DeWalt 9/32" Pilot Point drill bit

Why a 9/32-inch bit still earns a spot in my kit

I don’t use 9/32-inch bits every day, but when I’m drilling clearance holes for 1/4-inch hardware, reaming slightly misaligned holes, or stepping up from a 1/4-inch pilot, this size matters. The 9/32-inch pilot‑point bit from DeWalt slots neatly into that role. After several weeks of use across wood, mild steel, and plastics, it proved to be a dependable, no‑nonsense option that favors accuracy and clean starts over flashy coatings or gimmicks.

Design and build

This is a high‑speed steel bit with a gold ferrous oxide finish. The defining feature is the pilot‑point tip: a small, centered point that engages first, followed by the cutting lips. That geometry keeps the bit from skating on flat surfaces, and it helps reduce the abrupt grab you sometimes get as a standard twist bit breaks through. The web is tapered to increase strength behind the cutting edge, which is helpful at this diameter—there’s enough cross‑section to take a bite, and a thicker core gives you a margin against torsional failure.

The shank is round and billed as “no‑spin.” In practice, it seated well in my cordless drill’s keyless chuck and in a 3‑jaw chuck on the drill press. I didn’t see any rotation in the jaws during normal drilling. If you regularly lean hard on big bits in high‑torque applications, flats or a hex shank do offer more bite, but for general shop work the round shank here felt secure.

One small but appreciated touch: the size marking is placed above the chucking area. After a few trips in and out of the chuck, the marking remained easy to read.

Setup and chucking

I ran this bit in a 12V and 20V cordless drill/driver and on a bench‑top drill press. It chucked true, with no visible wobble, and runout was low enough that I didn’t see any chatter rings in hole walls. For wood, I generally ran higher speeds on the drill press; for metal, I kept it moderate and used cutting fluid. The bit ejects chips cleanly, and the flutes are well polished.

Performance in wood

The pilot point is immediately useful in wood, especially on smooth cabinet ply or prefinished stock where a wandering bit is a headache. Starts were dead on my layout marks without a center punch. In softwood studs, the bit fed predictably and produced clean, round holes with minimal tear‑out. Through hardwood (white oak and maple face grain), the entry remains crisp; on exit, tear‑out is modest and easy to control with a backer board. Compared with a standard 118‑degree point, I saw fewer instances of the bit grabbing and pulling itself through in the last fraction of an inch.

If you need perfectly flat‑bottomed holes or zero breakout in veneered panels, a brad‑point still wins. But for general through‑drilling, especially at this size, the pilot point gives you a good mix of accuracy and speed.

Performance in metal

In mild steel up to 1/8 inch thick, the bit drilled cleanly with steady feed and cutting fluid. Starts were confident—no wandering on a flat, deburred surface—and the breakthrough was controlled, without the sudden “snatch” that can jam a standard twist bit. Holes measured very close to nominal: slightly over 9/32, which is what I expect from an HSS twist profile that’s sharp and on‑center.

In thicker stock, the bit still performs, but as with any HSS bit, you’ll want to moderate speed, use lubricant, and peck to clear chips. The tapered web helps resist flex and the associated chipping of the cutting edge. This is not a cobalt or carbide bit; for hardened steels or stainless, it’s not the right tool. For everyday mild steel and aluminum tasks, it’s effective and predictable.

Performance in plastics

Acrylic and polycarbonate can be fussy about heat and chip extraction. With light pressure and slower speeds, the bit produced clean holes with minimal melting or lifting at the edges. The pilot point helps prevent the bit from wandering and reduces the tendency to “catch” as the lips engage. I still recommend a sacrificial backer to support the exit side; with that in place, edge quality was good.

Hole quality and accuracy

• Start accuracy: Excellent. I could consistently hit center marks without center punching.
• Roundness: Good. Holes were round, and the bit tracked straight without walking or deflecting.
• Burrs: In thin sheet metal, exit burrs were mild and easy to deburr with a countersink or file.
• Size: Typically a hair over nominal, as expected for HSS bits. For close‑tolerance press fits, you’d step down to nominal and ream; for clearance holes on 1/4‑inch hardware, 9/32 is the target.

Durability and edge retention

After a mix of a couple dozen holes in mild steel and more in hardwood and softwood, the cutting edges remained sharp, and the bit continued to start cleanly. The gold ferrous oxide finish isn’t a hard PVD coating, but it does a decent job with corrosion resistance and helps identify wear. The tapered web seems to contribute to resilience; I had no issues with chipping or snapping.

As with any HSS bit, life depends heavily on proper speed, feed, and lubrication in metals. Run it too fast and dry in steel, and you’ll blue the edges like any other bit. Treated correctly, it holds up well for the material class it’s intended for.

Ergonomics and usability

The bit engages smoothly, and chip evacuation is solid—no clogging in the flutes during pecking cycles. The round shank makes it quick to reorient in the chuck when stepping up in a drilling sequence. It is not a quick‑change hex shank, so if you work primarily out of an impact driver with a 1/4‑inch collet, you’ll be swapping over to a drill or using a chuck adapter.

Limitations and nitpicks

• Not for hardened steel or aggressive stainless work. This is HSS with an oxide finish, not cobalt or carbide.
• The round shank, while secure in my chucks, doesn’t lock like a three‑flat or hex shank under extreme torque.
• Pilot points don’t self‑center in existing holes. If you’re trying to chase or slightly enlarge a hole, a standard split‑point often tracks better unless you pre‑spot.
• It’s a single size. If you’re building out a metalworking kit, a matched set may be a better value per bit.

None of these are dealbreakers; they’re just boundaries of where this bit makes the most sense.

Tips for best results

• Wood: Use a backer board to minimize exit tear‑out on veneered stock.
• Metal: Keep speeds moderate, use cutting fluid, and peck to clear chips—especially past 1/8 inch thickness.
• Plastic: Slow down, lighten feed pressure, and support the exit side to avoid chipping.
• Marking: The size is printed above the grip area—wipe the bit before chucking so you keep that marking readable.

Value and warranty

As a single, mid‑size HSS bit, it’s priced sensibly for a shop spare or a specific task. The 30‑day money‑back guarantee is a minimal safety net, but the real value is in the consistent start accuracy and predictable behavior across common materials. If you already like the pilot‑point style in smaller sizes, this 9/32‑inch bit is a natural extension.

Recommendation

I recommend this 9/32‑inch pilot‑point bit for general shop use when you want accurate on‑contact starts and clean, controlled breakthroughs in wood, plastics, and mild metals. It’s a straightforward, durable HSS option with a geometry that reduces wandering and lock‑up, and it holds its edge well when used with reasonable speeds and lubrication. If your work leans heavily on hardened materials or you need maximum torque resistance in the chuck, look to cobalt bits with three‑flat or hex shanks. For everything else—from 1/4‑inch hardware clearance holes to tidy through‑drilling in plywood and mild steel—this bit earns its place in the drill index.