Drilling stainless bar

[MystyBlue2]

Anyhow, To the Op,

It very much can be done 100%

As stainless is expensive and solid especially, I can understand if your nervous incase you ruin it. BUT

Dont be put off. This is not rocket science. It is literally 2x 4mm holes.

Take your time, use plenty of lube, say every 5 seconds of drilling and re oil the bit and the steel and restart. Use a very slow drill speed and use sharp bit fit for purpose. The trick is to keep the speed of the drill to a absolute minimum as if you heat it up too much it will "harden" the steel and blunt your bits.

If you decide to take it to a company then fair play but you CAN do this yourself. If you choose to do it yourself send me a PM and il help as much as i can.

 

[Gary Fox]

I feel a man under pressure

I have a long history of starting things , that in the end , either have to buy a proper tool
or get a professional in.

As I'm British, I feel like I ought to give it a go with an electric hand drill.?

Unfortunately, if I fail, I let down the nice folks who have replied and offered the help and advice. Ditto nice folks with alternative suggestions. I think we can at least rule out lasers,
not because they wouldn't work but I would be terrified trying to use one.

The application is fairly straight forward . I have a lifting keel that weighs 1.1 tons. It's
hydraulic, and requires 75 hand pumps with a two foot bar to lift it right up. It's 5'6" down
and 2'6" up. After sailing, I like to lift it so that I can get off my pontoon berth early as it dries on springs. The rudder is lifted by a block and tackle.

I have a bar that goes through the keel box and keel which holds it in place as the hydraulic
pump seems to lose pressure over time. The bar also can be used to hold the keel down in the event of an inversion.

At the moment, I have a threaded round bar 20mm galvanised rod. I use nuts at each end
just hand tight . It looks rubbish because it goes rusty and looks naff. I have purchased a 304 stainless, 20mm by 300mm long round bar which loo0ks fantastic and only cost about £8
from ebay delivered. I love stainless and it looks and handles great.

My plan was just a hole at each end, to either use split pins or R clips that would hold it in place and are easily removed.

Anything a lot easier than drilling holes or tapping a thread would be most welcome.

Thanks Chaps !

Just use stainless nuts.

 

[rogerthebodger]

If the bar can be fitted from one side you could weld a washer on to one end and the drill 1 hole in the other just to retain it in position.

A piece if 20 mm tube of 15 mm stainless steel gas tube would also do the job with less drilling

 

[MystyBlue2]

If the bar can be fitted from one side you could weld a washer on to one end and the drill 1 hole in the other just to retain it in position.

A piece if 20 mm tube of 15 mm stainless steel gas tube would also do the job with less drilling

WHAT? If the op has no confidence in drilling what makes you think he has the confidence to pull out his TIG welder?

Be like getting a learner driver to take part in a F1 race.

Is this not contradictory?

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Just use stainless nuts.

Its the threaded part that goes rusty Gary. For some reason the nuts are ok.

I thought of tapping a thread in the stainless and buying stainless nuts but I would
have to buy tools and the stainless being quite hard to work.

 

[Gary Fox]

Its the threaded part that goes rusty Gary. For some reason the nuts are ok.

I thought of tapping a thread in the stainless and buying stainless nuts but I would
have to buy tools and the stainless being quite hard to work.

Oh I see it's just plain round bar, I mistakenly took it as being threaded.
A mole wrench on each end would work temporarily.
If you have an angle grinder and a slitting disc, you could cut half way through and use R clips and washers, it would look neat and avoid drilling. R-clips can be moused if you wish, for peace of mind.

 

[MystyBlue2]

Like i stated in post #51, drilling 20mm solid round and use of R clips can be done easily if you choose to go the drilling route. If it where more than say 10 holes i would maybe think of a different approach but for the sake of 2 holes, i would prefer to drill. Its less time, Money, and hassle in the long run.

But its totally your choice and apparently ive been doing my job wrong for the past 14years so what do i know.

