Definition
A wood-cutting drill bit with a sharp central spur (the brad point) and two raised outer cutting spurs. The center point locates the bit precisely on the mark, while the outer spurs sever the wood fibers cleanly before the main flutes remove the waste, producing a clean-edged hole without wandering.
Plain English
A drill bit for wood that has a small sharp tip in the middle to keep it from slipping off the spot you want to drill, and two small points on the outside that cut a clean edge around the hole.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance or repair work involving wood parts, interior panels, or other soft materials where a clean, accurately placed hole is needed.
Derivation
‘Brad’ is an old English term for a small, thin nail with a slight head — essentially a sharp point. The bit is named for the small, brad-like point at its center that anchors the bit on the mark before cutting begins.
Why Pilots Care
Clean, accurately placed holes matter in wood aircraft structures. A drill that wanders or splinters the wood can weaken a spar or rib, so the right bit choice is part of doing an airworthy repair.
Intuition Check
Do not read “drill” here as the powered tool or as a practice exercise. A brad-point drill is the cutting bit itself.
Example Sentence 1
He used a brad-point drill to bore the bolt holes in the wing rib so the edges would stay clean and the bit wouldn’t skate off the layout mark.
Example Sentence 2
Avoiding a standard twist bit, the mechanic used the brad-point drill to prevent damage to the delicate composite surface.