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Looks like I will be making holes in stainless...

71PA_Highboy

An Unknown but Engorged Member
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So my job is changing... Not sure what that really means other than I will be drilling holes in stainless.

Food manufacturing, 1/8 - 3/8 mostly.

Prefer hex shank.

Company pays for the bits.

What are some of the best bits out there for this?
 
I have best luck with drills made of cobalt. They are still consumables.
 
Punching would be best.:lmao:

Otherwise a good American made 135 degree split point with your coating of choice, we usually run the black oxide or black and gold whatever that is. I'd calculate the speed for your common sizes which is probably just as important as the bit itself.
 
Thickness? Center drills to start and a little trigger control will help. Just go slow.
 
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MigGunslinger said:
Punching would be best.:lmao:

Otherwise a good American made 135 degree split point with your coating of choice, we usually run the black oxide or black and gold whatever that is. I'd calculate the speed for your common sizes which is probably just as important as the bit itself.
Click to expand...

This and use Boelube

boelube.com

High Performance Lubricant Paste – Blue 12 oz (70307-12)

Boelube machining lubricant is a dermal non-irritant, biodegradable synthetic lubricant for minimum quantity lubrication (MQL)application. Easy to use, powerful and effective. Swap out your petroleum-based lubricant for our multi-purpose paste. Boelube is manufactured from personal care...
boelube.com
 
Carbide drill bits.

Center drills also are very helpful.

Depending upon grade of stainless, 303 is easier to drill than 304, 316, 347 etc.

Usually better to be drilling holes in a milling machine or drill press than by hand, less chance of screw ups.
 
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71PA_Highboy said:
So my job is changing... Not sure what that really means other than I will be drilling holes in stainless.

Food manufacturing, 1/8 - 3/8 mostly.

Prefer hex shank.

Company pays for the bits.

What are some of the best bits out there for this?
Click to expand...
I always get stainless steel bits from mcmaster. Low rpm with lube. The harder stainless i refuse to hand drill.
 
my company designs and builds stainless steel swimming pools and aquatic equipment. Most is T316L and T304L. Occassionaly we will get into some 2205, but not very often.

We only buy the Black and Gold drills from Fastenal and Zoro

Fastenal 345872 is a #7 drill bit for a 1/4-20 tap
Fastenal 55080 is a 1/4-20 tap

you can search these part number families for different sizes

here is a link to a 1/4" drill bit on Zoro Westward 1/4" HSS Black/Gold 135 Deg. Jobber Length Drill Bit 5UDD9 | Zoro

for lube, we just use Tap Magic EP-Xtra which seems to be their standard product.
 
Vague post is vague :flipoff2:

Drilling using what? Milling machine? Hobo Fright corded drill? Bit and brace?

If its a rigid enough setup, carbide all day. If you're production drilling holes with a M18 drill, you'll break the carbide but that's still likely the least of your worries :flipoff2:
 
jeepnmatt said:
my company designs and builds stainless steel swimming pools and aquatic equipment. Most is T316L and T304L. Occassionaly we will get into some 2205, but not very often.

We only buy the Black and Gold drills from Fastenal and Zoro

Fastenal 345872 is a #7 drill bit for a 1/4-20 tap
Fastenal 55080 is a 1/4-20 tap

you can search these part number families for different sizes

here is a link to a 1/4" drill bit on Zoro Westward 1/4" HSS Black/Gold 135 Deg. Jobber Length Drill Bit 5UDD9 | Zoro

for lube, we just use Tap Magic EP-Xtra which seems to be their standard product.
Click to expand...

Stainless swimming pools?

I have to ask, why?
 
MigGunslinger said:
I went searching and I'd say "because rich people":eek:

It would also be much lighter and self supporting than putting a concrete or fiberglass structure on say a rooftop.

It's always neat to see how "fuck you money" is spent.
Click to expand...
exactly. our pool structure weighs 90% less than a concrete pool structure. if the volume is the same so the water-weight is the same, we are about half the overall weight. thats a big difference for elevated pool construction. We can also build the pool in days compared to months to build a concrete pool. in the overall budget, schedule, and scope of a project, the cost is roughly the same and we are faster.

A majority of our work is commerical, public, municipal, private development. very little is residential, but we do a few a year.
 
so if they are inground has there been issues with them popping up or is the water enough to keep them down?




For a very brief period i installed shitty half inground pools.
Galv panel kit for the walls, pourded bottom and footing behind the wall. But they were cheap garbage and in the midwest so it was the perfect combo for a customer.
 
Pretty much any quality bit from mcmaster will do. Tin coated will last a little longer. For what your working with, proper speeds and feeds are most important as is stepping up correctly. I usually start with a 1/8" for everything and follow up with the finished size if hand drilling. Stainless loves slow speed and real heavy feed. Like driving a 1/2" drill in low gear with your full weight into it.
 
1/8-3/8" material thickness? 303, 304, 316? I honestly use step bits anywhere I can. I do tend to chip the tips, but I get a 12 pack of 3/16" bits from my local bolt and screw and use that as a starter hole for all my holes, and, if you're not stupid, they'll drill hundreds of holes without issue. I use an acid brush and a no spill container (Spillmaster) so I'm not making an ungodly mess on everything, just enough for what's needed. You also didn't say if it will be hand drilled, but this is what I use for that. On a machine, coated drill bits would be fine, just keep the sharp that they cut. If you force it, you'll be shooting yourself in the foot.
 
71PA_Highboy said:
So my job is changing... Not sure what that really means other than I will be drilling holes in stainless.

Food manufacturing, 1/8 - 3/8 mostly.

Prefer hex shank.

Company pays for the bits.

What are some of the best bits out there for this?
Click to expand...
Really depends on the method you’re using to machine the material and its grade. Sheet , plate , angle, tube, round bar and are you using a machining center or a hand drill? The more rigid the cutting method the harder and more wear resistant the cutter can be , a carbide drill bit in a hand drill is a waste of time. Something else that will help is a water based lubricant that can be run diluted through a kool-mister unit..this will make cutting tools last much longer than just straight cutting oil. They also sell food grade lubricants that can run through an air mister and will keep the cutter damn near cold to the touch and last much longer. Stainless is very easily work hardened so anytime you’re not making chips stop immediately and sharpen or replace the cutter.
 
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