Drilling steel

C

Cyclone

Registered
I took some steel strip about 2mm thick and 5mm wide which held a kids tent up.

Thought it might be useful! Trying to use it as cross members but it's impossible to drill!

It looks like it stainless but could be galvanised.

Only trying to put a1.5 mm hole in it with a dremel on a pillar mount with a reasonable drill bit.

Using slow speed and a oil but just not cutting.

I've read annealing might help but before I give up and use brass or aluminium any ideas.

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If it is steel then it could be quite hard (given its dimensions and purpose) - annealing might help. Also a lot of small diameter drill bits are not properly finished - the angle/s can be wrong (off centre) or worse. Some stainless is also a pig to drill.
 
Even in steel a 1.5mm drill should be rotating fairly fast. Try centre doting the hole position first, to help stop the drill wandering. With tiny drills it can also help to start it cutting. Sounds like you need a new drill anyway now, better luck with that one.
 
Cobalt drill bit will do the trick................ ;) see your local engineering supplier, I believe Halfords do 'em as well
 
Annealing helped as I was able to make a large dent with a centre punch. The drill would cut but then just get no where. Using about 1000-1500 rpm and 3in1 as lube but given up.

I'm thinking that it's work hardening.

Cobalt tip or carbide?

Need some new drills and cutting fluid.
 
If it's that hard to drill, I guess it's stainless. Hard great fun years ago drilling and attempting to tap blind holes in high tensile stainless for gun mountings. Bad to drill, just plain evil to tap!
I seem to remember that we ended up with tipped drills, and after experimenting, using hydraulic oil for drilling lube and for tapping. Taps had strange relief angles on them as well!
 
Cyclone said:
Annealing helped as I was able to make a large dent with a centre punch. The drill would cut but then just get no where. Using about 1000-1500 rpm and 3in1 as lube but given up.

I'm thinking that it's work hardening.

Cobalt tip or carbide?

Need some new drills and cutting fluid.
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Probably easier to get new steel. Try B&Q they do short sections of different shapes.
 
I'd say what you are trying to drill was P8 or R8 steel. It work hardens when you try to drill or hacksaw it...
 
tramcar trev said:
I'd say what you are trying to drill was P8 or R8 steel. It work hardens when you try to drill or hacksaw it...
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Or just as likely, crap steel made from chopped up ships in some far flung corner of the planet. For what a bit of mild steel, or even brass in small quantities, costs its probably not really worth it. Mind you, I cannot cast the first stone, as I have a really mingy bit of gunmetal which I'm convinced should turn like butter, but ends up looking rubbish, and I won't give up on it.
 
Dtsteam said:
Or just as likely, crap steel made from chopped up ships in some far flung corner of the planet. For what a bit of mild steel, or even brass in small quantities, costs its probably not really worth it. Mind you, I cannot cast the first stone, as I have a really mingy bit of gunmetal which I'm convinced should turn like butter, but ends up looking rubbish, and I won't give up on it.
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Yep, it only has to have a bit of manganese in it and it work hardens....
 
Cyclone said:
Probably cheaper as it's cost me two bits! Even if I bought brass.
Just ordered a cobalt drill to try as it's now become personal.
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I appreciate that sentiment. In fact I'm well known for it. ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
 
Many years ago, as a young carpenter apprentice, I learned that a Cobalt drill bit was necessary to work with stainless steel. I was installing door hardware that was made of stainless and it required some modifications. My HSS drill bits were useless, so I asked the foreman for help. That's when I learned about using cobalt drills.
 
I would love a proper pillar drill but can't justify it yet ;) I can drill mild steel with the dremel but this is some scrap I found.
Brass bar is quite expensive and quite difficult to find small steel bar/strip.
I will get a hole in this stuff!

Quite a few forums have suggested 3in1 for hobby drilling, but I'll get some proper cooling fluid.
 
Ed, if desperation comes to shove, you know where I am, and I DO have a large pillar drill.
 
You will be welcome.
 
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