How can I extend the life of my metal drill bit?
In order for you to extend the life of your drill bit, you must ensure that you are using the correct drill bit for the job at hand, as well as drilling at the right speed.
Please view the chart below for the correct drill speeds in metal:
Recommended drilling speeds in Metal
Use the correct drill speed to ensure the ideal drill bit performance in the material being drilled.
Slide to view full table.
| Drill Size | |||||||||||||
| 1mm | 2mm | 3mm | 4mm | 5mm | 6mm | 7mm | 8mm | 9mm | 10mm | 11mm | 12mm | 13mm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless Steel | 3182 | 1591 | 1061 | 795 | 636 | 530 | 455 | 398 | 354 | 318 | 289 | 265 | 245 |
| Cast Iron | 4773 | 2386 | 1591 | 1193 | 955 | 795 | 682 | 597 | 530 | 477 | 434 | 398 | 367 |
| Plain Carbon Steel | 6364 | 3182 | 2121 | 1591 | 1273 | 1061 | 909 | 795 | 707 | 636 | 579 | 530 | 490 |
| Bronze | 7955 | 3977 | 2652 | 1989 | 1591 | 1326 | 1136 | 994 | 884 | 795 | 723 | 663 | 612 |
| Brass | 9545 | 4773 | 3182 | 2386 | 1909 | 1591 | 1364 | 1193 | 1061 | 955 | 868 | 795 | 734 |
| Copper | 11136 | 5568 | 3712 | 2784 | 2227 | 1856 | 1591 | 1392 | 1237 | 1114 | 1012 | 928 | 857 |
| Aluminium | 12727 | 6364 | 4242 | 3182 | 2545 | 2121 | 1818 | 1591 | 1414 | 1273 | 1157 | 1061 | 979 |