"MatGyver" wrote in message
om...
This is probably a very simple question to answer, but any help would
be appreciated.

My wife and are doing a few DIY artsy fartsy projects, and I need to
drill some small holes (about 1/4 of an inch) in some steel plumbing
pipe we bought at lowes. I haven't measured, but I'm guessing the pipe
is no more than and 1/8 of an inch thick, probably not even that
thick.

What kind of drill bit would I need to use. All I have are standard
wood bits that I imagine will probably break if I try to use them.

Thanks in advance!

Use what is considered to be a standard jobbers length twist drill, made of
high speed steel. They are usually marked HSS. Speed can kill the drill, so
run it at a modest speed. For a ¼" drill you should be fine at about 1,000
RPM. Standard steel pipe is only mild steel, but the radius of the pipe
makes it difficult to start the hole where you want it. If you have the
luxury of a drill press, use it. If you must drill by hand, make a
generous center pop to help you start the hole. Drilling a smaller hole
first often helps, so consider drilling first with a 1/8" drill. It's easy
to open up the hole once you have it established.

Don't use your wood type drills on steel unless they are a standard twist
drill. While many of the drills made for wood are made of HSS, their
geometry does not lend them to drilling in steel the way a twist drill does.

Hope this helps.

Harold

If you are talking about drilling into the side of a long piece of pipe,
it
is probably easier to use a pistol drill. Using a variable speed
drillmotor, it is possible to start the hole without center punching, by
placing the tip of the drill against the pipe, and then bringing the speed
up gradually.


Don't forget that the drill will snag as you break through. This is
inevitable when drilling into pipe as the drill breaks through at different
time around the circumference of the hole due to the curvature of the pipe
wall. The closer the pipe bore to the hole size, the worse the problem. If
you're using a pistol drill, be ready for the kick.

John

Others have mentioned HSS drill bits - basically the standard twist drill
bits that you find everywhere that make a hole bottom that is tapered.
IN addition, get a punch so you can make a dimple in the pipe where you want
to do the drilling. This will keep the drill from wandering about before it
starts digging in. A drill press, if you don't have one, will be a welcome
addition for this drilling as metal wants a lot more pressure on the drill
bit than wood does. You want to make the metal come out of the hole as two
long strings if you keep pressing all the way through. In addition, keep a
pot of oil (anything cheap including the scrap oil out of your car's engine)
at hand with a acid brush in it so that you can dab some on the metal to
help the drilling.

--
There are more Democrats on the Calif. Special Election than Republicans!
Go count if you don't believe me!
Bob May

Thanks everyone for your help!