When you want to get the job done, right, first time – choosing the right tool is crucial. Mag drills come in different shapes and sizes, loaded with different features and most importantly, the ability to cut different depths and diameter holes. In this guide, we provide you with the key considerations that you should take when selecting your new mag drill and cutter, so that you can make the right choice for your projects.
With a wide range of mag drills available, our supportive customer service team can provide extra guidance too, ensuring you have all you need to power your project effectively. Let’s cut to the chase, and start with those mag drill factors you should always consider before investing.
Mag Drill Key Considerations – Material, Purpose & More
There are lots of factors to consider when it comes to choosing your new mag drill. These key decisions include:
- Material: What are you drilling? What is the thickness / hardness of the material and where is it located? Is the material difficult to access (you may need a low-profile drill)? Can you take the mag drill to the material or do you need to take the material to the drill?
- Purpose: With the power tool, are you intending to expand a hole, align two holes or drill a completely new hole?
- Drill Bit: Is this made of material that will cut through the material, and how is it coated and tipped? You should also consider the big angle and length.
- Hole diameter required and depth of cut.
- Shank type.
- Drill bit type, which could include annular cutter, twist or step. For reference:
- Annular cutters use a hollow core bit to create holes in materials including steel and stainless steel.
- Twist drill bits are the most common type and are great for everyday drilling through metal, plastics and wood. They tend to have a cylindrical shank, but some will be modified to feature a ¼” hex shank.
- Step drill bits tend to be conical in shape, with a staircase profile starting from a narrow point leading to a large base. Their design allows for multiple sized holes and are great for cutting through soft or thin material.
If you’re looking for new drill bits, we have a range which includes raptor, TCT cutters and M42 rail cutters, as well as twist drills. Check out the full range here.
In terms of other mag drill considerations:
- Capacity: In general, larger capacity power tools make it easier to take the drill to the material, rather than trying to move large pieces to the drill bed. Larger machines with morse taper fittings will allow for a wider range of accessories to support this too. You can check out our range of power tool accessories here.
- Ease Of Use: Ensuring you can operate the power tool is a must, as otherwise, projects will be stalled as you scramble for a new machine. What’s more, understanding proper usage is key. For example, all of our Element mag drills are fitted with CutSmart technology, which indicates when the user is applying too much pressure, allowing them to ease up and work more appropriately. This ensures proper usage, and prolonged lifespan of the magnetic drill.
- Safety Features: Although using a mag drill for larger diameter holes is far safer than using a hand held drill, they still present safety risks and must be set up and operated properly. If required, and when necessary – secure the strap provided with the machine. Always fit the guard provided as this will help contain any swarf and also lessen the risk of coming into contact with the annular cutter. Please always read through the safety instructions for your mag drill, which can be found in the accompanying manual.
There’s clearly a lot to consider when it comes to choosing the perfect mag drill, and we here at Rotabroach know investing in a high powered tool can seem a daunting task. Especially when you have varied requirements, and two mag drills seem similar, knowing which one is the right one can be tough. That’s why we’re proud of the expertise and support of our team, who make it their mission to place your requirements at the core of the product they recommend. Two of our most popular mag drill ranges include the Commando and Element, details of which are to follow.
Choosing Between The Commando & Element Mag Drills
Whereas the Commando range is best-suited for on-site drilling and workshop projects, the Element range offers much in the way of great features. We outline these below, and can offer more assistance should you require it.
The Commando Mag Drill Range
The Rotabroach Commando 35:
- Cutter: 35mm
- Cutter Depth: 50mm
- Drill Chuck: 13mm
- Motor: 1050 W
- Weight: 12 KG
- Height: 435 mm
- Stroke: 105 mm
- Countersink: N/A
- Internal Cable: No
- Interchangeable Handle: No
- CutSmart: No
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: No
Click here to learn more about the Commando 35.
The Rotabroach Commando 40:
- Cutter: 40mm
- Cutter Depth: 50mm
- Drill Chuck: 13mm
- Motor: 1100 W
- Weight: 14 KG
- Height: 510mm
- Stroke: 85mm
- Countersink: 30mm
- Internal Cable: No
- Interchangeable Handle: No
- CutSmart: No
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: No
Click here to learn more about the Commando 40.
The Element Mag Drill Range
The Rotabroach Element 30:
- Cutter: 32mm
- Cutter Depth: 35mm
- Drill Chuck: 13mm
- Motor: 850 W
- Weight: 12 KG
- Height: 414mm
- Stroke: 65mm
- Countersink: N/A
- Internal Cable: Yes
- Interchangeable Handle: Yes
- CutSmart: Yes
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: No
Click here to learn more about the Element 30.
The Rotabroach Element 40:
- Cutter: 40mm
- Cutter Depth: 50mm
- Drill Chuck: 13mm
- Motor: 1200 W
- Weight: 13 KG
- Height: 514mm
- Stroke: 80mm
- Countersink: N/A
- Internal Cable: Yes
- Interchangeable Handle: Yes
- CutSmart: Yes
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: No
Click here to learn more about the Element 40.
The Rotabroach Element 50:
- Cutter: 50mm
- Cutter Depth: 50mm
- Drill Chuck: 13mm
- Motor: 1500 W
- Weight: 15 KG
- Height: 586mm
- Stroke: 140mm
- Countersink: 30mm
- Internal Cable: Yes
- Interchangeable Handle: Yes
- CutSmart: Yes
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: Yes
Click here to learn more about the Element 50.
The Rotabroach Element 50 Pivot Magnet:
- Cutter: 50mm
- Cutter Depth: 50mm
- Drill Chuck: 13mm
- Motor: 1500 W
- Weight: 18 KG
- Height: 4640mm
- Stroke: 150mm
- Countersink: 31mm
- Internal Cable: Yes
- Interchangeable Handle: Yes
- CutSmart: Yes
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: Yes
Click here to learn more about the Element 50 Pivot Magnet.
The Rotabroach Element 50 Low Profile:
- Cutter: 50mm
- Cutter Depth: 50mm
- Drill Chuck: N/A
- Motor: 1200 W
- Weight: 11 KG
- Height: 179mm
- Stroke: 62mm
- Countersink: 30mm (requires an extension arbor RD32059)
- Internal Cable: Yes
- Interchangeable Handle: Yes
- CutSmart: Yes
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: No
Click here to learn more about the Element 50 Low Profile.
The Rotabroach Element 75:
- Cutter: 75mm
- Cutter Depth: 75mm
- Drill Chuck: 13mm
- Motor: 1800 W
- Weight: 23 KG
- Height: 713mm
- Stroke: 185mm
- Countersink: 40mm
- Internal Cable: Yes
- Interchangeable Handle: Yes
- CutSmart: Yes
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: Yes
Click here to learn more about the Element 75.
The Rotabroach Element 100:
- Cutter: 100mm
- Cutter Depth: 100mm
- Drill Chuck: 13mm
- Motor: 2000 W
- Weight: 25 KG
- Height: 733mm
- Stroke: 200mm
- Countersink: 40mm
- Internal Cable: Yes
- Interchangeable Handle: Yes
- CutSmart: Yes
- Overload Protection: Yes
- Internal Cooling: Yes
- Tapping: Yes
Click here to learn more about the Element 100.
Along with our specialist range of mag drills – which include the Eagle, Raven and Gator – we have an extensive product portfolio from which you can choose. If you’re in the market for a new mag drill, then we encourage you to take note of the considerations featured within this guide, and speak to a power tool expert to find the ideal machine for your requirements. Our experts are always on hand to help, and would be happy to take you through the most suitable options. You can also find more information on CutSmart here, as well as how to use each of our mag drills here.