Drill bits to drill out stainless fasteners

[Bruce Wayne]

Hello everyone. I have some stainless fasteners that I need to drill out and I was wondering what kind of drill bits I should pick up to get them out? I have ruined a few regular bits earlier today.

Thanx!
Charlie

 

[Skin]

Carbide

 

[walrus]

Hello everyone. I have some stainless fasteners that I need to drill out and I was wondering what kind of drill bits I should pick up to get them out? I have ruined a few regular bits earlier today.

Thanx!
Charlie

Cobalt, slow speeds

 

[Ign]

Standard (but quality) HSS. Lots of lube, lower speed, heavy feed and peck drill

I'd virtually never use carbide in a hand drill, too easy to chip or break and just too expensive

 

[MikeinNorthWales]

What do you mean by ruined? Broken? Heated till they turned blue? If this is the case, the fastener would have heated as well. This will make it very difficult to drill them. You need to work at them slow, like the others have said. Be patient. Slow speed is the only way to drill stainless.

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[royesses]

use 135° drills get it to bite in and keep it biting with steady pressure. Many types of stainless (especially 304)work harden if the drill just rubs it. Use some good cutting oil, not motor oil and as said by others use a slow speed. HSS or cobalt work well.

Roy

 

[ttpete]

You need a heavy feed because if you let it quit cutting it will heat the surface and work harden instantly. Then you will have a real problem.

 

[Bib Overalls]

Cobalt, cutting oil, very slow speed, steady pressure. If you can set the job up in a drill press or a mill (slower speed) that is the way to do it. Do you hear an echo?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

What do you mean by ruined? Broken? Heated till they turned blue? If this is the case, the fastener would have heated as well. This will make it very difficult to drill them. You need to work at them slow, like the others have said. Be patient. Slow speed is the only way to drill stainless.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

One broke and another became red hot.

 

[Wyoming09]

Stainless is all we do. Use a good quality HSS bit, good lube and slow speed and medium pressure. I like the Union Butterfield fluid. It's thicker and stays in place better.

 

[Wamsutta]

Some stuff is so hard that only solid carbide will touch it. I ran into that situation with a grease zerk fitting on a Moog ball joint.

 

[defektes]

All I work on is stainless at the plant. A good cobalt bit with oil and slow speed will work well. I get the good USA made ones from the bolt supply, not sure what brand they are but they last.