How to Choose the Right Auger Drill Bit For Wood

Learn how to choose the right auger drill bit for wood to save time and money.

Whether you're drilling wood for light or heavy-duty jobs, you'll need the right wood drill bit. So, What is the right wood drill bit? An auger bit is a perfect wood drill bit for your woodworking jobs. But most woodworkers are still unaware of, how to choose the best auger drill bit for wood?

This article will explain the important factors to consider before choosing the wood auger bits. and, how to choose the right auger drill bit for wood?

What are Wood Auger bits?

Wood auger bits are also known as wood drill bits.

Wood auger bits are a type of drill bit (specifically designed for drilling wood), which has a screw tip that guides the drill bit through the workpiece to produce a clean hole. Auger drill bits are used to drill deeper and longer holes, as augers are available up to 18 inches. The large spiral and wide deep flight features allow for easy removal of wood shavings and dust.

Read More: Types of drill bits and their uses

What are Wood Auger Bits Used For? 

Wood auger bits are the best drill bits for wood, used to drill precise holes in wood. They are also used to drill long/deep holes, as auger bits are longer than other types of drill bits. Large wood auger bits have a sharp point on the tip that helps to drill precise holes. Most auger drill bits also have a guide screw, which makes drilling easier and faster.

How to Choose the Right Auger Drill Bit For Wood

Wood drill bits are essential for every woodworking, whether you are making stacked furniture, a birdhouse, or a wooden swing set. Using screws/pegs, or nails reduces the risk of splintering.

Choosing the right auger drill bit for wood will most likely depend on the type of wood you are drilling. High-speed steel wood drill bits are perfect for woodworking. You can choose wood drill bits based on black oxide or titanium coating. The black oxide coating extends drill bit lifetime/durability, while the titanium coating reduces friction and keeps wooden drill bits sharp for longer.

Choose a spade wood drill bit set for drilling holes of different diameters. For larger woodwork that requires thick planks of wood, choose a long wood drill bit. Choose a Forstner drill bit if you want to drill flat bottom hole.

Factors to Consider Before Choosing Auger Drill Bit For Wood

The lead screw is the most important factor while choosing an auger drill bit for wood. If the screw is blunt you won't get a proper hole with the large wood auger bits.

Following are the other important considerations that you need to know:

Purpose

First, determine your purpose with the auger bits. If you want to drill a small hole in the wood (for general purpose or home use) all you need is hand wood auger bits (available up to 200 mm or 8" size). For larger industrial applications, you will need a large auger bit (Available up to 600mm or 24" size). These drill bits can easily drill through hardwood, wall studs, and large tree trunks. You can also find many other types of augers available for a variety of applications such as gardening, planting, and material mixing.

Weight

When it comes to using an auger bit with hand tools the weight of the auger is important. You can choose the wood auger drill bit according to your manual or electric drill, as you will need to hold it.

Compatibility

If you are using an electric drill or power drill, make sure your drill bit is compatible with power tools. However, most wood boring bits are compatible with power/electric as well as manual drills.

Cost/Price

The most important factor to consider is the cost of hand wood auger bits. Different auger drill bits are available at different prices because of the way they work. Before choosing the right auger drill bit for wood, compare the cost with their capacity. Avoid cheap auger bits as they can burn fast.

Drill bit type

There are different types of auger drill bits, so choose the one that suits your needs. Threaded auger bits, one-person auger bits, and two-person auger bits are the most common types of auger drill bits. Each of these auger bits has its advantages and a unique way of operating. You can also choose a wood auger drill bit set.

Other than this based on manufacturing material HSS drill bit, cobalt drill bits, carbon steel drill bits are also available.

Diameter of drill bit

Wood boring bits are designed in several sizes that range from 6mm to 25mm and widths from 1/4" to 1". Most individual auger drill bits range in diameter from 2 to 12 inches. If you are choosing the best drill bits for wood consider the diameter of the drill bits as an important factor because the size of the hole mainly depends on the diameter of the drill bit. To increase drilling efficiency, you need to think about the diameter of the auger drill bit.

Drill Depth

Auger drill bits are primarily used to drill deep holes, so the depth of the drill is an important factor to consider. Auger drill bits can typically drill up to 2 feet deep.

Read More: Types of Drill Bits For Wood

Important Aspects of Wood Boring Drill Bits

Apart from drill bit length and shank diameter, there are a few more important aspects you need to know before buying a wood auger bit. Wood boring drill bits have the following important features:

• Wood auger bits have a wide flute feature, and because of this wood shavings, scraps and dust does not stick to the drill bit.
• The sharp screw guide feature allows for faster and more aggressive drilling through hardwood materials.
• Some wood boring bits have a flexible structure for drilling in hard-to-reach areas. It helps in drilling horizontally and vertically.
• The self-sharpening tip allows for smooth and fast drilling into wood.
• Advanced double-cutting edges to bore precise hole drilling.
• Wood Auger Bits are made from solid carbon steel for added rigidity.
• Sharp edges (single-spur) for a fine finish.