Universal drill bits (aka: all-purpose drill bits) are a new trend where ALL drilling tasks are united in a single drill bit, especially for smaller diameters. So rather than separate drill bits for wood, metal and masonry, this is a bit for ALL materials. Universal drill bits can not only break up/shatter material, but also remove shavings and chips or peel them out of the material. They have a carbide plate in the cutting head, which-- unlike stone drill bits, for example-- is extremely sharp. Universal bits can withstand similar loads as percussion drill bits, but never as powerfully and efficiently as hammer drill bits. Please also refer to our tips on drilling. >>> Price list
For a long time it seemed impossible to create a universal drill because the development of different drill types had drifted too far apart. There were special drills for steel, others for stainless steel (which in turn would destroy wood drills), or carbide-tipped masonry drill bits that do not 'drill' at all (do not bore) but break and crush the material like a chisel. A cumulative problem arose especially with the interior construction of houses: holes often had to be drilled through various consecutive materials, such as exterior gypsum board (plasterboard), including sheet metal, wood or concrete. At each hole, the mechanic had to then change the drill bit 1-2 times and then set different speeds on the machine for drilling the layers properly! Added to this was the problem that the specialized drills quickly became dull and unusable when in contact with another, foreign material, e.g. metal drills in contact with stone dust.
The approach for creating a “universal drill“ or all-purpose drill solution was to sharpen the very durable, but rather blunt hard metal (carbide) plate in the head of a stone drill so that it could also work in softer materials and peel out shavings/chips. This could only be done by grinding with diamond tools. The universal drill thus appeared! Soon it began its triumphant march into specialized markets.
Not all all-purpose drills are the same. They vary based on the granularity, composition, and grinding geometry (structure) of the sintered carbide tips in the drill head. Wood, plastic and others drill equally, but some manufacturers shift the focus to drilling with pinpoint accuracy in the hardest materials (glass, tile, granite and even metals). These drills are sensitive and then wear out faster when drilling into concrete and masonry. And percussion (impact/hammer) drilling is then also taboo. Other manufacturers prefer a long service life for continuous use in concrete and masonry, and these drills may then also work as percussion drills. If you want to drill into steel thicker than sheet-thickness, universal drills of all types reach their limit. Brass, bronze, etc.., however, are no problem.
FassadenGrün offers a high-quality cassette UB 77777; these universal drill bits are recommended for use in all types of walls, including concrete, hardest stone and also for impact/percussion drilling. To maintain the suitability of the bits for precise drilling in glass, tile, or metal for as long as possible, we recommend using the bits only rarely for percussion drilling in masonry or hard walls. The diamond-ground cutting edges will then maintain their sharpness, and the life of this product will last much longer!