DIYbanter - View Single Post - How do you drill through stainless steel at home?

Lloyd E. Sponenburgh[_3_]

fired this volley in news:58e9164b-472d-45ad-
:

Stainless steel drilling is testing

No it's not. It will work-harden if you dwell on the surface without
cutting, but with a sharp bit and continuous down-feed, it doesn't harden
and drills cleanly and pretty easily.

The number-one reason why stainless gives folks fits is because they
allow the bit to 'spin' on the surface without down-feed. If the drill
ever stops cutting, even for a few tens of revolutions, you're screwed.
If you must retract the bit to clear chips, you must do so _instantly_
from down-feed to retract, so the tip never dwells and slides on the cut
surface.

Of course you need a cutting coolant/lubricant... but why would one cut
without one?

None of that makes it "testing", it only requires the observation of a
few basic requisites for cutting most metals.

Lloyd