On Thu, 03 Feb 2011 03:39:49 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 2/2/2011 8:52 AM, mm wrote:
Is it harder to drill holes in metal when the metal is cold?

For some reason I think so.

I have a few holes to drill in 1/8 or 3/64" steel, outside, and it's
about 30 degrees most days lately. They are going to be awkward to
drill in the first place, so I don't want it to be harder to do, and I
can delay it to 70 degree weather.

That's no big deal but now it's more important to me as an academic
question.

I've noticed that I have more bits shatter in cold weather. I have
very few drill bits break in warmer weather. If I'm doing serious
drilling in any metal other than sheet metal, I use a lubricant
called Tap Magic. It's for drilling and thread cutting.

Thanks. I'll keep my eyes open for that, and bring some kind of lub
with me for this.

I don't have an enormous number of bits, certainly not in the right
size, so I'll take them all with me. This weekend it's supposed to be
in the 40's and he'll probably be there**, but I just learned I need
to buy one more part, maybe today if I find it.

**Not only that, I stopped by to check on the work to be done and
indeed he does have an outdoor outlet, just 10 feet away. Maybe it's
not connected at the moment, but even if it is, I don't know how to
use it after he told me he didn't have one. I vaguely think he'd
resent it. And I don't know how to tell him he has one. Same reason.


TDD