"Dave in MD" wrote in message ...
I'd like to drill a 1 5/16" (1.3125 inch) hole in a 1 inch thick mild steel
bar. I only have a drill press in my shop. Is there a way to drill a hole
this big in a home shop, without a milling machine?

It has been suggested I try a HSS hole saw at low RPM (less than 400) with
plenty of cutting fluid.

It doesn't have to be pretty, and the jig I'm making doesn't require super
high precision.

Thanks,
Dave

If you only have one or 2 holes and you have lots of patience, the
hole saw will work. You'll need a very slow spindle speed (50 rpm?). A
helpful trick that I would suggest using is to drill a 1/4" hole
through the plate right on the edge of the hole saw's path, so the
chips and oil will drain out of the groove made by the saw teeth and
allow fresh oil to enter the cut. Use dark cutting oil, not fluids
like tapmagic whivh will evaporate from the heat.