What Is a Spade Drill

Spade drills are two-fluted, end-cutting tools that incorporate a replaceable or indexable type of cutting insert. Internal passages in the toolholder channel coolant to the cutting edge of the insert. The external flutes on the holder provide efficient chip removal.

Can you use a spade bit in a regular drill?

Spade bits cause tear-out (splintering) when drilling all the way through a wooden workpiece unless you use a sacrificial piece of wood as a backing. They need to be spun too quickly to be used in hand-powered drills. To be effective, they should be used in a power drill or drill press.

What does a spade drill bit look like?

These bits look like their name suggests: Each steel shaft terminates in a spade-shaped blade. The spade is flat, with a sharp point at the center. The point acts as a guide, centering the hole and leading the way, but the bulk of the drilling is actually done by the honed cutting edge at the shoulder of the spade.