Hole tapping drills, essential tools for creating internal threads in various materials, come in a wide range of models designed to suit different applications, materials, and precision requirements. Leading manufacturers across the globe have developed specialized lines of tapping drills, each with unique features, materials, and coatings to enhance performance, durability, and efficiency. Below is a detailed overview of prominent brands and their key models, categorized by brand and type, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the available options in the market.

Bosch, a renowned name in power tools and accessories, offers a diverse range of tapping drills catering to both professional and DIY users. Their models are celebrated for precision engineering, consistent performance, and adaptability to multiple materials.

The Bosch Professional HSS-R Tapping Drill Set (model 2607019445) is a versatile option designed for general-purpose threading applications. Crafted from high-speed steel (HSS-R), this set provides excellent wear resistance and heat tolerance, making it suitable for use on mild steel, cast iron, aluminum, copper, and plastics. The set includes 13 pieces, covering metric sizes from M3 to M12, ensuring compatibility with common threading needs in workshops and construction sites. Each drill features a straight flute design, which facilitates efficient chip evacuation in through holes, reducing the risk of jamming and ensuring clean thread formation. The drills are precision-ground to maintain accurate thread profiles, minimizing the chance of thread distortion or damage. Additionally, the set comes in a durable storage case with labeled compartments, allowing for easy organization and quick access. This model is ideal for users who require a reliable, all-purpose set for occasional to regular use on a variety of non-ferrous and low-carbon materials.

For more demanding applications involving harder materials, the Bosch Expert HSS-Co 5% Tapping Drill (model 2607019589) stands out. This model is manufactured using high-speed steel with 5% cobalt content (HSS-Co 5%), a material known for its superior hardness and heat resistance compared to standard HSS. The added cobalt enables the drill to withstand higher temperatures generated during threading of alloy steels, stainless steel, and high-tensile metals, making it a go-to choice for industrial and professional settings. The drill features a spiral flute design, which is particularly effective for blind holes as it efficiently lifts chips upward and out of the hole, preventing chip buildup that can damage threads or the tool itself. The flute geometry is optimized for smooth chip flow, reducing friction and extending tool life. Available in sizes from M4 to M16, this model also includes a titanium nitride (TiN) coating, which enhances surface hardness, reduces friction, and improves wear resistance—critical for maintaining performance when working with abrasive materials. The shank is precision-machined to ensure a secure fit in chuck systems, minimizing slippage and ensuring consistent torque transfer during operation.

DeWalt, a leader in industrial-grade power tools, focuses on durability and high performance in their tapping drill lineup, targeting professional users in manufacturing, construction, and metalworking.

The DeWalt DW2522 HSS Tapping Drill Set is engineered for heavy-duty use in professional environments. This set includes 10 pieces of high-speed steel tapping drills, covering metric sizes from M3 to M10, and is designed to deliver reliable performance on a range of materials, including mild steel, aluminum, brass, and plastics. The drills feature a black oxide coating, which provides two key benefits: increased corrosion resistance and reduced friction. The black oxide layer acts as a barrier against moisture and rust, extending the tool’s lifespan, while the reduced friction lowers heat buildup during operation, allowing for longer continuous use without overheating. The straight flute design of these drills is optimized for through-hole applications, where chips can exit freely from the bottom of the hole, ensuring clean and accurate thread formation. Each drill is precision-sharpened to meet strict tolerance standards, ensuring that threads are formed with consistent pitch and depth, which is crucial for achieving secure fastener connections. The set is housed in a rugged, stackable case with a clear lid, making it easy to transport and store, while the labeled slots prevent misplacement of individual drills. This model is favored by mechanics, metalworkers, and contractors who need a robust set for daily use in demanding work environments.

For extreme applications involving hardened steels, stainless steel, and heat-resistant alloys, the DeWalt DWA1784IR HSS-Co 8% Tapping Drill is a top-tier choice. This model is constructed from high-speed steel with 8% cobalt (HSS-Co 8%), a premium material that offers exceptional hardness and red hardness—meaning it retains its cutting edge even at elevated temperatures. This makes it suitable for threading in materials such as tool steel, 304 stainless steel, and Inconel, where standard HSS drills would quickly dull or fail. The drill features a spiral flute with a 35-degree helix angle, which is specifically designed to optimize chip evacuation in blind holes. The steep helix angle ensures that chips are efficiently lifted out of the hole, preventing clogging and reducing the risk of thread damage. Additionally, the drill is coated with titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), a advanced coating that provides superior wear resistance, oxidation resistance, and low friction compared to traditional TiN coatings. This coating allows the drill to maintain its sharpness longer, even when working with abrasive materials, reducing the need for frequent tool changes. The shank of the DWA1784IR is designed with a precision square drive, ensuring a secure fit in tapping wrenches and power tools, minimizing slippage and maximizing torque transfer. Available in sizes from M5 to M20, this model is a staple in industrial manufacturing facilities and metalworking shops where high-performance threading is a daily requirement.

