Customer Reviews for Milwaukee 3/16 in. - 7/8 in. #4 Black Oxide Step Drill Bit (12-Steps)

Had to drill a hole through a metal cabinet to run new conduit on short notice, used these step drill bits and ruined the entire set just trying to make one small 3/4 hole. Bits got hot and dulled very quickly and I had to keep switching bits just to finish the hole I needed to get the job done. Had to throw away the set when done, since they were now dull and unusable.

First time using a bit from this set, the tip broke off. Not off to a good start. Was pretty thin sheet metal -- not sure why it broke. I would expect more from a kit this expensive.

I have been beyond let down and disappointed with my purchase of this set of bits!! The first time I used any of the bits out of the set, about half way through the process of drilling a hole in a metal control panel made out of very thin (I'm guessing the sheet metal is around 16 or 18 gauge)sheet metal the tip of the bit snapped off!! I know that Milwaukee is far better than the experience I have had with these drill bits. I am at a loss for words and I am really shocked by the failure of this step bit!!!

Love it, fast and sharp

This Black oxide step drill makes excellent holes 2 times faster into aluminum, duct, steel and sheet metal rather quickly. I was able to make a one inch hole into this sheet metal panel to run electrical conduit. What a breeze with this drill bit.

A fast way to drill large holes in a variety of materials from soft to hard metals and even plastics that would shatter with standard drills. Pilot holes are not necessary as these bits self start quickly and once you get going they cut fast and you will get to your desired hole size quickly so marking the stop point on the bit is a good idea so you don't go too far. I was pleased with the minimal amount of burring on the back side of the hole even on thin sheet stainless steel. A fast pass with a sanding disk and it was gone leaving a clean round hole. I have a few stainless brew pots I wanted to put valves in and wanted to test the bit out before the real deal and everything went great. I grabbed a strip of scrap the same thickness as the pot I wanted to put a valve in and the hole was clean and I was able to get up to the correct size quickly without distorting the metal. Now I just hope my stainless welding skills are still up to the task.

A fast way to drill large holes in a variety of materials from soft to hard metals and even plastics that would shatter with standard drills. Pilot holes are not necessary as these bits self start quickly and once you get going they cut fast and you will get to your desired hole size quickly so marking the stop point on the bit is a good idea so you don't go too far. I was pleased with the speed of cutting in 1/8 inch mild steel bar stock to make some brackets. I found with a bit of cutting fluid the bit stayed cool and breezed through the material.

A fast way to drill large holes in a variety of materials from soft to hard metals and even plastics that would shatter with standard drills. Pilot holes are not necessary as these bits self start quickly and once you get going they cut fast and you will get to your desired hole size quickly so marking the stop point on the bit is a good idea so you don't go too far. I was pleased with the minimal amount of burring on the back side of the hole even on thin sheet steel. A fast pass with a sanding disk and it was gone leaving a clean round hole.

Well made with two different sets of steps built into one drill bit. The first set of steps goes up to 7/8" and the second set goes up to 1 1/8". The bit has dual cutting edges with a spiral pattern and the packaging says will will work with hard metal. Milwaukee also says it will start twice as easily in stainless steel and last up to 15 times longer in stainless. On 1/8" galvanized steel I found it cut well.

Makes holes quickly and smoothly by employing smaller steps and a second flute to clear debris and dissipate heat efficiently. Be aware however, that these things result in a longer tool that requires more clearance behind the surface you are drilling into so LOOK before you leap to avoid unpleasant (or costly) surprises. Bit is made with a very hard (read durable) material which results in a significantly longer tool life. All of these features drive up the cost and are most important to tradesmen and not the occasional DIY'er when justifying the expense.

Great little bit. I use this on my PVC project boxes and there is a little trial and error so this step drill bit makes finding the right hole size a complete breeze. I simply start small and if that doesn't work, I go to the next size and so on. There is plenty of thickness too so you don't have to worry too much about the next size hole starting to cut in before you actually want the next hole size drilled. Its simple and does exactly what I want it to do.

I owned other brand step bits over the years and find that the starting steps dull well before the final largest step. That or they have poor starter pilot points and require a separate pilot bit to hit the precise location to start. The Milwaukee Cobalt step bit starts out with a precise pilot hole and follows through with smooth cuts at each step. I use steps bit for electrical runs in 1/2", 3/4" and 1" conduit. This Milwaukee bit gets all my holes punched with just this one bit. I haven't used it on stainless but so far the Milwaukee has handled common metal of electrical pull boxes; both painted and galvanized. It cuts through thin sheetmetal covers like its butter. On 18 gauge and thicker material I slow the drill speed down just to keep the bit from heating up, but it takes on the task without any bucking.

