I've been told it's difficult to drill S/S tubing on the swim ladder and pedestal guard. Is a special drill bit type and drill speed needed?
How to drill S/S pedestal guard?
- Thread starter chrisyse
- Start date
Cobalt bit, low speed, metal cutting oil, and take it easy. No different than regular steel, just heat up easily.
Size
What size hole will you be making and when drilling for wires I got
a colbolt drill going slow and than I got this this tool from Ace which
is a V pointed drilling tool that goes from say 1/4 to maybe 5/8 and comes in different type sizes and really cuts really good and saves buying different colbalt
drills.
Nick
What size hole will you be making and when drilling for wires I got
a colbolt drill going slow and than I got this this tool from Ace which
is a V pointed drilling tool that goes from say 1/4 to maybe 5/8 and comes in different type sizes and really cuts really good and saves buying different colbalt
drills.
Nick
the only thing a cobalt bit will do for you is, providing you dont break or burn the bit up, it will stay sharp longer than a regular bit. a quality HSS bit is fine for the type of stainless work that is usually required on any boat or boat project...
mills and repetitive hole drilling is different and may require a cobalt bit.
but still, with all that said, a set of cobalt bits are nice....
so even though stainless steel doesnt necessarily need a cobalt bit, a slow drill speed is absolutely mandatory, and a water soluble cutting oil helps keep it cool and lubricates the bit (water soluble because a water based oil/agent will carry heat away faster and better than a petroleum based oil), but even water is better than drilling dry... once you start the hole, dont stop, keep drilling so if there is any heat building up, you may be able to stay ahead of it with the cutting edge of the bit
when stainless steel is acutely heated quickly by a drill turning too fast, or by being worked with a hammer or bent back and forth, it will "work harden" the metal so that nothing will cut into it short of a grinder....
so, in short, if you try to drill too fast and without a cooling agent, the metal can become so hard that before you get all the way thru, your bit will burn and heat the metal so that another try at the hole is futile.
be careful when the bit breaks out the other side of the work that the bit does not actually break... this is the only time to lighten up on the pressure during the drilling process.
after a few messed up holes and quite a few bits, you will be an expert at drilling stainless...
mills and repetitive hole drilling is different and may require a cobalt bit.
but still, with all that said, a set of cobalt bits are nice....
so even though stainless steel doesnt necessarily need a cobalt bit, a slow drill speed is absolutely mandatory, and a water soluble cutting oil helps keep it cool and lubricates the bit (water soluble because a water based oil/agent will carry heat away faster and better than a petroleum based oil), but even water is better than drilling dry... once you start the hole, dont stop, keep drilling so if there is any heat building up, you may be able to stay ahead of it with the cutting edge of the bit
when stainless steel is acutely heated quickly by a drill turning too fast, or by being worked with a hammer or bent back and forth, it will "work harden" the metal so that nothing will cut into it short of a grinder....
so, in short, if you try to drill too fast and without a cooling agent, the metal can become so hard that before you get all the way thru, your bit will burn and heat the metal so that another try at the hole is futile.
be careful when the bit breaks out the other side of the work that the bit does not actually break... this is the only time to lighten up on the pressure during the drilling process.
after a few messed up holes and quite a few bits, you will be an expert at drilling stainless...
The trick to drilling stainless steel is to drill at a slow speed with firm steady pressure and keep a stream of water on the bit to keep it cool. I use a spray bottle set to stream and just squirt the water on as I drill. If you are drilling the pedestal guard you will want to use a center punch and maybe start with a smaller bit so it does not have a tendency to roll off the tube when starting. Good luck
Lots of good info already stated. Don't forget to center pop the starting point. A starting or centering bit can help but if you center punch, use loads of coolant and DO NOT use too high a RPM or too much pressure, you will be fine. Let the drill bit do its job. You will probably see long stringy chips, means you got your speed and feed correct. You'll do fine.
Several things come to mind. Put 5 wraps of painters tape around the tube. Mark the hole location, and when you drill, the tape will help hold the drill bit where you want it.
OR... Use a narrow file, or a files edge, to flatten part of the rail to a flat spot so the drill bit does not wander.
OR... Sailrite.com has a tool you are looking for on page 152, item #100967.
I agree with this post... depending on the size of bit and the size of center punch dimple you make, you can work harden the dimple you make just by the very act of center punching it.. and a small bit wont cut thru it....