Drill bit shank A hex shank can be grasped by a 3-jaw drill chuck or held in a chuck specifically for hex shanks. Quarter-inch hex shanks are common for machine screwdriver bits and have spread from that application to be used for drill bits that are compatible with screwdriver machinery. The diameter of an SDS and SDS Plus shank is 10 millimeters. (The SDS Max is 18 millimeters.) The SDS shank has the advantage of fitting into a simple spring-loaded chuck, so that bits are simply pushed into the chuck without tightening. This shank and chucks made for it are especially suited to
Drill bit insertable tip, called an insert. The inserts come in various sizes that range from . The tool holder usually has a coolant passage running through it. They are capable of cutting to a depth of about 10 times the bit diameter. This type of drill bit can also be used to make stepped holes. Straight fluted drill bits do not have a helical twist like twist drill bits do. They are used when drilling copper or brass because they have less of a tendency to "dig in" or grab the material. A trepan, sometimes called a BTA drill bit (after