 

[Bouba]

If the threaded bar and nuts are both stainless they could cold weld as you tighten them the first time. This is a bad thing, as the weld will happen exactly where you don’t want it to and will be close to impossible to remove. It’s called galling, look it up.
So make sure you use a lubricant when using a stainless steel nut and bolt for the first time

 

[Bouba]

My preferred method of securing a nut is to use two and tighten them together

 

[MystyBlue2]

My preferred method of securing a nut is to use two and tighten them together

Yeah and use the second nut as a locker nut against the first

 

[Rhylsailer99]

maybe get stumpy drill bits i use them a lot for drilling into stainless steel tubing

 

[scottie]

How about Amazon.co.uk : 20mm collar

 

[rogerthebodger]

How about Amazon.co.uk : 20mm collar

Or two of these

CABU20ST Stainless Steel Shaft Collar 20x32x14mm with Grub Screw Simply Bearings Ltd

Or maybe a worm drive clip on each end or one end with a R clip the other.

 

[C08]

I have found Dewalt Cobolt drill bits by far the best for drilling stainless. These have a small "starter bit" point. I get them from Screwfix and not are expensive. I think it will be easy to drill the 4mm through 20mm stainless with a bit of lubricant for cooling and taking your time BUT it will be very hard to get the exit hole where you want it to be and if that is critical you have to have a pillar drill. I think cheap Pillar Drills are often not so good as the motors are not very powerful and you can easily just stall the motor. I free cycled my Machine Mart one as it was useless.

 

[Poignard]

I feel a man under pressure

I have a long history of starting things , that in the end , either have to buy a proper tool
or get a professional in.

As I'm British, I feel like I ought to give it a go with an electric hand drill.?

Unfortunately, if I fail, I let down the nice folks who have replied and offered the help and advice. Ditto nice folks with alternative suggestions. I think we can at least rule out lasers,
not because they wouldn't work but I would be terrified trying to use one.

The application is fairly straight forward . I have a lifting keel that weighs 1.1 tons. It's
hydraulic, and requires 75 hand pumps with a two foot bar to lift it right up. It's 5'6" down
and 2'6" up. After sailing, I like to lift it so that I can get off my pontoon berth early as it dries on springs. The rudder is lifted by a block and tackle.

I have a bar that goes through the keel box and keel which holds it in place as the hydraulic
pump seems to lose pressure over time. The bar also can be used to hold the keel down in the event of an inversion.

At the moment, I have a threaded round bar 20mm galvanised rod. I use nuts at each end
just hand tight . It looks rubbish because it goes rusty and looks naff. I have purchased a 304 stainless, 20mm by 300mm long round bar which loo0ks fantastic and only cost about £8
from ebay delivered. I love stainless and it looks and handles great.

My plan was just a hole at each end, to either use split pins or R clips that would hold it in place and are easily removed.

Anything a lot easier than drilling holes or tapping a thread would be most welcome.

Thanks Chaps !

'
This:

Plus this:


Plus 2 of these:

 

[Stemar]

OK, we've completely terrified the poor OP. With all the know it alls on here, there must be someone on the E Coast who will volunteer to drill it for him. Come on guys, put your money skill where your mouth is.

 

[Adios]

You could get a drill stand like this and use a hand drill in it for better control.

Silverline 633764 Drill Stand, 500 mm: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

I still have my very old black and decker drill stand but some nice kind a sole stole the drill that fitted it.

This one is significantly better quality, well worth the extra. Its as good as your old black and decker: Clarke CDS1 Drill Stand - Machine Mart - Machine Mart I have one to use for cutting accurate holes in sheet metal or big holes in sheet wood and as a portable drill press. Ideally user has a drill with a latching trigger and variable speed which they dont all have.

 

[Gary Fox]

OK, we've completely terrified the poor OP. With all the know it alls on here, there must be someone on the E Coast who will volunteer to drill it for him. Come on guys, put your money skill where your mouth is.

Absolutely

 

[MystyBlue2]

Absolutely

+1 PM me il be glad to do it

 

[penberth3]

Or two of these

CABU20ST Stainless Steel Shaft Collar 20x32x14mm with Grub Screw Simply Bearings Ltd

Or maybe a worm drive clip on each end or one end with a R clip the other.

The OP has a pin for a lifting keel. He has already mentioned R-clips, I don't think he wants to mess about with hex keys and collars.

As for a hose clip to secure a pin - please tell me you're not serious!