Makita, a Japanese manufacturer known for innovation and quality, produces tapping drills that blend precision with user-friendly features, suitable for both professional and enthusiast users.

The Makita B-65299 HSS Tapping Drill Set is a comprehensive collection designed for versatility and reliability. This set includes 12 tapping drills, covering metric sizes from M3 to M12, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, from furniture assembly to automotive repairs. Constructed from high-speed steel (HSS), these drills offer good wear resistance and are capable of threading mild steel, aluminum, copper, and plastic materials. The drills feature a straight flute design with a polished surface finish, which reduces friction between the tool and the workpiece, lowering heat generation and improving chip flow. This design is particularly effective for through-hole threading, where chips can exit easily, ensuring clean and accurate threads. Each drill in the set is precision-ground to strict dimensional tolerances, ensuring consistent thread pitch and depth across all sizes. The set comes in a durable plastic case with foam inserts that securely hold each drill in place, preventing damage during storage and transport. The case is also labeled with size markings, allowing for quick identification and access. This model is popular among DIY enthusiasts, hobbyists, and small workshop owners who need a reliable, cost-effective tapping solution.

For more demanding threading tasks, the Makita A-97686 HSS-Co 5% Spiral Flute Tapping Drill offers enhanced performance and durability. Made from high-speed steel with 5% cobalt content, this drill is designed to handle harder materials such as alloy steel, cast iron, and stainless steel, providing longer tool life compared to standard HSS drills. The spiral flute design with a 40-degree helix angle ensures efficient chip evacuation, making it ideal for blind hole applications where chip buildup can be a significant issue. The helix angle is optimized to lift chips upward and out of the hole, reducing the risk of jamming and thread distortion. The drill is coated with a black oxide finish, which not only improves corrosion resistance but also increases surface hardness, reducing wear and extending the tool’s lifespan. The shank is precision-machined to a cylindrical shape with a slight taper, ensuring a secure fit in both manual tapping wrenches and power-driven tools such as drill presses and tapping machines. Available in sizes from M4 to M16, the A-97686 is designed for professional use in automotive repair shops, metal fabrication facilities, and industrial maintenance operations. Its combination of cobalt-enhanced material, spiral flute design, and black oxide coating makes it a reliable choice for users who need consistent performance in challenging threading applications.

Milwaukee Tool, known for its rugged, professional-grade tools, offers tapping drills designed to withstand extreme conditions and deliver high performance in industrial settings.

The Milwaukee 48-89-9200 HSS Tapping Drill Set is a heavy-duty collection built for professional use in demanding environments. This set includes 11 tapping drills, covering metric sizes from M3 to M12, and is constructed from premium high-speed steel (HSS) that undergoes a proprietary heat treatment process to enhance hardness and toughness. This heat treatment ensures that the drills can withstand high torque and resist chipping, even when threading tough materials like mild steel and cast iron. The drills feature a straight flute design with a precision ground cutting edge, which ensures clean, accurate thread formation with minimal burrs. The straight flutes are ideal for through-hole applications, allowing chips to exit freely from the bottom of the hole, reducing the risk of clogging and tool damage. Each drill in the set is marked with clear size indicators for easy identification, and the set comes in a impact-resistant plastic case with custom foam inserts to protect the drills during transport and storage. The case is also designed to be stackable with other Milwaukee tool cases, enhancing workshop organization. This model is favored by construction workers, mechanics, and industrial maintenance professionals who require a durable, reliable set for daily use in harsh working conditions.

