Product Description
Milwaukee 7/16 in. x 18 in. Ship Auger Bit
Model Number: 48-13-5520
The Milwaukee 48-13-5520 is a 7/16 in. x 18 in. Ship Auger Bit designed for drilling deep, clean holes through framing lumber, joists, studs, plates, and nail-embedded wood in electrical rough-in, plumbing rough-in, and mechanical installation applications in wood-frame construction. The 7/16 in. diameter accommodates wire fishing, small NM cable bundles, flex conduit, and bolt holes in light framing applications where minimal material removal is important for maintaining the structural integrity of framing members. Milwaukee's through-center cutting design is the critical engineering advancement in this bit that differentiates it from conventional ship auger geometry — the through-center configuration routes the bit's structural core through the absolute center of the cutting tip rather than offsetting the tip from the shank centerline, which fundamentally changes how the bit responds when it contacts embedded nails, staples, and screws in remodel and retrofit drilling through existing wood framing. When the bit encounters an embedded fastener, the through-center geometry's more symmetric impact load distribution prevents the catastrophic asymmetric tip fracture that conventional off-center auger designs experience, extending bit life dramatically in the nail-embedded drilling conditions that are unavoidable in remodel electrical and plumbing work.
The 18 in. overall length is specifically required for applications where the drilling depth exceeds what shorter bits can reach — drilling through double top plates, multiple stacked framing members at floor intersections, deep timber sections in heavy wood construction, and through-penetrations from one floor level to another where the structural assembly thickness requires extended bit reach. Non-stick coated flutes along the full 18 in. body of the bit provide continuous chip ejection from the base of the hole throughout the drilling operation — the non-stick surface reduces chip adhesion in the flute channels, allowing the spiral flute geometry to efficiently transport wood chips upward and out of the hole even in the long, deep holes this bit is intended for. A self-feed screw at the center tip automatically advances the bit into the workpiece under rotational force alone, eliminating the need for sustained heavy manual drilling pressure that causes operator fatigue in the high-volume deep-hole drilling that characterizes electrical and plumbing rough-in work.
Milwaukee ship auger bits are available in sizes from 3/8 in. through 1-1/2 in. diameter in standard 6 in. and extended 18 in. lengths to provide a complete range of rough-in drilling options for any wire, conduit, or pipe diameter specification encountered in wood-frame construction.
Features
- Through-center cutting design for dramatically improved life in nail-embedded retrofit wood
- Non-stick coated flutes for continuous chip ejection throughout the full 18 in. drilling depth
- Self-feed screw eliminates manual drilling pressure for reduced operator fatigue
- 18 in. length for double top plates, deep timbers, and multi-member penetrations
- Available 3/8 in. through 1-1/2 in. in both 6 in. and 18 in. lengths
Specifications
- Diameter: 7/16 in.
- Length: 18 in.
- Available Diameters: 3/8 in. through 1-1/2 in.
- Available Lengths: 6 in. and 18 in.
Includes
- (1) Milwaukee 48-13-5520 7/16 in. x 18 in. Ship Auger Bit
