- The center point of a brad point drill allows you to locate accurately the hole on a center mark on your workpiece. The center point enters the workpiece before any other part of the drill touches the surface.
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The spurs along the edges of the drill will score a circle in the surface of the work, thus preventing splitting along the grain when the wood is removed. Because of this, the brad point drill should be used in a drill press to allow the spurs to cut a smooth circle without chattering.
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A brad point bit allows you to drill completely through a workpiece without splitting the bottom side. Stop boring when the center point just breaks through the piece. Turn the workpiece over, line up the center point with the tiny hole and score the circle until the last remaining wood is removed.
- Brad point drills can be bought individually or in sets ranging in size from 1/8 to 1/2 inch. Larger sizes up to 1 inch are available individually.
- Other than touching up the edges with a small whetstone, brad point drills should be sharpened by a professional.
