Stone cutting is an ancient practice that dates back to early man. Over the years, cutting stone has always been difficult, mainly because operators have to use chisels and hammers.
With the advent of technology, stone cutting has been easier to process with the creation of stone drill bits.
Numerous stone-cutting drill bits may prove too much for you to go through.
In this article, however, you will see the most common and effective stone-cutting drill bit.
Table of Contents
- 1. Carbide-Tipped Drill Bit
- 2. Diamond Core Drill Bits
- 3. Masonry Drill bit
- 4. Concrete Drill Bit
- Conclusion
Figure 1: Stone Cutting
1. Carbide-Tipped Drill Bit
Carbide (tungsten or titanium) on cutting tools to improve performance and effectiveness is popular among manufacturers. The superior material properties of carbide make them a suitable addition to a drill bit for cutting stone. The strength and toughness of the carbide-tipped drill bit make it the perfect tool. Another advantage the carbide-tipped blade has over other types is its service life, which is remarkably longer than other stone-cutting drill bits.
The carbide-tipped drill bit structural composition comprises steel for the body and carbide for the blade tip. The strength of the carbide tip can cut almost five times as much as its other counterpart, like the HSS drill bit.
The carbide-tipped drill bit is reusable if you have a case of bluntness. All you need to do is to re-sharpen just as you would sharpen your typical drill bit. The same goes for the carbide-tipped drill bit, with the only difference remaining that you might need a coarse grinding stone because of the carbide toughness.
The only downside to using a carbide-tipped drill bit is the cost, as it costs remarkably more than any other stone-cutting drill bit. Nevertheless, for longer service life with a more effective cut, choosing the carbide-tipped drill bit will prove not only effective but also economically better.
Figure: Carbide-Tipped Drill Bit
2. Diamond Core Drill Bits
As builders, sculptors, and other professionals find more use cases for stone; they also find a more creative way of cutting stone. A critical method of cutting stone is the diamond drilling method. The way the diamond drilling method works is that manufacturers infuse diamonds with drill bits on the end of the diamond drill bit tip.
These tips have different configurations that make them cut stones differently. There are fundamentally two different tip variations for cutting stone, namely:
• Solid-tip diamond core drill bits
• Hollow tip core drill bits.
Solid tip diamond core bit has a unique structural design that contains diamonds on its tip and edges. This structural design gives the core drill bit a different cutting mode, mostly boring a hole by crushing the stone on the side of its cutting tip and edge.
On the other hand, they cut stone by making a hollow path in the stone for hollow-core drill bits. The reason for this is because of the configuration of the hollow bit cutting tip. They have diamonds along the edge of the tip and marginally up the sides of the hollow tip. The diamond hollow core bits cut stone at the edge of the tip as opposed to the full breadth of the tip.
These different variations, however, have various applications. Hollow diamond core bits are secondary cutting tools as they open spots with solid tip bit cuts. A sOn the other hand, a solid tip will cut out a complete hole in the stone. And sometimes they can also cut larger stones.
Figure: Diamond Drill Bit
3. Masonry Drill bit
Masonry Drills Bits belong to the twist drill family, with just the structural composition of the masonry drill bit and the difference in the masonry drill bit. The masonry drill bit comprises a softer steel variation and a carbide tip that manufacturers braze into the steel as the cutting edge.
Most users use the masonry drill bit along with the electric hammer drill, which serves as the power source for the cutting tool for cutting into tone. The electric hammer is what breaks down the stone. After breaking the stone, the flute of the drill bit then cuts through the stone until it gets to a new point where you may need to break it again.
Standard masonry drill bits are available in a diameter range of 5mm-40 mm. Special masonry drill bits come in at about 1000 mm, solely for use with smaller handheld power tools. They are most popular among users operating in domestic residences for wiring or plumbing.
If you plan on doing a great deal of work around the home, at that point, you might need to buy a complete set of masonry drill bits. The complete sets give you greater hole size flexibility and attachments you can use for drilling.
Ultimately, your choice of masonry bit depends solely on the amount of material you want to cut. Operators carrying out domestic applications often tend only to buy a few instead of the complete set. Only industrial or large-scale operators move to buy an entire set of masonry drill bits.
Figure: Masonry drill bit
4. Concrete Drill Bit
Concrete drill bits are one of the most important tools for any individual that cuts stone or materials with similar hardness. A good concrete drill bit will make your experience in stone cutting considerably easier. So, the concrete drill bit is a must-have for any operator looking to cut stone.
Concrete drill bits have a very similar design to HSS, wood, and even metal drill bits. They have a steel shaft and spiral edges (flutes), which carry out the cutting operation. Hitherto, the concrete drill tip also has a slope, which is essential because it allows easy flow of concrete bits from the cutting point.
Some variations of concrete drill bits also contain embedded diamonds to help them cut faster and more durable. Since diamonds are generally hard, they can drill into concrete without necessarily becoming blunt. Likewise, this implies increased cutting precision because of the diamonds instead of a worn-out, chipped surface.
Other variations, like the hammer drill, are also an option you can combine with your concrete drill bits to make smoother hole cuts. The hammering activity will help cause the bit to drive further into the stone or concrete. After this, the flute of the concrete drill bit continues the cutting process. The hammer drill is an accessory that can prove useful.
There are also specialty concrete drill bits. An example is the rebar bit, which is
suitable for cutting the outer segment of stone or concrete. There is also a specialty concrete
drill bit for making smooth cuts.
The operator’s choice of a concrete drill bit is very crucial. The operator will need an effective tool to perform well in a cutting industry with many inferior tools. They will also consider the necessary accessories for more effective stone-cutting. Another important factor the operator considers is the economic effectiveness of their choices. Though a lower-cost concrete drill can cut the concrete, it is better to have a smooth hole when cutting stone or concrete.
Figure: Concrete Drill Bit
Conclusion
Stone cutting is popular among professionals, skilled users, and unskilled operators. Cutting stone can be a little complex and difficult if you don’t have the right drill bit.
Manufacturers have provided different stone-cutting drill bits to cater to the demands of different users and applications. This article outlays four major types of stone-cutting drill bits.
In conclusion, therefore, as you continue to look out for helpful tips to help cut stones better, look no further. NCCuttingtools has got you covered.
