On Mar 8, 3:30*am, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:
"Danny D." wrote:

What's the trick to drilling a hole through 1/2" thick stainless steel?

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!
*http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12362068.jpg

What's the trick to drilling through stainless steel?

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

You should have sharp drills with more relief that normal. But you
can do it with regular drills. Stainless steel work hardens so you
need to be cutting and not rubbing. You probably do not have enough
horse power to use a half inch drill with no pilot hole. So start by
drilling a hole about an eighth of an inch in dia. Be fairly
agressive and use some oil. Any oil is better than none, but oil made
for cutting stainless is of course best. You probably will not drill
all the way thru without stopping. So when you stop retract the
drill quickly. Again stainless work hardens . You want to be cutting
or not cutting. No halfway .

After you have drilled all the way thru with the 1/8 inch drill, move
up to something bigger. Maybe a 1/4 inch drill. Followed by maybe
3/8 drill and finally with your 1/2 inch drill. Again be aggressive.
Stainless work hardens.

This advice assumes you are using a drill press. RPM needs to be
about 60 sfm. So slower RPM with the bigger drills. If you are using
a hard drill, good luck.


Dan