Know About SDS Plus Drill Bits: Geometry, Usage and Alternatives

SDS Plus drill bits are masonry drill bits that are used on SDS Plus drills. SDS plus drill bits have a 10mm shank diameter and 4 rail grooves on the shank. 2 cutting edges and 4 cutting edges are the two main types of SDS plus drill bits.

SDS plus drill bits can be used to drill 6-inch to 12-inch holes. It can drill 5mm – 30mm wider holes for different purposes. Mainly, SDS plus drill bits are used to drill holes in concrete, brick, masonry, chisel works, fixing anchors, plumbing installation, and shelves and cabinets installations.

SDS plus drill bits are made of tungsten, carbide, HSS, and vanadium in order to withstand higher hardness, toughness, and friction. According to the hardness requirements, parts of the drill bits are made with different materials. As a result of this SDS plus drill bit tip is made of tungsten carbide materials.

SDS plus drill bits can be used on the SDS max drill using an SDS adaptor. However, it is not highly recommended due to less efficiency, less material strength, and extra weight. You can use a hex adaptor, chuck adaptor, SDS max adaptor, and core bit adaptor to use other types of drill bits on SDS Plus drills. You can use SDS plus drill bits on a regular drill, but it is useless due to loose fighting in the chuck and lack of piston-based hammering action.

What is SDS Plus Drill Bit?

SDS Plus drill bit is a masonry drill bit that is used to drill harder materials such as concrete, stones and bricks. SDS plus drill bit has a 10 mm diameter, 4 rails shank geometry which is important to remain in the chuck during the rotational movement.

SDS drill bits have 2 main cutting-edge types. Those are 2 cutting-edge and 4 cutting-edge heads. SDS drill bits are made with different materials such as tungsten and carbide as it can withstand higher compressions and frictions with heating.

What is SDS Plus Drill?

SDS Plus drill is a type of hammer drill. SDS plus drills are consist of quick change chuck. The quick change chuck can hold the 4 rail SDS plus drill bit successfully. SDS plus drill has a piston-based mechanism. Hence it can transfer the hammering action to the drill bit efficiently. SDS plus drill allows to move the drill bit 10mm forward and backward.

What is the Geometry of SDS Plus Drill Bit

SDS plus drill bit geometry is based on the shank and cutting head. SDS plus drill bit has a 10 mm circular shank diameter and it has groved 4 rails. These rails help to keep the drill bit in the chuck during the rotation with help of the locking balls in the chuck.

SDS plus drill bits have 2 types of blunt cutting edges. Those are 2 cutting-edge and 4 cutting-edge drill bits. SDS plus drill bits don’t have a sharp cutting angle. Instead of that, there is a blunt cutting edge that helps to crush the forward material easily. 4 edge cutting bits are more efficient than 2 cutting-edge drill bits.

How Deep Can an SDS Plus Drill Bit Be Used?

You can use SDS plus drill bits to drill 6-inch to 12-inch holes in concrete, brick, and stone efficiently. The drilling depth of SDS plus drill bit is varied with the drill bit size, and drilling material. Using an SDS plus drill Below are the most used SDS plus drill bits and their recommended drilling depth.

How Wide Can an SDS Plus Drill Bit Be Used?

You can use 5mm – 30mm wide SDS Plus drill bits for different purposes, such as;

5 mm – 10 mm SDS drill bits are suitable for drilling small holes for wall plugs or small anchors.

10 mm – 16 mm SDS drill bits are suitable for medium-duty tasks like fixing brackets and installing conduits or pipes.

16 mm – 30 mm SDS drill bits are used for heavy-duty applications such as creating holes for large anchors or drilling holes to pass significant bundles of wires or pipes.

What Are The Manufactured Materials Of SDS Plus Drills?

Most SDS-plus drill bits are manufactured using high-speed steel, tungsten, carbide, chromium, and vanadium. SDS plus drill bits are subjected to higher hammering forces and friction. In order to withstand these functions, SDS plus drill bits should be made with harder metals. Each of these materials has specific properties and usage.

1. High Carbon Steel (HCS)- High carbon steel is commonly used as the base material for the SDS plus shaft of the drill bit.
2. High-Speed Steel (HSS) – HSS is used for more durable and high-performance SDS plus drill bits.
3. Carbide – Carbide is used as the tip of the SDS plus drill bit.
4. Tungsten Carbide – Tungsten carbide is a combination of tungsten and carbide. This is used for the SDS plus drill bit tip.
5. Chrome Vanadium Steel – Chrome vanadium steel is an alloyed steel that is used to make the drill bit tip more robust and wear-resistant.

What are the Uses of SDS Plus Drill Bits?

SDS Plus drill bits are used to drill holes in heavy materials such as brick, concrete, steel and stones. SDS plus drill bits are made of tougher materials such as carbide and tungsten. Therefore SDS plus drill bits can withstand an efficient piston-based hammering mechanism. SDS plus drill bits consist of rails and grooves. This rail structure allows moving forward and backward in the chuck approximately 10mm. This efficient movement allows the transfer the piston-based hammering mechanism more efficiently with less user effect.

Due to these materials and mechanisms, SDS plus drill bits can be used in many household projects, such as;

1. Drilling 1 inch holes in concrete, brick and masonry
2. Chiselworks for demolition
3. Fixing anchors and fasteners
4. Electrical and plumbing installations
5. Shelves and cabinet installations

However SDS Plus drill bits are not able to use for reinforced concrete. The hammering action is not sufficient for drilling through the reinforced concrete.

Can You Use SDS Plus Drill Bit In Regular Drill?

You can use the SDS plus drill bit in a regular drill if the SDS plus bit shank is tight with the jaws of the chuck in the regular drill. But it is not worth using it because the SDS plus drill bit will not tight well between jaws and a regular hammer drill has a lower hammering power than the SDS plus drill. By using an SDS drill bit in a regular hammer drill, you can’t expect its maximum efficiency as it is used in SDS plus drill.

Can You Use SDS Plus Drill Bits In SDS Max Drills?

Using an SDS Plus adapter, you can use SDS Plus drill bit on SDS Max drill. But it is not recommended by the majority of professionals. The SDS Plus bit needs its own SDS Plus hammer drill, and the same goes for the SDS Max bits. The size of the shank restricts every bit from being compatible with other types of rotary hammer drills.

What Is An SDS Plus Adapter?

An SDS plus adapter is a special accessory that allows you to use SDS max drill bit, traditional hex shank drill bit, or round shank drill bits with an SDS plus hammer drill. There are 4 main types of SDS plus adaptors. Those are

1. SDS Plus to Hex Adapter – This type of adapter allows you to use hex shank bits in SDS plus drill.
2. SDS Plus to Chuck Adapter – This adapter includes a traditional keyed or keyless chuck that can be attached to an SDS plus drill.
3. SDS Plus to SDS Max Adapter – This adapter allows you to use SDS max bits, which are designed for heavier-duty hammer drills, with an SDS plus drill.
4. SDS Plus to Core Bit Adapter -This adapter can use core bits, which are used for drilling large-diameter holes in concrete and masonry, with your SDS plus drill.