Bit to use on landscaping timbers? 30 1/2" holes.

Three-flute bits, absolutely.

I do low voltage electrical work (Audio/Video, Home Theater, phone & network cabling) and used paddle bits for a long time, but they bend or break when they find a screw, go dull quickly, etc- I started using the Irwin three flute bits in about 2005 and haven't bought a paddle bit since. These also fit any 1/4" extension, so extremely deep boring is possible, but make sure the extension doesn't allow the bit to wobble. For that matter, if you need very long reach to drill a hole, a second extension can be used but I wouldn't do this without the type that doesn't require releasing the bit to remove it. Irwin makes those, too.

shoot summ said:

That is how I discovered them, doing some electrical at the house, suffering through trying to bore through a top plate with a paddle bit. Bought the 3/4" and it was amazing, those bits get busy. I still have a bunch of paddle bits in an organizer, but absolutely never have a reason to use them. Reminds me, I should send them off to Habitat restore...

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The final straw for me was when I drilled up through the plate of a wall in order to feed some bundled cable into the stud space and as I drilled, I heard a 'plink' as the shank quickly moved forward. That would have been OK, normally, but I hadn't finished drilling through- it broke of, cleanly- this had been removed from the package less than ten minutes before and it was the first time I used it. No nails, screws or other metal in the area, either.