I drill steel a lot. Fixing a trailer. Hanging a rack in the garage. Cutting a clean hole in a stainless sink and hoping it doesn’t scream at me. I’ve burned cheap bits, snapped good ones, and found a few keepers. Here’s what stayed in my kit, and why.
By the way, I used a Milwaukee M18 Fuel drill and a small floor drill press. I used Tap Magic for oil. I also keep a center punch and clamps close. Safety glasses too—chips fly.
If you want to see what other metal-working folks are buzzing about in real time, check out Popdex—I use it to spot tool trends before I pull the trigger on a new bit. Their round-up of the best drill bits for metal echoes a lot of what you’ll read below.
My top picks (short and sweet)
- Heavy use, hard steel: Viking Norseman M42 cobalt (29-pc set)
- Best value cobalt: Drill America D/A M42 cobalt (29-pc set, steel case)
- For stainless sheet and clean holes: Milwaukee Red Helix Cobalt bits + a Milwaukee step bit
- Light, thin metal at home: DEWALT Pilot Point titanium set
- For clean size on a drill press: Chicago Latrobe HSS split-point (letter/number bits)
Now let me explain what they did on real jobs.
1) Viking Norseman M42 cobalt: the tank
I bought the Viking Norseman 29-pc M42 set after I toasted two cheap sets on a trailer hitch. Pricey, yes. But it’s the one that keeps saving me.
- Real job: I drilled sixteen 3/8 in holes through 1/4 in mild steel angle for a garage rack. Drill press at about 450 rpm. Tap Magic every pass. The bit still felt sharp. Chips turned a tiny blue curl, then silver. That’s my happy zone.
- Stainless test: 304 stainless sink hole, started a 1/8 in pilot, then 1/4 in. Slow speed. Easy feed. No squeal. I still used a step bit to finish, but the pilot stayed straight.
- The tip: 135° split point. It doesn’t skate, which helps when you miss your punch mark by a hair, like I do when I rush.
What I don’t love: The case latch is fussy. Also, the 1/8 in and under will snap if you push sideways. That’s not the bit’s fault. Still hurts.
2) Drill America D/A M42 cobalt: the value workhorse
This set lives in my truck. Mine is the plain steel case 29-pc set. It’s not fancy. It just cuts.
- Real job: Frame rail patch on my nephew’s pickup. 3/16 in steel. I did a 1/8 in pilot, then 3/8 in, all with a cordless drill at low speed. I drilled twelve holes before I touched up the edge. Zero drama.
- Bonus: They sharpen well. I used a Drill Doctor 750X on a dull 5/16 in, and it came back quick.
Downside: The shanks are round. In a slick chuck, they can slip. I wiped them clean and retightened, and it was fine.
3) Milwaukee Red Helix Cobalt + Milwaukee step bits: clean holes in sheet
For sheet metal and thin stainless, I reach for my Milwaukee Red Helix cobalt bits, then a step bit to finish.
- Real job: New faucet hole in a 304 stainless sink. I piloted with a 1/8 in Milwaukee cobalt, then used a Milwaukee Shockwave step bit up to 1-3/8 in. Slow speed on my drill, light oil, light pressure. No grabbing. The edge looked neat. I hit it with a deburring tool and called it done.
- Thin steel: On HVAC duct, the step bit makes butter curls. I let it cool between steps. If it’s hot, I stop. Heat kills bits.
What I don’t love: The red coating scuffs fast. They still cut. But they won’t look pretty after a day.
4) DEWALT Pilot Point titanium: fine for thin stuff, not thick
This set is common, so here’s the truth. It’s good for thin steel and aluminum. The Pilot Point starts clean. It doesn’t walk much.
- Real job: I mounted a cable tray to 16-gauge steel. The 3/16 in DEWALT bit made twenty clean holes on my M18 drill. No squeak.
- But: I pushed it on 3/16 in angle iron. It cut five holes, then dulled hard. I switched back to cobalt for the rest.
So yes, keep these for light work. Save cobalt for heavy steel.
5) Chicago Latrobe HSS split-point: for size and straight holes
When I need a hole that mics right, like for a press-fit bushing, I use Chicago Latrobe HSS bits on the drill press.
- Real job: A 5/16 in hole for a pulley standoff on a little go-kart. The bit cut to size and left a smooth wall. Lubed. Clamped. No wobble.
- Note: HSS won’t last long in stainless. I save these for mild steel and clean work.
A few that let me down (and why)
- Bosch black oxide set: Fine in wood. In steel? It dulled fast on a 1/8 in angle iron test. It made smoke, not chips. I retired it to wood duty.
- A no-name titanium set from an online deal: The 1/4 in chipped on the first stainless test. The heat treat felt off. I keep the case, not the bits.
- Irwin M35 cobalt: Decent, but I broke three 1/8 in bits while drilling out pop rivets under a truck bed. Could be me, could be the angle. The larger sizes were okay. I just get better life from Drill America and Viking.
How I test (plain talk)
- Speed: Slow for steel. For a 3/8 in hole in mild steel, I go 300–500 rpm. For stainless, even slower.
- Oil: Tap Magic or even 3-in-One. A few drops. It helps a lot.
- Peck drill: In and out to clear chips. Chips should curl and fall, not pack in the flutes.
- Control: Clamp the work. A spinning plate is scary. Ask me how I learned.
- Start smart: Center punch first. I like my old Starrett punch. One clean tap. Then the bit finds home.
You know what? Even a great bit will burn if you go too fast and dry. I’ve done it. It smells bad and feels worse.
Cobalt vs HSS vs coatings (quick and clear)
- Cobalt (M35/M42): Harder. Stays sharp in steel and stainless. Runs cooler. Great for metal work.
- HSS: Cheaper. Good for mild steel if you go slow and use oil.
- Coatings (titanium, black oxide): They help with wear and chip flow, but the steel under the paint is what counts most.
If you drill steel a lot, get cobalt. If you only drill a bracket now and then, HSS works fine.
Real use notes and tiny tips
- I made a bracket for a garage door opener arm from 1/4 in flat bar. The Norseman 5/16 in bit cut four holes and still looked new. I smiled. My dog did not care.
- I keep a small magnet tray for chips. Makes cleanup easy. Watch the edges—chips can be sharp like little fish hooks.
- Let bits cool. Touch them to see if they’re warm. If they’re hot, that edge is losing temper.
- Sharpen before you toss. The Drill Doctor is not perfect, but it gives me two extra lives on mid-size bits.
- Oddly enough, the same patience applies when I’m tending my lawn; I learned the hard way that picking the best fertilizer for Bermuda grass matters as much as picking the right drill bit.
- And because life isn’t all sparks and steel chips, when I throw the truck in gear for a weekend on the coast I rely on the best redfish lure in Virginia that Popdex surfaced for me—same test-it-yourself approach, different hobby.
- When the garage finally goes quiet and I need a break from the smell of cutting oil, a quick chat can be as refreshing as a cold drink. I duck into InstantChat’s Latina chat rooms where the laid-back vibe and friendly conversation help me reset before the next round of drilling.
- If the next project road-trips me down California’s Central Coast, I trade steel shavings for vineyard views by lining up a TS escort in Paso Robles who turns an overnight stay into