I've had great experience with Milwaukee products & this step drill has easily met expectations. I've had to drill holes in many different types of materials in the last couple of years & this particular drill bit has made this task much easier. I only wish I had discovered it before I had to make up a bunch of hold downs for a shed I built when I retired. It would have make things so much easier.

Step bits can be real timesavers and also very precise. It is surprising just how fast it is to drill with this bit. If you need to drill into sheet metal, sheet plastic, PVC or other thinner type materials, then this bit is ideal. I have used these bits with metal roofing and siding, steel electrical panels, plastic laminate, car body panels, various steel braces and angle, and many other metals up to 14 gauge. It is much faster than a hole saw for larger sizes, and you have numerous size options with a single bit. While this may seem expensive, you really need to compare with an entire set of drill bits, and and a set of hole saws, or even several sets. This replaces a complete set from 3/16 to 7/8 inch in 1/16 inch increments. It last longer, won’t break and won’t need sharpening The holes are neat and clean, without rough edges like you have with hole saws. If there is a bur on the back side of your metal, just lightly drill from the back for a second and it is gone. The shank is semi-triangular to fit into the drill chuck quickly and drill without slipping. Like any bit, a center punch will make it easier to start on the proper spot. I find that I reach for this more than a traditional set of drill bits, and it hasn’t let me down yet.

The Cobalt Step Drill Bits are engineered to drill and enlarge holes into mild steel up to 14ga. The elongated dual-flute design offers good heat management combined with the smaller steps for a smooth drilling experience. The shaft of the drill is not smooth and round but has flat spots to prevent it from turning in the drill chuck. These step bits perform well in cordless drills used on low-speed in stainless steel and high speed for mild steel. I have used this step drill when I needed to enlarge access holes in metal electrical boxes to accept larger conduit. Besides making holes in mild and stainless steel these drills work well making holes in plastic and PVC piping. These drills are made in the USA.

Milwaukee Step Drill The Milwaukee 1/8 in x 1/2 in step drill bit is great! I used it in my cordless drill and the efficient cuts prolong the drill run time. This drill bit cuts very effectively and is easy to read the depth gauge. See attached pics showing the depth gauge. The shank fits the drill chuck very securely. This bit has a “titanium aluminum nitride” coating to enhance a longer bit life. The shank is 1/4 inch and is hex style, it’s about 3 inches long. Pretty nice drill bit for my collection.

Look at the photo of the box this drill bit was in. It's WAY too big for this item - it would have fit in an envelope - such a waste of a large box. BUT, the step drill bit is fantastic! It cuts through this hard plastic easily and quickly. I needed a large, deep bucket to plant my carrots in, to drain well, and this drill bit did the job. You can see in the close-up photo the difference in the hole sizes created with the drill bit.

It really handles the heat and eats hard metals. Being plenty sharp out of the packaging it works well when usually these larger step bits struggle. Like the other sizes of Milwaukee cobalt step bits it has really easy to read numbers. Like the others it also has the external markings that allow you to see the most common hole size on the outside of the bit without stopping.

I like cobalt bits and these step bits make sense but this one has some issues. Like the other sizes cobalt step bits the numbers are easy to read and the cutting edge is decently sharp. However this one had quality control issues. The chisels on the tip were pretty beat up before use even. They are uneven and gouged preventing clean hole starts. Once it is past that point the bit works fine but it really struggles to get started.

This step bit really does alot of things right. Just looking it over and you can see some good thoughts put into this. The etched numbers for the step sizes are in the protected side of the cutting edge. Milwaukee went a step further though and put a noticable marker on the most common hole sizes so that at speed and while moving quickly you can see what size hole you are making. I must say these were also fairly sharp out of the packaging. Combine that with a cobalt metallurgy and these should chew up metal for a long time.

This Milwaukee 3/16 inch - 7/8 inch #4 cobalt step drill bit is a must have for any professional or do it yourselfer. Fast cutting speeds with easy to read depth/width markings. Not many step Bits hold up to hard metal for very long but this bit is strong. Shank fits all standard drills and does not slip which is great. Haven’t tried stainless steal yet because I don’t have drilling oil but if it works like it did in regular steel this bit is a beast. Definitely recommend.

These Milwaukee step bits are indispensable. I have a set of smaller bits that I use regularly for drilling and/or expanding holes in metal, wood, and plastic. They make very quick work of machining or tweaking small holes. Yes, they are a tad expensive, but so are any tools of any sort of high quality, and THIS is a high quality drill bit. The steps are sharp, so be careful.

