The author tested eight brands of drill bits for the accuracy of their stated dimensions, the efficiency of their design, and their chip-clearing ability. The 3/8-in. bits were selected for the most rigorous tests, drilling 200 holes in hard maple and 875 in particleboard. The 3/16-in. bits were tested for clogging in pine; the 1/2-in. bits were tested on white oak. He found that the spade-shaped bits performed the worst, the W-shaped bits produced mixed results, and the spur-shaped bits were best overall.

The spade-shaped Tool Shop bit clogged to the point that it stopped cutting, and the 1/2-in. bit barely made a dent in the white oak. It scored a good on the entry-hole rating, a good/fair on the through-hole rating, and a poor in chip clearing.

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