Drilling Stainless Steel

[Mark-1]

Rooster do a Laser block eye with larger holes in case you need larger rivets.

Pre Drilled to 1/4" Laser/ILCA boom block attachment Lac...

It would be convenient for me to buy a standard one and drill it myself if I need to.

Am I right in assuming that's all Rooster did and if they can do it, I can do it to? (I imagine stainless to be brittle and resistant to drilling?)

 

[PetiteFleur]

You can drill stainless steel - use a quality new drill, drill slowly with plenty of pressure, with lubricant. Works for me, I use a drill press if possible.

 

[vyv_cox]

Stainless steel is never brittle but it work hardens very readily, making drilling with blunt drills almost impossible.

 

[MontyMariner]

Use a drill press and start with a small bit 2 to 3 mm.

 

[Roberto]

Are onions used in the UK?
It seems to be recurrent is other countries, dip the drill bit in a onion and off you go (?)

 

[ducked]

Are onions used in the UK?
It seems to be recurrent is other countries, dip the drill bit in a onion and off you go (?)

Isn't that for vampyres, or is that garlic?
Anyway, it would be an onion in the UK
I generally dip the bit into some oil, though I dunno if it does any good.
I suppose you could use oil of cloves, or garlic oil, if you want to be safe.

 

[William_H]

Oil is good for drilling SS. It starts to smoke if you are getting the job too hot. Stop if you are not making swarf. As said slow drill speed much pressure and a sharp drill. ol'will

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I find the quality of the HSS drill is everything for an amateur driller like myself.

I buy mine from the local marine engineers.

 

[Mark-1]

I find the quality of the HSS drill is everything for an amateur driller like myself.

I buy mine from the local marine engineers.

Hilariously, I have a set of quality drills but I refuse to use one for this application because I don't want to blunt them. I think I'm gonna have to man up and accept wear on my shiney drills, rather than the manky drills I inherited from my Dad.

 

[Stemar]

The trouble with SS is that when the manky drill doesn't work, you've probably work hardened it to the point that you'll now wreck the posh one too

 

[Mark-1]

The trouble with SS is that when the manky drill doesn't work, you've probably work hardened it to the point that you'll now wreck the posh one too

Yeah.I love my boom more than I love my drills.

 

[Boater Sam]

Hilariously, I have a set of quality drills but I refuse to use one for this application because I don't want to blunt them. I think I'm gonna have to man up and accept wear on my shiney drills, rather than the manky drills I inherited from my Dad.

Sharpen the drills? You need a steeper rake angle ideally for stainless steel.

 

[Blueboatman]

And if it starts to squeal, stop ! That’s the work hardening.
You can sometimes get out of gaol by changing up a drill size and tip angle to cut into fresh metal but you’re now on the back foot.
Slow and steady, using cutting oil and as much pressure as you can without generating excess heat or smoke, pausing frequently if it’s getting hot.. that seems to work.
And good luck

There’s an old saying that I attribute to yachting monthly’s Des Sleightholme when he was Ed. Why oh why do we leave our best tools at home and make do with the crappiest on the boat?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Rooster probably buy the saddle block with oversized eyes which are punched out, maybe at the same time as the saddle is pressed into shape. I doubt they drill them oversized.

Drilling oversized holes is easy enough in stainless especially in that thinness of material. However, the larger OD bit will tend to grab so the piece needs to be secure for a clean cut, otherwise you could end up with a ragged edge. Definitely invest in a vice that can be clamped below the drill. The problem with the saddle clamp is that the eyelets may be wider than the body, making clamping awkward and perhaps not stable.

I have enlarged holes in 5mm stainless, and agree with others, sharp bits, lots of lubrication (spray on 3:1 is what I used), lower rpm, and a lot of force, but you can feel the force that cuts best quite easily. I also stopped and lifted the bit frequently. It took about 10 minutes per hole in my case, 10mm diameter.

 

[Stemar]

Why oh why do we leave our best tools at home and make do with the crappiest on the boat?

That's an easy one to answer, If you take your good tools, that old kleptomaniac, Neptune, will nick them. He doesn't bother so much with the good ones.

 

[Mark-1]

Rooster probably buy the saddle block with oversized eyes which are punched out, maybe at the same time as the saddle is pressed into shape. I doubt they drill them oversized.

Yeah, I was asking because I figured if they could do it, I could do it. But it's academic since everyone agrees this is drillable, even if Rooster have a better method.

However, the larger OD bit will tend to grab so the piece needs to be secure for a clean cut, otherwise you could end up with a ragged edge.

I'm pretty confident I can hold it perfectly steady with three self tappers in a block of wood.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Yeah, I was asking because I figured if they could do it, I could do it. But it's academic since everyone agrees this is drillable, even if Rooster have a better method. I'm pretty confident I can hold it perfectly steady with three self tappers in a block of wood.

Rooster do a Laser block eye with larger holes in case you need larger rivets. Pre Drilled to 1/4" Laser/ILCA boom block attachment Lac... It would be convenient for me to buy a standard one and drill it myself if I need to. Am I right in assuming that's all Rooster did and if they can do it, I can do it to? (I imagine stainless to be brittle and resistant to drilling?)

 

[Graham_Wright]

If you do work harden the stainless, you might recover with a carbide (tipped) drill or, better, end mill.

 

[Mark-1]

If you do work harden the stainless, you might recover with a carbide (tipped) drill or, better, end mill.

Thanks, but at that point I'd invest the £8 in the pre-drilled version from Rooster.

 

[PCUK]

Drilling stainless is not a problem. Just keep your bits sharp and if you can't sharpen bits then teach yourself. I use a bench grinder but an angle grinder on its back will do the job. If you are in the UK a pillar drill is the best tool for all drilling.