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Registered Member #1157
Joined: Thu Dec 06 2007, 12:11PM
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 307
Okay, I dunno if this is pseudoscience or not, but my neighbor has enlisted my help in making a Smackbooster. It is basicly an electrolyzer that feeds the hydrogen/oxygen mixture straight into the manifold to supposedly increase gas mileage.
However that is only the back story, what I was really getting at was the bits used to drill through stainless steel. He has a cobalt bit that he has been using to crappy result and came over to see if it being in my drill press would make it go smoother. I set the press to the lowest speed level, threw his cobalt bit in there and the bit has the hardest time cutting through the SS. The thing got red hot before I decided enough was enough. I pulled out my titanium bits and set them on the plate and it cut through like a hot knife through jello.
The guy at the hardware shop told my neighbor that cobalt was the way to go, and that titanium was crap.
Was it just that dude dulled the hell out of his bit with his high speed hand drill, or is my titanium bit a better pick?
Registered Member #190
Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
Location:
Posts: 1567
I've drilled lots of steel and I always use cobalt bits. Your bit is dull. Get either new bits or a sharpening tool from Home Depot. It doesn't hurt to add a few drops of oil as you are drilling to keep the bit cooler.
Registered Member #1408
Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679
Cobalt bits! I've been working with steel for wee bit. That's what I use and buy. IF you have serious money there are alternative but the best buy for the money is cobalt bit: seriously.
Titanium coated bits are just that coated with a damn thin layer. SOME of them are passable.......only if you get them for free would I keep them
There ARE some older seriously high quality carbon steel bits that will function but that slow speed fine high precision stuff.
Registered Member #1083
Joined: Mon Oct 29 2007, 06:16PM
Location: Upland, California
Posts: 256
I personally like ordinary high speed steel drill bits, because I can sharpen them as I like with whatever rake angles I need. If you have a lot of money and can find them, solid tungsten carbide drill bits are close in hardness to diamond. Of course that means they're extra brittle...
Registered Member #15
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068
The problem isn't the bit, its your method.
You need to use oil as a lubricant when drilling stainless steel. And use it liberally.
Its not the bits, its the lack of lubricant. Your basically destroying your bits the instant you use them which is why it isn't cutting properly.
Also, check your drilling speed. Sounds like your drilling way too fast. If you get a continuous flowing chip from your drill, then you know you're going the right speed.
Registered Member #135
Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735
Funny thing about Stainless that you should know, It WORK HARDENS. This means as you cut the metal gets harder, neat huh. So yea you need to use a good quality drill bit with a lot of cooling oil or you're just going to go to red hot.
"Titanium bits" just have a coating of titanium nitride, sort of a lubricant.
Personally I wouldn't buy a drill bit from a hardware store ever, its just garbage, ask a machinist and they'll just laugh.
I'd go to McMaster or Grainger and order the size drills you need from Cleveland Twist Drill, they are machinist quality.
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Drilling Stainless steel. . .
