Drilling through SS?

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Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
No one has mentioned this, but it's pretty easy to resharpen a drill bit, or even "flatten the angle"!
With a little practice you can get the clearance angles pretty good - any machine data reference will show the correct clearance angles - just guess them as close as you can and you can reuse the bit.
It's a bit of a dying art; I was taught during my apprenticeship; saves a lot of drill bits being thrown away or having to go down to the hardware store every time you break a drill bit.

sam :)


Yep I sharpen mine by hand and eye, about anything 1/4 and up. If you drill in steps it isn't near as critical if you get the angles and such right either. The main area I find I need to watch is making sure I have a relief back off of the cutting edge.

Don't throw those bits away, reuse them, it isn't the black magic you think it is :) ,


Sum

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Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,808
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
Druid,

Did you manage a hole? If you got a small one through you could use a grinding wheel in a Dremel Tool to size it. Tubing is near impossible with a hand drill. You need a vice and a drill press.
 

druid

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Apr 22, 2009
837
Ontario 32 Pender Harbour
Druid,

Did you manage a hole? If you got a small one through you could use a grinding wheel in a Dremel Tool to size it. Tubing is near impossible with a hand drill. You need a vice and a drill press.
Yes, bit #3, bought at KMS tools, got right through. Unfortunately all that drilling widened the existing hole through the shaft so the lever is a bit loose, but it works fine now.

Thanks for all the help!
druid
 
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