drilling 2mm thick SS sheet at awkward position (above head), tools or jig to help?

vas said:
you mean I can run this 3mm carbide bit at high rpm (via my dremmel fe) on ss without issues?
I was planning to go v.slow with the carbide bit as well!

V
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Yes, that's what I've done, it's a burr not a drill bit. It's smaller than 3mm.
I do have carbide drills too, which I use much slower.
My genuine Dremel is the Li-Ion one from maybe 9 years ago?
/www.eternaltools.com/blog/7-facts-about-tungsten-carbide-burs-and-how-to-use-them
What Speed or RPM should you use your Carbide Burrs?
The speed at which you use your carbide burr in your rotary tool or die grinder will depend on the material you're using it on and the contour being produced, but it's safe to say you do not need to exceed speeds of 35,000 RPM. The table below shows some approximate speeds.

Helpful note: If the burs are chipping easily this could be due to the speed being too slow. However, it's ideal to start the cutting slow, increasing the speed as you go along. High speeds will prevent clogging in the flutes of your burrs.



Diameter of BurrRPM
1.6mm or 1/16"25,000 - 35,000
2.35mm or 3/32"17,000 - 26,000
3mm or 1/8"17,000 - 26,000
6mm or 1/4"11,000 - 16,500
12mm or 1/2"8,000 - 12,000
16mm or 5/8"7,650 - 11,500
 
TernVI said:
Yes, that's what I've done, it's a burr not a drill bit. It's smaller than 3mm.
I do have carbide drills too, which I use much slower.
Click to expand...

OK, the one I bought today is actually a drill bit 3mm and rather short (around 60mm)
Well, it's identical in shape (and I think tip - didn't examine it closely with specs) to normal drill bits, so I'd call it a drill bit.
So guess I'll go slow. Crappy weather today, maybe tomorrow evening.

cheers

V.
 
me again!
had a chance to try my new 10euro carbide drill bit.
Company is maykestag product somewhere in there: VHM-Bohrer - Product range - Maykestag

Slightly mixed feelings tbh.
Well it almost cruised through the first hole, new start nothing before there.
Problem is that the seemingly "shavings" of the ss plate I was looking at when drilling, weren't exactly that, it was also the bloody drill disintegrating!
FFS, started with a circa 50mm long 3mm bit, now have a 40mm one with a shuttered tip...
Used a cordless drill, at rather low speed, VERY carefully.
Can someone suggest what I've done wrong?
I'm taking the leftovers back to the shop and will discuss it with them as well, but interested on anyone that has used such a thing on ss opinion!
Not going to get another one at another 10euro just to try unless I've done something horribly wrong.

any ideas on that?

V.
 
No idea about your carbide drill. I do quite a lot of small holes in SS and use a half decent HSS drill. Just make sure they are sharp, slow and lubed. Did a dozen yesterday in some 4mm rudder straps. No problems.
 
I find the double ender (think they are for riveters) drill bits to be superior. So suggest trying different makers. Can you set up some kind off leverage using four by twos?
 
Don't use carbide drills in a hand drill; they're very brittle and as you've found it doesn't take much to break them. Ordinary HSS from a good source is all that's needed(in the UK that's Presto, Dormer etc. No idea what is available where you are).
vic008 said:
I find the double ender (think they are for riveters) drill bits to be superior. So suggest trying different makers. Can you set up some kind off leverage using four by twos?
Click to expand...
Do you mean centre drills? They shouldn't be needed but if the OP is frustrated using ordinary twist drills then they may help.
dora2001000.jpg
 
thanks guys, managed to find a Lidl drill bit sharpener I bought a few years ago, will take it to the boat and take it easy with my cobalt drills (must have half a dozen by now!) and see where I get...
for the heck of it, I'll try sharpening the shuttered carbide one and run it fast on a dremel and see what happens!

cheers

V.
 
bit extreme isn't it? nail gun for 2mm ss standing in mid air with two solar panels 1X2m on its side standing on 4 60mm poles. I rather not destroy the superstructure!
 
vas said:
bit extreme isn't it? nail gun for 2mm ss standing in mid air with two solar panels 1X2m on its side standing on 4 60mm poles. I rather not destroy the superstructure!
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I'll stick with my original suggestion - glue. I think you're making life really hard for yourself.
Modern adhesives stick anything to anything nowadays and some you will never get off again. Just find the right one and use it to glue the battens on.
Princess use battens to fasten the headliners to. Or at least they did on mine a few years ago. The battens are fixed with adhesive.
I watched the keel removal on a boat a couple of years ago when all the keel bolts were removed the boat lifted and the keel didn't separate. Air saws and chisels were used and the keel didn't separate. In the end it did finally come apart but part of the grp hull came with the keel.
The structural grid in most production boats nowadays are bonded into the hull with these adhesives and they don't normally come lose.
I'm certain a headlining is within the capabilities of modern technology.
 
Do you know what, this might be a case where rather than save the pennies have someone who does this as a job do the work for you. I learnt my knowldege from a stainless steel fabricator who did this stuff day in day out, knew what worked and what technique to use. Inevitably he made it look easy. Your only probably is finding someone good, but they are around, ask about and you will find a true expert and at least estabish whether it can be done or not.
 
I followed a lot of threads like this and I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two types of people in the world. Those that can drill through stainless steel and those that can’t. And there is no crossover, if you can’t then no amount of instructions will work.
I am most firmly in the second camp. I can spend a full day trying to drill one hole. Now I don’t even bother. Stainless is remarkably easy to cut yet almost impossible to drill. So, for me, it’s easier to add than take off, so I prefer welding on a solution (although the idea of gluing or bonding is intriguing).
But I would like to add, if you’ve used a plasma cutter you will never go back.
 
Bouba said:
I followed a lot of threads like this and I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two types of people in the world. Those that can drill through stainless steel and those that can’t. And there is no crossover, if you can’t then no amount of instructions will work.
...
Click to expand...
I think the two types might be those who say it's easy, and those who've had a hard time working on stuff that someone else has already work hardened.
So much of what I do is modifying other people's stuff, or using metal from the scrap bin, it's a nice surprise to get a bit of stainless that is easy to drill.
 
closing thread:
bought yet another 3.5mm cobalt drill bit from another shop that I rarely buy kit from (only have 3 to choose from down here...) sailed through a dozen holes in 15mins...
Didn't have my good specs on the boat, I think the pointy bit was angled differently (shallower?) than the others, have to take them all (dozen or so 3-4mm bits) home and check them under strong light and try my Lidl sharpener on some of them!

cheers

V.
 
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