Tungsten carbide tipped metric boring bits have been used in the woodworking industry for a long time. They’re highly effective in line boring or CNC machines for drilling all the way through certain types of materials, or creating flat bottomed holes. However, in our constant search to bring our customers innovative products, Tool Wolf has discovered that a solid carbide version of these bits can work better in certain instances.
Before we discuss the best application of these tools, let’s give a brief description. In contrast to standard TCT bits, the entire cutting length is made of solid carbide. See a picture here (note that we’re discussing bits with a 10mm shank and not the jobber style bits): https://www.toolwolf.com/product/product-category/solid-carbide-boring-bit/. Also, the spiral of the bit has a different profile than that of a standard boring bit which can work better to clear material in certain applications.
There are primarily two different reasons why our customers choose the solid carbide boring bits over their TCT counterparts:
– For a cleaner cut in man-made materials with a delicate paper coating on the top or bottom
– For overall longer life in boring applications so that bits aren’t being changed out as frequently
As already mentioned, the different spiral design of these tools makes these bits a little different. It also allows for cleaner entry and exit in materials that have a paper (or other delicate) coating so that there is no tearing or flaking around the holes.
The other feature of these bits is that they last between 7 and 10 times longer than traditional TCT bits. Because their entire cutting length is carbide, they can be sharpened more times and go longer between sharpenings.
So our recommendation? Give them a try! If you’re skeptical, order a few the next time you replace your set of bits and compare them with your standard TCT versions. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
