| Drill Material | High Speed Steel |
|---|---|
| Shank Sizes | 1/8″, 3/16″ and 1/4″ |
Back to Center Drills
3-piece Center Drill Set
Center drills are essential for accurately drilling starter holes in the ends of workpieces, particularly when mounting stock between centers on a lathe. Each drill creates a small pilot hole followed by a 60° countersink, which provides a seating surface for the 60° point of the lathe center.
In milling applications, center drills are commonly used to start holes precisely. The exact hole location can be dialed in using the mill’s calibrated handwheels, and the center drill ensures the hole begins accurately without drifting.
This set includes three double-ended, high-speed steel (HSS) center drills:
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#1 drill: 1/8″ shank
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#2 drill: 3/16″ shank
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#3 drill: 1/4″ shank
The larger shank diameter of a center drill ensures the tip remains centered, reducing the risk of the drill “walking” as the hole is started. After the center drill has established the starter hole, it is replaced with a standard drill bit to complete the hole to the desired diameter.
⚠️ CAUTION: Always use a suitable cutting lubricant and back the drill out frequently during use. This prevents the delicate tip from overheating or breaking off.
Related products
1/4″ 3-Flute End Mill Set
1/4" Shank 3-piece, 3-flute End Mill Set (1/8", 3/16", 1/4")
1/4″ HSS Tool Blank Set
Lathe tools—also known as tool bits—are the cutting tools used for turning, facing, and other operations on a lathe. The most commonly used are high-speed steel (HSS) tools, which are suitable for machining a wide range of materials including wood, plastic, aluminum, brass, and steel. HSS tools maintain their hardness at temperatures up to 1000°F (588°C), making proper depth of cut, cutting speed, and feed rate essential for optimal performance.
One of the key advantages of HSS tools is how easily they can be resharpened using a standard aluminum oxide grinding wheel. Once sharpened, they retain a keen cutting edge through extended use.
Each Sherline lathe comes with a pre-sharpened 1/4" HSS cutting tool. Pre-ground tool sets—featuring right-hand, left-hand, and boring tools—are also available. However, for long-term savings and flexibility, learning to grind your own tools from blanks is recommended. Custom-shaped tools can be saved for repeat jobs or re-ground for new applications.
