Drilling through Stainless Steel

[dcallagher]

My "day job" is in maintenance in a food grade production facility. I work with fabricating, welding, machining, repairing grades and thicknessess of stainless steel all day.

What most folks have said above I agree with completely. Here's my two cents.

#1 The most important thing is 6% or higher content cobalt steel alloy drill bit.

#2 Go slow. A variable speed hand drill is usually too fast. A drill press is preferable.

#3 Use cutting fluid.

#4 Use pressure. (again, drill press)

#5 Mark your drill point start on your material with a good center punch.

#6 Step up from a smaller bit to larger. (1/4" hole or larger, start with a smaller drill first).

#7 If drilling thin material back it up with something harder than plywood, like aluminum plate.

If you need to make larger (larger than 1/2") holes through thin material. Start with a 3/16" cobalt drill bit to make your starter hole then change out to a stepped drill bit. Don't use the thick backing piece for working with the step drill bit. Works real well for me.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/5YR46

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/2CJR6

[WilliamWood]

Thanks everyone for the advice and help.

The Major took care of me as far as the bit and now I'm going to make myself a holster for my Makarov .380. So I'm going to try it out and also a new design for the thumb break.

Well not a new design - just new for me but old for the Ross Company.

I'll post it when finished.

Thanks,

Art

Hi Art, Did you ever solve the problem of drilling the stainless steel? WilliamWood