Kango has stepped things up with not 1 but 3 new drill-bit ranges: Cobalt, HSS and Impact HSS, covering drilling needs for materials from metal and hard metals through to wood and plastic.
There are some general features which carry across all three ranges, including:
• The new four-cut tip which gives maximum material contact, faster drill speeds and cleaner holes;
• A thicker core with a tapered design to create a stronger bit;
• A 135-degree split point to prevent the bits from wandering;
• A rapid-eject flute which quickly clears chips and material for faster drilling; and
• Chamfered edges which reduce binding.
TEST #1: COBALT
The Cobalt range is purpose-built for tougher materials like stainless steel and cast iron.
In addition to the common features we’ve already outlined, the Cobalt range has a 3-flat shank which reduces chuck slippage and an M35 5% Cobalt-blend material to withstand extreme levels of abrasion and heat.
Matt Wilcock from Outfall Art agreed to give the Kango Cobalt bits a run for us. He kicked off by drilling both the 8mm and 10mm Cobalt bits through 5mm stainless-steel angle and 12mm metal cleats, with both the press and the 18V AEG drill. As you can see from the images, the resulting edges were extremely clean and crisp and looked very tidy indeed.
“The 135-degree split point worked really well with the bit drilling exactly where I wanted,” arted Matt. “The bit also drilled clean and true, with material being ejected with ease.”
TEST #2: HSS & HSS IMPACT
The HSS range includes the HSS and HSS Impact ranges, with the HSS Impact range receiving some extra impact resistance, including a titanium coating to reduce friction and heat build-up for maximum life and performance. The ¼” hex shank can be used in both impact drivers and regular drills.
For our testing of the HSS range we grabbed some 3mm aluminium tubing, some wood, and a handful of plastic.
As you would expect, the softer wood and plastic didn’t present any challenges at all,with the bits sinking into the material and clearing out the debris beautifully. And when we started drilling the aluminium we could really see just how well – and how fast – the new four-cutter tip performed.
The combined features and designs of the HSS bits contribute to a clean, fast and precise drilling experience. Jimmy Sullman from SWAT fabrications had several hundred 3mm holes to drill into a brass wine rack he was constructing for a restaurant, and he was impressed with both the sharpness and the longevity of the cutting edge over long periods of use.
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
There was no mucking around with the Kangos. We jumped straight into the largest sizes we were sent on the hardest materials we had available, and even after drilling the 10mm Cobalt bit through the 12mm steel cleat the tip looked in great shape. In a strong indication of the quality and strength of the bit, it was still sharp and clean with no visible damage or chips.
We did our best to really slow these bits down, but I have to say the Kango range exceeded our expectations. Given the thickness of some of our test pieces (10mm+) we didn’t focus on the speed of the cutting process, but instead let the drill and bit do the hard work without excess downward pressure. But in saying that, the bits’ sharpness, strength and material ejection allowed for some fast cutting and produced great-looking results.
Kango has packed a lot into these 3 new drill-bit ranges, and they all stood up well to the materials we tested them on. Those chamfered edges and variable-flute geometry work a treat for faster, cleaner cuts.
Visit: www.kangotools.com.au