What is a step drill used for? (5+ popular uses)

Content

1. Cutting holes in thin metal
2. Cutting holes in plastic materials
3. Enlargement of holes in plastic and metal sheets
4. Deburring
5. Drilling holes in carbon fiber
Other Uses for Step Drills

Step drills stand out in some applications where other drills simply won't work.

They work exceptionally well, although you can't use them on objects thicker than their step height. It is a very handy tool for drilling holes in plastic and metal sheets.

Typically, step drills are used for:

Drill holes in plastic and metal sheets.
Enlarge existing holes
Help smooth the edges of the holes - make them neat

I will review these use cases below.

1. Cutting holes in thin metal

For this type of work (drilling holes in metal sheets), a step drill with a straight flute is best. The drill does not transmit torque to the metal sheet. The metal sheet remains untwisted after the drill has pierced the metal.

However, if a conventional step drill is used on thin metal sheets, it pulls the sheet. The result is a somewhat triangular hole that can be eliminated with solid bits.

In contrast, step drills are ideal for drilling holes in thin metal sheets. You continuously progress through the steps until the hole reaches the desired size.

Metal doors, corners, steel pipes, aluminum ducts and other metal sheets can be efficiently drilled with a step straight flute drill. Anything up to 1/8" in cross section can be drilled with a step drill.

The main disadvantage is that you cannot use the unibit to drill a hole of the same diameter deeper than the pitch height on the drills. The diameter of most drills is limited to 4 mm.

2. Cutting holes in plastic materials

Another important application of step drills is drilling holes in plastic sheets.

Acrylic and plexiglass plastics are popular materials that require drill bits to cut holes. In practice, step drills prove to be decisive in this task, unlike other conventional twist drills.

Traditional twist drills create cracks as soon as the drill pierces the plastic sheet. But step drills solve crack problems. This makes the hole neat.

Note. When piercing branded plexiglass or any other plastic sheet, leave a protective film on the plastic sheet while cutting the holes. The film will protect the plastic surface from scratches, accidental bumps and nicks.

3. Enlargement of holes in plastic and metal sheets

You may have just made holes in your perspex or thin metal sheet and they are too small, or your metal or plastic sheet already has holes that won't fit screws or bolts. You can use a step drill to instantly enlarge holes.

Again, step drills are quite useful for this task. Each beveled step of a step drill has a larger diameter than the previous one. This means that you can continue drilling until you reach your desired hole size.

The process is fast and easy. In addition, the step drill continuously removes burrs when cutting through material, making the hole neat.

4. Deburring

Burrs or raised edges ruin holes. Luckily, you can use drill bits to remove nasty burrs from holes in plastic or metal sheet.

To deburr the edges of a hole, do the following:

Take a drill and turn it on
Then lightly touch the beveled surface or the edge of the next step to the rough surface.
Repeat the process on the other side for a clean and perfect hole.

5. Drilling holes in carbon fiber

To drill a hole in carbon fiber, many people use carbide-tipped stepped drills. They are good for the job. They create neat holes without damaging the fibers. Again, you can make holes without changing the drill.

Down side: Drilling carbon fiber damages the drill being used - the drill dulls relatively faster. I recommend changing the drill regularly if you are working on a large project. However, if it's just a one-time situation, it will cause minimal to negligible damage to your beats.

Other Uses for Step Drills

Over the years, drill bits have been introduced into other industries and areas of work: automotive, general construction, plumbing, carpentry, electrical work. (1)

Tree

You can use a drill to cut holes in wood thinner than 4mm. Do not drill large blocks with drills. Also, make sure you are using a compatible bit.

Electricians

The step drill is a popular tool for electricians. With a drill, they can cut holes of the desired size in various panels, junction boxes and fittings without changing the drill.

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