How do you drill through stainless steel at home?

you probably want a cobalt drill bit.

Ding it with a punch to get started, else you'll just skip around on that convex surface. Use the right cutting fluid and a slow-ish drill speed.

I didn't get any further than the punch mark with the titanium coated drill bit, even after 10 minutes of trying:

I'm certainly not an expert. Looks like you're using a drill press, and small vise, which is good. I wonder, if you rough up the area with a corner of a bench grinder wheel, that might help. Might not.

You might have better luck with a clamp, or some heat shrink tubing to attach the loop.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

From my guardrail experience, I had bought titanium coated drill bits.

So I thought it would be easy to drill a hole in a stainless steel can opener (for hanging on a loop outside by the BBQ cooler).

Nope!

I can't make a dent!

What's the trick to drilling through stainless steel?

Indeed. If there was some other way to hang it by the tail, I would.

Aren't you worried about voiding the warranty?

I'd love to see what's left of that drill bit.

You might be able to make a loop shaped like a U. Make the long part of the U, a couple inches long. Slip that over the shaft, and heat shrink tubing over the U and the shaft. The Home Depot near me has heat shrink tubing in the electrical section near wire nuts. Harbor Freight has it, in the box parts section, along with screws, cotter pins, and such.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

Indeed. If there was some other way to hang it by the tail, I would.

Wonder if a welding shop can weld it? Probably for more than the item costs.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

Indeed. If there was some other way to hang it by the tail, I would.

I had to drill some stainless steel so I purchased a small set of Cobalt Silver & Deming Drill Bits and used Tap Magic cutting fluid. I've had to drill all sorts of stainless steel when servicing restaurant equipment. ^_^

TDD

"Danny D."

Maybe file a flat instead, then fit the drill bit way up in the chuck and try again.

Slowly and with some oil.

... Phil

Rich Webb Inscribed thus:

And a carbide drill ! You can buy ones specifically ground for stainless and other hard to machine materials.

"Danny D." wrote in news:khb1qo$tao$4 @news.albasani.net:

Industrial quality drill. The consumer ones are all a piece of sh*t.

Good point there. I too often myself default to chucking the bit at the end of the flutes rather than down towards the work.

Machinery's Handbook recommends "Stainless Steel: ... Broaching, threading, drilling, and reaming produce best results using a sulfochlorinated mineral-fatty oil" which, unfortunately, exceeds my knowledge of the subject.

Titanium is nice, but it's the steel under it that makes the difference. Use cheaper cobalt drill bits instead. Be prepared to re-sharpen the drill quite often. You can also use a carbide tip bit, which is even harder than cobalt steel. A concrete drill with carbide inserts might work if you keep it cool. Unless you're really careful, and have the parts bolted down very well, the slightest bit of side play will break the carbide drill.

Feeds and speeds:

It's probably work hardened stainless 300 series stainless. Find a magnet and see if it's magnetic. If it's been work hardened, it will be slightly magnetic. If not, it will be non-magnetic. If it's very magnetic, it will be 400 series stainless (contains no nickel).

The last time I had to drill through work hardened stainless, I destroyed two small drills getting a start. So, I took a piece of hard steel drill rod, with a squared off end, dumped some carborundum abrasive compound into the hole, and intermittently ground my way through the hardened stainless. You can go through glass with that technique. I don't recommend doing this as it took forever and I had to grind flat and reharden the drill rod every time it got hot, but eventually, I had a hole.

Ummm... this doesn't really belong in sci.electronics.repair.

Greetings Danny, For the best outcome you need to use the best drill bits available to you, cutting oil, low RPM, and high pressure. If you can get cobalt drills then get them. I noticed that my local hardware store is now selling split point drills. If your store carries these then use one. They also probably sell "Threading Oil". Get a small can of that. If the store cuts to length and threads pipe then maybe you can talk them out of a couple ounces of the oil they use in their threading machine. Get the dark threading/cutting oil. It will have sulfur in it which is a good high pressure additive. Don't make the mistake of using motor oil. A good cutting speed for a 1/8 drill is about 700 RPM. Keep the pressure on the drill so that it is constantly making a chip. If the drill stops cutting the SS will work harden which just makes it that much harder to drill. When you feel the drill start to break out of the back side of the part ease up on the pressure so that the drill bit doesn't break. It would be good if you can back up the part with a piece of mild steel or aluminum. This will help by keeping the drill bit from feeding too fast and breaking when it exits the back side of the work. Eric

news:rec.crafts.metalworking would be a better place to ask. (Added)

A lotta bad advice from this group. You shoulda asked a metal working group.

As an ex machinist, here's the drill (sorry-couldn't resist):

You need a HSS drill bit (high speed steel). If you can't see the letters HSS somewhere on that drill, it's not and yer wasting your money. Make sure the drill bit is sharp! Brand new is even better.

You need a cutting fluid. A specialized cutting fluid is best, but clean motor oil will do, like the kind you put in yer car or lawmower. Have a squirt bottle or oil can full on hand and keep that drill bit WET! The cutting fluid is as much about keeping the drill bit cool as it is in aiding cutting action.

Use the proper drill motor "speeds" (RPM) and "feeds" for the material and drill size. Generally, the smaller the hole diameter and drill size, the higher the drilling speed (RPMs).

Drilling "feed" is how fast the drill bit is plunged or pushed into the work. Some drill presses have an automatic feed which you can set, but usually it's jes experience and judgement that dictates how hard to feed. I see you have a drill press. This is GOOD!, as stainless steel (SS) is difficult to drill with a hand drill motor. The trick to drilling SS is to keep the feed pressure firm and constant. Once you start the hole, do not reduce pressure or "get a better grip" on the drill press handles while the bit is still spinning in the hole. Back it out and start again. Once in, constant presssure. You may see some smoke from the fluid. That's can be a good sign and an indiction to add more fluid. You should see chips ejected out of the hole. Smoke and no chips means you are not cutting, but "work hardening". Keep adding fluid to the hole/drill while cutting to keep it cool and the chips ejecting. Add fluid with left hand while right hand works the drill press handle. Light colored chips (yel, org, red) are good. Shows good pressure. VERY DARK blue or purple chips means you are pushing too hard (feed too fast) and you will prematurely dull your drill bit.

If you see no chips ejecting from the hole, you are not cutting and are now "work hardening" the SS. Bad mojo! If SS work hardens, yer screwed. It becomes almost impossible do go past that point. You will hafta buy a carbide drill. Not titanium coated or any of that crap. Go straight to carbide. If you hafta go to carbide, NEVER stop the drill motor with drill in the hole or while drilling/cutting. It will break that carbide bit instantly, gar-own-tee!

And yes!! DO use a center punch to make a starting point. It will NOT work harden the SS. Work hardening is caused by the heat generated from the drill friction. That's why you don't want yer drill getting hot. Keep that sucker douched! ;)

nb

" one big boob"

Work hardening = hardening by "cold working".

Something most of the stainless steels are FAMOUS for.

Wanker.

... Phil