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How to drill into Chromium/Nickel Stainless Steel?

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Gaston

12-03-2002 06:22:16




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It is an extremely tough metal. What type of
drill bit do I need. The hole needs to be around
5/32".

Thanks.




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cbh30

12-04-2002 22:12:04




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 Re: How to drill into Chromium/Nickel Stainless Steel? in reply to Gaston, 12-03-2002 06:22:16  
Use a new 5/32" HSS (high speed steel) USA made drill bit, in a drill press if possible, at 300 rpm or less. Make sure you center punch where you want the hole, and use plenty of good cutting fluid. Bear down hard from the very start, and don't let up until you are finished. If you are drilling several holes, a TiN (titanium nitride) coated drill bit will last longer.



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Skinner

12-03-2002 19:47:26




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 Re: How to drill into Chromium/Nickel Stainless Steel? in reply to Gaston, 12-03-2002 06:22:16  
If your a really good shot with a 30-30 that will knock out some holes in a hurry and you will never ruin a drill bit neither

I use carbide tip bits and turn them about 250-300 rpm and generally do it dry. Carbide bits are tough drilling by hand because you can chip them easily.

T-Bone had some good advice below as well.



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Nathan(GA)

12-03-2002 18:34:31




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 Re: How to drill into Chromium/Nickel Stainless Steel? in reply to Gaston, 12-03-2002 06:22:16  
I used to drill alot of stainless. Slower speed and cutting fluid worked good. Like Tom said use a sharp bit. And if the metal heats up and turns color, it's really hard. We punched all we could with a hydraulic punch press.



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T_Bone

12-03-2002 16:47:42




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 Re: How to drill into Chromium/Nickel Stainless Steel? in reply to Gaston, 12-03-2002 06:22:16  
Hi Gaston,

I don't dare count all the holes I've drilled on SS thru out my life but it was a bunch. SS is very rpm sensitive. Since SS drills fairly well on the drill press with rapid tap or a couple other lubes it was nautral to try this method in the field with a drill motor. We smoked thru bits right and left. Tried all types of bits too. We still used alot of bits with standard HS bits being the best.

Someone gave me a new Millwaukee 3/8" varible speed to use. I tried different speeds and could get the bits to last slightly longer but no cigar.

From some reason I decided to try bumping the trigger to really vary the rpm while drilling with holding firm pressure but not heavy pressure. That worked very well. So I tried it on a standard 3/8" drill motor and it also worked there.

Perfecting this method I found it was vary hard to describe but easy to show. Take the bit to about 500rpm (just guessing here) then let off the trigger until the bit just slows well, 100rpm?, then bump the trigger again. Keep doing this until the hole is drilled. No drill bit cutting fuild is needed and using HS drill bits, Dayton brand seamed to be the best.

Using this method, drilling 1/4" SS, I could get about 25 holes from each 1/8" to 1/4" bit. Anything larger requires a pilot hole.

T_Bone

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Tom

12-03-2002 14:46:21




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 Re: How to drill into Chromium/Nickel Stainless Steel? in reply to Gaston, 12-03-2002 06:22:16  
Keep the drill cutting. Stainless work hardens and you need to be below the hardened surface with the next cutting edge to come around, not skateing across it making it harder and dulling the bit more and more. Keep it cutting or sharpen it. The other guys gave you good advise too.



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kraig WY

12-03-2002 07:15:02




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 Re: How to drill into Chromium/Nickel Stainless Steel? in reply to Gaston, 12-03-2002 06:22:16  
Its more of cutting speed then type of drill. The cutting speed is RPM + 12 X Cutting speed (feet per min) devided by pi X diameter.

In your case it would be 12 X 20 /3.1416 X 5/32 = 488.92 RPM

The cutting speed or feet per min I got from the Machinery's Handbook for the hard Stainless.

Most people cut too fast. I would even cut this speed down and use a cutting fluid or carbide drill bits. Also with small drill bits its mandentory to center punch the hole.

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al

12-03-2002 09:42:06




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 Re: Re: How to drill into Chromium/Nickel Stainless Steel? in reply to kraig WY, 12-03-2002 07:15:02  
also pilot drill and grind the drill to a relitivly flat(11 deg) angle.
Al



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