How do I drill a small hole in stainless?
 

I melted my drill bits today whilst trying to make a hole in stainless steel. :freak3:

What drill bit do I need chaps?

Cheers.

HSS and lube the area by spray something like WD40

There are different grades of S/S but a set of Titanium Tipped drill bits should see you ok, try screw fix as there is a set for around 20 quid.
Some cutting compound sprayed onto the bit and hole may also help keep the temperate down too.

Erbauer HSS Titanium Drill Bit Set 25 Pc - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys

Yep did that, the bits just got red hot and melted at the cutting face. It's 3mm steel plate. Perhaps my bits weren't HSS. I'll give it another go with some new bits.

Cheers.

I'll try those. Cheers matey.

You don't need fancy coated drills .Just a sharp drill and less speed ie with the trigger or varible speed drill and a bit of cutting oil .Don't push to hard

Drill bits are made by Dormer, but lots of companies make things that look like, and sometimes work like them, cheap drills from machine mart, screwfix or whatever need not apply.

Stainless requires high feed (so push hard) and low speed, most cordless drills should be fine. Decent cutting lube helps, but you need to avoid work hardening the area at all costs.

Yeah I went at it at full speed so no wonder the bit melted. I'll try again. Thanks Guys.

Do a pilot hole first then the size your after next makes it easier

To drill stainless you really need a cobalt drill bit, i use dewalt xtreme bits to good use, they have a nice tip which really helps making pilot holes.

All matching items for sale.

Correct. Start off with a sharp 2mm bit that isn't some cheap crap made of plasticene and then go up to 5mm say. And so on.
Kevin

HSS drills work fine, but many HSS drills you buy on the high street are garbage (although Wurth drills are also poor despite their cost). Cobalt drills DO work well, but can be prone to snapping as they are more brittle than HSS equivalents. We've managed to cut and work stainless for many years without cobalt drills and tipped tools!

Paul @ Zen is spot on.

Slow speed, high feed, nice sharp qualitydrill bit from a proper company like Dormer or Titex, Pilot hole helps.

use a bit of WD40 or even better a proper cutting agent like Breakfree. You don't need fancy Cobalt or carbide drill bits - they are expensive and a bit brittle if you are using them in a hand drill.

be careful when you break through the other side, as stainless is very 'grabby'.

Stainless drilling
 

Slow speed is a must and a steady hand, even pressure and Rocol cutting foam, not WD40 as someone recommended, its a lubricant not a cutting compound. Any good quality HSS drill will tackle stainless if you follow my advice.

Fond memories of drilling for 1.5hrs trying to get a hole for the bung in my tailpipe. Wasted 5 bits too. :brickwall

No pilot hole needed, especially on a small hole, once the drill starts cutting keep going, not too hard and slow spindle speed. Ordinary HSS drill will be fine.

Got loads if you need any more :)

a bit late on this thread but the best way to drill stainless is to "blip" the drill trigger and apply pressure at the same rate of "blipping" only thing about the drill bit is that it needs to be sharp and apply plenty of cutting fluid.