relief angle for a metal drill like that would be lower than optimal for drilling wood (typ about 8 degrees for a drill like that). However, even if it was only ground to 5 degrees for drilling hard steel it would still drill wood. Sure it would go slower and with finer shavings (chips) than something optimized for wood, but it would still drill it.

The fact that it's just spinning and getting warm, without cutting at all, means that it's definitely sharpened wrongly. Probably with zero or a negative relief angle.

 

[royesses]

Magnifying the photo it looks as though it has quite a bit of negative relief going to the center of the land then dips down into positive relief. If this is what is actually going on it wouldn't cut anything harder than a stick of butter. Definitely call Amazon and tell them it's defective. They will probably just send you another one.

 

[PoorOwner]

Thanks guys.. I can't believe a new bit can be defective like that. Will be sending it back since I already drilled with other ways but lost alot of precision. It was not a size that is stocked at the big box stores.

 

[KnurledNut]

With all respects to your GJ veterans status, we threw a lot of technicality at ya in this post.

Understanding twist drill geometry will open up a door to optimal drilling.

While they are considered a consumable, they can be fine tuned and sharpened for longevity. Hand sharpening is a great practice to master, and not difficult.

 

[uart]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FXI9FK0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I love the way amazon shows a picture of the "Drill America Premium Quality" drill bit in their advert, whereas the actual product they're selling is the "Qualtech Economy Series" drill bit. A totally different product!

See the difference here: http://drillamerica.net/hssreducedshankdrills.aspx

Pretty rude in my opinion.

If you look closely at the amazon image it looks like a really good quality drill bit, fully ground and polished. Looking closely at what OP received however it looks like a really cheap part, just roll forged and roughly finished. Actually it looks even worse than the "correct" images of the economy series bits on the Drill America site.

Sure you could regrind the tip and get it cutting no problems, but if you can send it back and get a refund then you may as well do that. PoorOwner, let us now what Amazon's response is when you request a return/refund.

 

[dogdog]

..... with these "silver and deming" bits I always have to drill a pilot hole(s) anything larger than 3/8 on a drill press or hand drill. The set I have does the same thing what OP describes if I just drill without an adequate pilot usually 3/8 or greater in steps. Don't think it's issue with the bit he has.
.

 

[royesses]

..... with these "silver and deming" bits I always have to drill a pilot hole(s) anything larger than 3/8 on a drill press or hand drill. The set I have does the same thing what OP describes if I just drill without an adequate pilot usually 3/8 or greater in steps. Don't think it's issue with the bit he has.
.

"I had at least a 3/8 pilot hole, then 1/2 hole, then 5/8 hole with a 11/16 step bit started before this thing will just rub through, I am going to return this, I thought it may be some weird bit only for metal. "

I think you missed the above reply he gave.

 

[zkling]

Bamboo is pretty difficult to drill, you really should be using a step bit, forestner bit or ideally a specific bamboo bit (yes, they make drill bits designed just for drilling bamboo). The drill bit you have looks fine, just the wrong tool for the job.

 

[ttpete]

For drilling wood, use either a brad point drill or a forstner bit.

 

[dogdog]

"I had at least a 3/8 pilot hole, then 1/2 hole, then 5/8 hole with a 11/16 step bit started before this thing will just rub through, I am going to return this, I thought it may be some weird bit only for metal. "

I think you missed the above reply he gave.

Nope I didn't miss it, just telling you those silver deming bits needed adequate pilot holes on metal or hard wood. I have a set of Ridgid Auger bits that bores through wood like butter, made specific for wood and impact drivers (looks like spade bits but it's a round brad pint configuration), but can't seems to find the like or remember the exact name now. I know Ridgid and Irwin mades them.

..... this set maybe they discontinued them already...

 

[uart]

Don't think it's issue with the bit he has.

Ok, but can you then please explain why it failed to cut at all, despite having a more than adequate pilot hole and the op using a drill press?

Sure there are more optimal bits for drilling wood, but I can (and have) drilled hardwood all day with exactly that type (and size) of drill bit. No rubbing, no burning, just steady pressure and continuous production of small chips.

Bamboo is pretty difficult to drill, you really should be using a step bit, forestner bit or ideally a specific bamboo bit (yes, they make drill bits designed just for drilling bamboo). The drill bit you have looks fine, just the wrong tool for the job.

The op made 3/8" and even 1/2" pilot holes with similar "regular" point twist drill bits. He said they all penetrated easily (like pine wood) except for the new bit. The issue with bamboo isn't that it's difficult to penetrate with this type of bit, it's just likely to make a mess where it exits because it doesn't cut the fibers nicely like a brad point or auger bit would.

 

[royesses]

Ok, but can you then please explain why it failed to cut at all, despite having a more than adequate pilot hole and the op using a drill press?

Sure there are more optimal bits for drilling wood, but I can (and have) drilled hardwood all day with exactly that type (and size) of drill bit. No rubbing, no burning, just steady pressure and continuous production of small chips.


The op made 3/8" and even 1/2" pilot holes with similar "regular" point twist drill bits. He said they all penetrated easily (like pine wood) except for the new bit. The issue with bamboo isn't that it's difficult to penetrate with this type of bit, it's just likely to make a mess where it exits because it doesn't cut the fibers nicely like a brad point or auger bit would.

+1