Drilling stainless / what pillar drill?

[doug748]

Presto are good and you have the added novelty of buying a UK product. Dormer also fine.

 

[Cerebus]

A related question if I may, how do you know that you are buying good quality drill bits these days? Is it just price, and if so what’s a reasonable guide?

This may help:

Choosing the Right Drill Bits for Stainless Steel: A Comprehensive Guide - Speciality Metals

Buying from a reputable seller is the answer perhaps? Buying old second hand drill bits from good engineers may be good too.
Amazon can sell overpriced drill bits claiming to be good I imagine.

 

[Egbod]

Be careful when you are centre punching. You just want to help the drill locate in the correct location. If you make a bigger mark you can work harden the stainless and make the drilling difficult.

 

[thinwater]

... Bit like a band saw; I managed for years without, but once obtained, jobs were SO much easier.

One of my best projects was building a stand for my portable band saw. I use it 10 times as much now, and it will do more things. You can buy these cheaply for most newer saws. Mine is older, so I welded one up from scraps. It plugs into a switched outlet, so a cable tie holds the trigger "on." Should have done it years ago. So easy to accurately cut both thin and thick metals.

Just finishing it up. It sits on a bench at the other end of the shop, secured by cleats that it lifts out of. Easy to take it into the field if needed. It also lifts out of the stand in one motion, no clamps needed. Of course, I have not done that in a year.

Band saw stand

 

[thinwater]

I find it very difficult to get enough pressure on the drill when larger than about 8 mm. I guess I'm weak. A pillar drill solves that. Mine is muti-speed, but I seldom bother with anything other than slow, unless I switch to woodworking for a larger project.

 

[alahol2]

I find it very difficult to get enough pressure on the drill when larger than about 8 mm. I guess I'm weak.

If I'm 'in the field' so to speak it's almost always possible to add a lever with a loop of rope and a length of wood to allow one to bear down on the drill and apply cosiderable pressure. Battery drills (Makita eg) are very good for this because they will run at very low speed and make short work of stainless when paired with a decent drill bit.

 

[pete]

I have several these sets and they are good value for money, the last ones I bought were around £6 a set delivered.
https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/cut...tric-high-speed-steel-set-of-19/p/ITD0254320W

 

[john_morris_uk]

A related question if I may, how do you know that you are buying good quality drill bits these days? Is it just price, and if so what’s a reasonable guide?

Cobalt drill sets from Axminster Tools are pretty good.

 

[DownWest]

Might be worth buying a used pillar drill, rather than a new lightweight one. I have a (actually two) Meddings Driltru s. Drill up to 20mm in Steel. Probably cost no more than a new one from Clarke etc.
They are much heavier though..

As above, I leave it on slow. But have a rig with a second motor that cuts the speed to half of the lowest, so I can use hole cutters for stainless at 50mm.