Three new bit sets from Spyder: from the left, Brad Point, Stinger Mach Blue twisted bit, and Stinger Power Bits.

Drill bits are ubiquitous tools in workshops and work sites. Drill bit manufacturers continue to introduce new coatings and profiles to attract our attention. On my workbench, the newest shiny items in the drill category are three different styles of drill sets from Spyder, the brand apparently brought to the market through the Lowe's store. They include Brad point drills with special points, a group of "power drills" that looks like a new rotation on a spiral drill, and a set of twisted drills with a spectacular iridescent blue coating. Let's take one at a time.

Brad Point Spyder 6-piece Brad Point set sizes range from 1/8 inch to ½ inch. These drill bits use "precision cutting-edge technology", which promises to drill faster and eliminate chip burns, while producing cleaner holes. Compared with standard brad points, they have a longer center point.

I didn't make a complicated comparison to see if these drills cut 6 times faster and 10 times longer service life as claimed, but they can cut beautiful, clean holes quickly, especially in drill press applications. They also seem to have deeper grooves to discharge chips more effectively.

Stinger power drill bits These are hybrid drill bits. They have four (1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1 inch), each with dark blue grooves, which look a lot like augers. But there is no thread guide point like the auger. Instead, these have centers like Brad Point. At the other end, they have a well-ground hexagonal end to fit securely in a normal speed chuck.

Spyder claims that these drills are 40 times faster and can drill up to 25 times as many holes on a single charge. Again, I haven't tested these claims scientifically, but in many common applications, such as drilling holes in stud wood, they seem to be superior to traditional spiral drills.

Stinger Mach blue bit If the bit is designed to be as attractive as a sports car, it is that it has an eye-popping blue coating than a titanium bit. The 10-piece set includes 1/16 to 3/8 inch drill bits. The tip of the knife is a 137-degree dividing point, and the design will not linger in the metal and cut quickly on wood or other materials. All are installed in a hexagonal installation for quick chuck.

I won't solve the specific performance requirements, but I did try these in some difficult metal drilling situations, and I was not disappointed even when pressure was applied to the bit in the inclined drilling. They seem to maintain sharpness better than my oxide or titanium coated drill bits.

You can learn more about all these bits on spyderproducts.com.

Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

William Sampson is a lifelong woodworker who has been a small-scale entrepreneur and advocate of lean manufacturing since the 1980s. He served as the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine in the early 1990s and founded WoodshopBusiness magazine, which he eventually sold and merged with CabinetMaker magazine. He helped establish the Cabinet Manufacturers Association in 1998 and became its first executive director. Today, as the editor of FDMC magazine, he has more than 20 years of professional woodworking industry experience. His popular "In the Shop" tool reviews and videos appear monthly in FDMC.

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