To achieve good results for your project, you require a drill bit whose size is the same as the shaft of the screw. This allows you to make perfect holes on the working surface as well as avoiding to damage the screw especially when the drill bit is larger or smaller than the screw.
When you’re undertaking a DIY task that needs perfect drilling of a screw into a working area, it’s very important to try as much as possible to use a drill bit size that matches the screw size.
Sometimes it’s challenging to know which is the most suitable drill bit for your screw sizes. This should not stress you out as you can always ask the concerned manufacturer for advice on this or check out comparison tables provided on the packaging of drill bits.
In this article, we’re going to include some of the tips and skills you can use to make your decision right as you try to do a good job in the workshop.
Also, we shall give you general tips on some of the best practices that will help you get the most out of your drilling operations that involve screws.
Choosing the Correct Drill Bit
Making the right decision as to which bit is compatible with your screw sizes is very challenging. Due to this issue, we have outlined some of the ways you can decide which is the most appropriate drill bit to use.
If you want to measure if a screw is compatible with your current drill bit, align the screw and drill bit beside each other and check if they are of the same size. If the drill bit is larger than the screw shaft, it means that you shall not be able to drill it onto the working surface.
On the other hand, if your screw is bigger than the drill bit, no hole can be made to allow the screws to hold onto the working material.
Most of the screws come in different sizes that differ in terms of decimals or fractions and hence may be confusing to an inexperienced user. However, if you’re not sure of what you’re seeing, it’s recommendable to check out their sizes to ascertain if they’re compatible.
In this case, checking out the labels of the drill bits and screws you’re using on their original packages is a good place to start. Through thorough analysis, you can perfectly determine which kind of drill bit is good for the screws you’re about to use for your project.
For instance, 1/16 and 9/64 drill bits’ sizes are compatible with screw sizes 2 and 9 respectively. You should always check the size of the drill bit on its surface since most of them have been labeled for easy discovery.
Instructions contained in drill bits by the manufacturer will help you make a good decision whenever you want to choose a good screw size to work with your DIY activities.
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Drilling Tips When Using Screw
When using a drill bit to fix a screw onto a working surface, there are measures that you can put to ensure you do a great job as discussed below. These skills and operations not only give consistently good work output but also prevent tools from getting defaced.
One of the most important things to do before beginning using your drill bit on a screw is marking the precise point where the screw shall go through in the working surface. Making a mark ensures you don’t wander into other locations leading to an unwanted wrong fixed screw.
Lubricating the drill bit before using it on a screw is a very essential practice that allows you to make work easier and reduce friction which may damage the screw. Also, lubrication allows for the perfect fitting of the screw on the working surface.
It’s always advisable to create a small hole before using your screw on the working surface to create a reference point. This way, you can avoid fixing a screw in a wrong direction since the small hole guides the rest of the drilling.
Another way to maximize the productivity of your drill bit on the screw is using slow to medium speeds when using your power drill. Drilling at high speeds exposes the screw and the bit to the risk of getting damaged through wear and tear.
Working with quality drill bits and screws always makes tasks and DIY projects easier to accomplish. You should strive to buy long-lasting tools since low-quality ones are prone to breaking easily or even rusting.
Waterlogged or chipped wood isn’t the best material to drill your screw into with your power drill. This is because the screw will lack enough grip and strength to remain firm on the surface. This means you may have to repeat your projects fresh from the start.
Final Thought
It’s no doubt that the drill bit you have determines whether you’ll be able to work with a specific screw size depending on the diameter of the shaft. Choosing the correct drill bit for a specific screw-type makes your work easier and your output is of more quality.
Whenever you’re unsure of what sizes your screws and drill bits measure, always refer to the buying guides provided in the packaging. Therefore, if you have to buy a drill bit, ensure that it’s able to be used on the most popular screw sizes that you regularly use at a household level.
To add to that, both the drill bit and the screw should be high quality for maximum productivity while preventing them from getting damaged easily. This will be convenient especially when you’re performing heavy-duty drilling in furniture and masonry operations. As we conclude, we have to put a little emphasis on the important role that labeling helps in determining what size of the drill bit is good for your screws. This prevents you from using unauthorized ways of drilling which may lead to loss of warranty guarantees.