For the most challenging threading applications, the Milwaukee 48-89-9210 HSS-Co 8% Tapping Drill is engineered to deliver exceptional performance. This drill is made from high-speed steel with 8% cobalt (HSS-Co 8%), a material that provides superior hardness, wear resistance, and heat resistance, making it suitable for threading in hardened steels, stainless steel, and nickel-based alloys. The 8% cobalt content allows the drill to maintain its cutting edge at high temperatures, reducing the need for frequent sharpening and extending tool life. The drill features a spiral flute design with a 30-degree helix angle, which is optimized for chip evacuation in both blind and through holes. The helix angle ensures that chips are efficiently transported out of the hole, preventing buildup that can cause thread damage or tool failure. Additionally, the drill is coated with titanium carbonitride (TiCN), a hard coating that reduces friction, improves wear resistance, and enhances lubricity, allowing for smoother cutting action and reduced heat generation. The shank is designed with a square drive to fit securely in tapping wrenches and power tools, ensuring maximum torque transfer and minimizing slippage. Available in sizes from M5 to M20, the 48-89-9210 is a go-to tool for industrial manufacturing, heavy equipment repair, and metal fabrication, where high precision and durability are non-negotiable.

IRWIN Tools, a trusted name in cutting tools, offers a range of tapping drills known for precision and affordability, catering to both professional and DIY markets.

The IRWIN 1877779 HSS Fractional Tapping Drill Set is designed for users working with imperial (inch) measurements, providing a comprehensive solution for threading in wood, metal, and plastic. This set includes 10 fractional-sized tapping drills, covering sizes from #6 to 1/2 inch, making it suitable for a variety of applications, from home repairs to light industrial use. Constructed from high-speed steel (HSS), these drills offer good performance on mild steel, aluminum, brass, and softwoods, providing clean thread formation with minimal effort. The drills feature a straight flute design, which is ideal for through-hole applications, allowing chips to exit freely and reducing the risk of jamming. Each drill is precision-sharpened to ensure accurate thread pitch and depth, and the cutting edges are honed to minimize burr formation, resulting in smooth, professional-quality threads. The set comes in a durable plastic case with labeled compartments, making it easy to organize and store, while the clear lid allows for quick visual identification of the required size. This model is popular among DIY enthusiasts, carpenters, and small workshop owners who need a reliable, affordable set for inch-based threading tasks.

For more demanding metalworking applications, the IRWIN 3018002 HSS-Co 5% Spiral Point Tapping Drill offers enhanced performance and durability. Made from high-speed steel with 5% cobalt content, this drill is designed to handle harder materials such as alloy steel, cast iron, and stainless steel, providing longer tool life and consistent performance. The spiral point design, also known as a “gun tap,” features a self-centering tip that helps guide the drill into the hole, reducing the need for pre-drilling alignment and ensuring accurate thread placement. This design is particularly useful for through-hole applications, as the spiral point pushes chips forward through the hole, preventing buildup and allowing for faster, more efficient threading. The drill is coated with a black oxide finish, which improves corrosion resistance and reduces friction, lowering heat generation during operation and extending tool life. The shank is precision-machined to a square drive, ensuring a secure fit in tapping wrenches and power tools, while the flute geometry is optimized for smooth chip flow, reducing torque requirements and operator fatigue. Available in sizes from #4 to 3/4 inch, the 3018002 is a versatile tool suitable for professional metalworkers, mechanics, and maintenance technicians who need reliable performance in medium to heavy-duty threading applications.

Cleveland Twist Drill, a leading manufacturer of cutting tools, specializes in high-performance cobalt tapping drills designed for industrial and aerospace applications.

The Cleveland Twist Drill 1405 HSS-Co 5% Tapping Drill is a premium model engineered for precision threading in challenging materials. Constructed from high-speed steel with 5% cobalt (HSS-Co 5%), this drill offers excellent hardness and heat resistance, making it suitable for threading in alloy steels, stainless steel, and heat-treated metals. The 5% cobalt content ensures that the drill retains its cutting edge at high temperatures, reducing wear and extending tool life in continuous use applications. The drill features a spiral flute design with a 25-degree helix angle, which is optimized for chip evacuation in blind holes, where chips can accumulate and cause damage. The helix angle ensures that chips are lifted upward and out of the hole, maintaining a clean cutting environment and reducing the risk of thread distortion. The drill is precision-ground to tight tolerances, ensuring accurate thread profiles and consistent performance across multiple uses. It also features a bright finish, which allows for easy inspection of the cutting edges, ensuring that any wear or damage is detected early. The shank is designed with a square drive to fit securely in tapping wrenches and power-driven tapping machines, ensuring maximum torque transfer and minimizing slippage. Available in sizes from M3 to M24, the 1405 is a staple in aerospace manufacturing, automotive engineering, and industrial metalworking facilities where precision and reliability are critical.