This is my first step drill I plan to use for making quick holes in metal, PVC or wood laminates. As the title indicates there are 12 steps from size 3/16 in to 7/8 in providing a good midrange of typical hole sizes. The drill comes with a beefy shaft that mounts in any standard 3/8 in drill chuck. Careful handling of this tool because the edges are sharp.

This a very sharp and accurate step drill bit. I tested it on a piece of 1/2 inch thick piece of plywood and a 1/8 inch thick ABS plastic panel and it performed well. I like the hole size labels on the inside of the drill bit. There are 13 steps that start at 1/8 inch inch and go up to 1/2 inch in 1/32 inch increments. I measured each of the steps with my electronic calipers and the calipers agree with the sizes markings on inside of the drill bit. Overall a very good step drill bit.

This Milwaukee step drill bit is a high quality high price drill bit. You are paying for Milwaukee quality, their claim is that it will drill more holes and have a longer life because of the quality of materials and manufacturing and I have to believe them. This bit is longer than a "normal" step bit which makes it easier to control depth of penetration into the material you are drilling. The bit also has intermediate steps between graduations that make drilling easier and cleaner. The graduations are well marked and I didn't even need my readers to see them. The bit has a god sharp tip for starting a hole and cut's cleanly in mild steel, I didn't have any stainless to try it on. You can get cheaper step drill bits, I have used them, and you get what you pay for in rough cut holes and quickly worn out bits. This is pricey for a drill bit, but if you need this type of bit for a specialty project or regularly have use for a step bit this is your bit.

Milwaukee Cobalt Step Drill Bit. All in one bit to drill holes from 1/8" to 1/2". This bit works well when drilling holes in thin sheet metal. Does not wonder when drilling a small hole as a individual small bit sometimes does. The transition from one size to another is smooth and easily controlled. The shank has flats which prevents spinning in a drill chuck, Good for projects when you don't know the exact size of the hole you want to make. I use mine is a drill press to make holes in thin metal strips. I use the strips to cover drain holes in some planters I'm building.

I received my #4 Milwaukee cobalt step drill bit in good condition. It appears to be well made in the USA. It can drill holes from 3/16 in to 7/8 in with 22 different hole sizes that I can count, although the package says 12. The recommended thickness is up to 14 gauge. Stainless sheet metal, mild steel and PVC can be drilled. It has dual flutes. There are stripes at the 3/8 in, 1/2 in, 3/4 in and 7/8 in depths to show how deep you drill. I’m not sure how long these stripes will last drilling through steel. The bit has a 3/8” stub with 3 flats for a secure grip in the chuck. The package states it has up to 15 times life in stainless steel, with two times faster starts in stainless. I haven’t used it much so I cannot speak as to durability or longevity. Testing it to enlarge a sign post hole to 3/4 in was an easy task. I used the slow speed on my drill with cutting fluid. I previously tried various titanium step drills on this post and they dulled quickly. There does not appear to be any warranty on this bit. I like it, and will use it.

I purchased this drill bit to drill holes on a Jeep frame. A friend of mine asked for help installing a new bumper on his Jeep. I have done this before on my Jeep and I remembered that the installation instructions says to drill 7/16 holes to the rear frame. Most drill bit sets do not carry a 7/16 bit. So when I installed my bumper, I had to step up manually from a pilot hole of 1/8”, then to a 1/4, 3/8 and finally to 1/2”. I used lube so as not to burn out the bits. I still ended up messing up my 1/2 bit as it got hung up on the metal (the drill almost twisted my hand off). This is when I looked up buying a step drill bit. The #1 bit had increments going from 1/8” to 1/2”. Just what I needed. So when my buddy brought his Jeep over for the bumper install, I was ready to test this bit. I used a 1/8” bit as a pilot hole. I then switched to the step drill bit. This drill bit easily enlarged the hole to 1/2” with minimal effort. It never hung up. I didn’t have to apply much pressure. I was so amazed, I tried using just one hand on two of the holes. And same result. It cut through the frame like it was soft wood. I’m definitely a believer. I don’t know how long this bit will last, but if it takes such a minimum effort to drill out metal, I would think it would stay sharp for a while.

I needed to drill a hole in an older mustang to install a radio antenna. This drill bit worked perfectly for my needs. Slowly increased the hole diameter till it reached the size I needed and left a clean hole when done, minimal/no burrs. This is the most expensive bit I’ve owned, but worth it for what I needed.

Perfect for making holes in acrylic sheets without cracks!