Milwaukee Self-Feeding Wood Bit

By Cathy Dalrymple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week, I paid a visit to the Milwaukee Tool Company’s headquarters. The folks in Wisconsin had an impressive batch of new tools. Aside from all the drills, reciprocating saws and nailers, I was especially excited about their new speed-feed self-feeding wood bits, which make boring through lumber like cutting butter with a hot knife. Each bit has a feed screw that anchors it to a workpiece as the cutting spurs begin to score the wood, allowing for a clean hole with little tearout. Unlike traditional drill bits, Milwaukee’s new bit takes purchase immediately, which prevents any skipping across the wood. This feature is particularly apparent when drilling at an angle. I used the 5/8€³ bit and drilled a hole at approximately 45° into an SPF 2×4 with ease. If I were to make the same hole with a straight shank bit, it would likely slip across the wood a little before boring, and if I were to use a standard spade bit, I would likely encounter some grabbing and wrist wrenching before the hole started. These features all lead to safer, quicker and more accurate drilling with less strain on the tool, which, in turn, should conserve batteries and prevent. Wow, all that from a drill bit!