For the most extreme threading applications, the Cleveland Twist Drill 1410 HSS-Co 8% Spiral Flute Tapping Drill represents the pinnacle of performance. Made from high-speed steel with 8% cobalt content, this drill offers exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and heat resistance, making it capable of threading in hardened steels, tool steels, and nickel-based superalloys such as Inconel and Hastelloy—materials commonly used in aerospace and power generation industries. The 8% cobalt content ensures that the drill can withstand the high temperatures generated during threading of these hard materials, maintaining its cutting edge even after extended use. The spiral flute design features a 40-degree helix angle, which provides aggressive chip evacuation, making it ideal for deep blind holes where chip buildup is a significant concern. The flute geometry is optimized to reduce friction and heat generation, while the cutting edges are precision-honed to ensure clean, accurate thread formation with minimal burrs. The drill is coated with titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), a high-performance coating that enhances surface hardness, reduces friction, and provides oxidation resistance up to 800°C, further extending tool life in high-temperature applications. The shank is designed with a precision square drive for secure gripping in industrial tapping machines, ensuring consistent performance even under high torque conditions. Available in sizes from M4 to M30, the 1410 is the tool of choice for professionals working in extreme environments where standard tools fail to deliver.

Tapmatic, a specialist in tapping tools and accessories, offers a range of tapping drills designed for use with their power tapping systems, focusing on efficiency and automation.

The Tapmatic Series 200 HSS Tapping Drill is engineered for use with Tapmatic’s power tapping attachments, providing seamless integration and high efficiency in automated and semi-automated manufacturing processes. Constructed from high-speed steel (HSS), this drill is designed for threading in mild steel, aluminum, and brass, making it suitable for mass production environments such as automotive assembly lines and electronics manufacturing. The drill features a straight flute design with a short length, which reduces deflection during high-speed tapping, ensuring accurate thread formation and minimizing tool vibration. This design is particularly effective for shallow through holes, where quick, efficient threading is required. The cutting edges are precision-ground to ensure consistent thread pitch and depth, while the shank is designed to fit securely into Tapmatic’s quick-change tapping chucks, allowing for fast tool changes and minimal downtime. The Series 200 is available in metric sizes from M2 to M10 and imperial sizes from #0 to 1/4 inch, making it versatile enough to handle a wide range of small to medium threading tasks. Its compatibility with automated systems and focus on speed and precision make it a valuable tool for high-volume production facilities.

For more demanding automated applications, the Tapmatic Series 500 HSS-Co 6% Tapping Drill offers enhanced durability and performance. Made from high-speed steel with 6% cobalt content, this drill is designed to handle harder materials such as alloy steel, cast iron, and stainless steel, providing reliable performance in continuous production environments. The 6% cobalt content ensures that the drill can withstand the high temperatures and stresses of high-speed tapping, reducing wear and extending tool life between sharpening. The drill features a spiral flute design with a 30-degree helix angle, which is optimized for chip evacuation in both blind and through holes, ensuring that chips are efficiently removed from the cutting zone to prevent jamming and thread damage. The flute geometry is also designed to reduce cutting forces, minimizing tool deflection and improving thread accuracy, even at high tapping speeds. The Series 500 is coated with titanium nitride (TiN), a hard, low-friction coating that reduces heat generation and improves wear resistance, further enhancing performance in automated systems. The shank is precision-machined to fit Tapmatic’s high-torque tapping chucks, ensuring secure gripping and consistent torque transfer during high-speed operation. Available in metric sizes from M3 to M16 and imperial sizes from #2 to 3/4 inch, the Series 500 is a robust choice for industrial production facilities where automated tapping of hard materials is a daily requirement.

Hole tapping drills are available in a vast array of models, each tailored to specific materials, applications, and performance requirements. From general-purpose HSS drills for DIY and light professional use to high-performance cobalt drills for industrial and aerospace applications, leading brands like Bosch, DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, IRWIN, Cleveland Twist Drill, and Tapmatic offer solutions for every need. Key factors to consider when selecting a tapping drill include the material being threaded (mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), the type of hole (through or blind), precision requirements, and the tooling system (manual or automated). By understanding the features and capabilities of these models, users can choose the right tapping drill to ensure clean, accurate threads, extended tool life, and efficient performance in their specific application. Whether for home repairs, workshop projects, or large-scale manufacturing, the right tapping drill model is essential for achieving professional-quality results.