What are the best stainless steel drills? How to drill a hole in stainless steel? Which drill is better to use

We can definitely say that every house keeps its mysteries. The number of them in each house is different. To deal with them, you usually need to use the advice and knowledge of other people who are familiar with similar problems. One of these difficult tasks is how to drill stainless steel. Without certain knowledge and skills, you will probably try to make the hole you need in a layer of stainless steel, but to no avail.

You can do this by hand with a round file and spend a lot of time, or drill a larger diameter drill bit and widen the hole a little. If there is a countersunk screw in the hole, we can press a little and make a move. When drilling large diameters, it is recommended to start with small drills first and gradually expand the hole to the required diameter.

You can use almost any steel except high-quality tool steels and stainless steel. Stainless steel and tool steels are very difficult to ream because drill bits are made from tool steel and have the same hardness.

Instructions for performing this activity:

1. First of all, in order to make a hole in a layer of stainless steel, you need to use a special lubricant. Most often, to obtain this lubricant, you need to mix a certain type of sulfur with machine oil. The sulfur needed for this mixing is sold in special stores. When purchasing it, pay attention to the name of this sulfur. Its name could be as follows:

Drilling these materials is very labor intensive and results in permanent damage to the drill bits. In general, these materials can only be drilled to a thickness of 2mm. Soft metals such as tin, brass and lead are good for drilling with frequent longer breaks because the edges of the holes are very hot and the material bounces onto the drill and deteriorates it. This type of tin drill is difficult to clean, so follow the procedure for your drill. For the same reason, we also choose lower speeds than steel drilling.

When it comes to drill bits, the most important parameter is the point angle. This corresponds to the length of the cutting edges. How smaller angle, the longer the length of the cutting edge of the drill and vice versa. Therefore, when drilling holes in thin sheets, you should use a drill with large angles. Despite this, often holes prepared with such bits must be finished, for example to remove burrs and chamfer the edges. There is a solution that will allow you to prepare a master hole in one operation.

• Sulfur for fumigation.
• Colloidal sulfur.
• Sulfur color.

If you purchased sulfur called colloidal sulfur or sulfur color, it can be mixed with the oil as it comes in the container. But if you have “sulfur for hilling”, you must first knead it, then add oil and mix.

The graduation drill is different from traditional drills, including special geometry. The lower, first blade of such a drill is used for drilling and drilling a well. It is assumed that its height determines the thickness of the sheet to which the drill is intended. The material to be processed should be slightly thinner than the height of the blade. It is designed in such a way that 2 symmetrically placed side blades pass through the drilling to operate. These are the cutting edges. Therefore, in terms of operating principle, progressive drills resemble cutters more than traditional drills.

2. To create a lubricant that is much more effective than a lubricant made from sulfur and machine oil, you need to mix sulfur with fatty acids. Where can you get these fatty acids? To do this, grind the lowest grade laundry soap and then add hot water. A significant amount of hydrochloric acid must be poured into the prepared soap solution; for this, take technical hydrochloric acid. After the interaction of these substances, fatty acids will appear on the surface of the container. Then add a lot of cold water to this vessel. This will cause the fatty acids to thicken so they can be skimmed off the surface. Perform 5 fatty acid flushes. First add hot water, then cold, collect them from the surface, and so on.

It should be emphasized that only the side blades work at the exit after drilling with a stepper bit. Thanks to this, the edges of the hole are properly processed and beveled and therefore do not require further processing - no burrs. Because the step drill is centered and allows you to prepare a hole without pre-drilling, it is ideal for drilling in pipes. Although the surface on which it is inclined, the drill does not run away.

One drill for several diameters. If we focus on the design of the walker, we can see that they are generally conical in shape with a clearly milled bore diameter, degrees. Thanks to this drill we can prepare holes different diameters. At each stage there are digital diameters. They resemble a series of related metal disks, installed from smallest to largest, creating a conical pyramid. Thanks to this, without drilling, we can make a hole of the required diameter.

3. Once you have collected enough fatty acids, mix them with sulfur. The proportions should be 6:1. Thus, the lubricant for making a hole in stainless steel has been prepared, all that remains is to use it. Do not forget that when carrying out the drilling process, the drill should not overheat. Take breaks from work periodically to allow the drill to cool down. If you do not follow these instructions, the lubricant may, instead of helping, make it difficult to complete this task.

In addition, a step drill allows us to drill existing holes and increase the diameter to the desired size. It should also be emphasized that they have two spiral grooves on the sides, which allows you to quickly discharge prey. This provides higher drilling speed. Effective waste disposal also results in quality work performed. The hole is clean, without burrs and without distortion.

Step drills have been developed for working with sheet metal, but not only. It is designed for drilling thin materials such as non-ferrous metals, steel sheets, plastics and stainless steel. Ideal equipment for sheet metal processing, whether in the electrical, sanitary, heating or automotive industries, mechanical engineering, switchgear construction, or the aerospace industry.

Compliance with simple rules

In order not to encounter difficult situations, such as severe overheating of the drilling site, extreme heating of the drill and others, you need to follow some simple rules that will help you make absolutely smooth holes without the associated cost of time and money. You should also keep in mind that due to the viscous structure of stainless steel, the stainless steel layer must be drilled at low speeds to prevent overheating of the drill. Drills should only be used very sharp. In addition, in order to prevent significant overheating of the drilling site, which will lead to great difficulties in drilling, every 10 seconds it is necessary to minimize the temperature of the drill.

Using a single centering, drill new holes and re-drill existing holes. We shouldn't hammer or drill. We have a clean, unburnt hole. The hole is not distorted. One drill will allow us to drill holes of different diameters.

Due to its high heat resistance and increased elasticity, it provides high productivity in metal processing. The cobalt drill is characterized by high resistance to abrasion that will last a long time, even in case of intensive use.

Cobalt drills are designed for drilling. Tool steel, stainless steel, acid-resistant steel, titanium and alloys. . Stainless steel drill ensures high precision on high speed. The appropriate bevel angle allows for aggressive cutting. This type of drill is intended for professional use.

Keep an eye on the chips while drilling; if they become smaller and darker, this means that the drill is dull and the hole in the stainless steel is overheated. Therefore, you must sharpen the drill or change it to another one in order to successfully finish the job you started. As a rule, you need to start drilling with a drill that has a small diameter, which is a size four or five, respectively. Then gradually switch to a drill that is the appropriate size to produce the desired hole. By performing the drilling process in this manner, you can produce a smoother hole while greatly reducing the time spent on it.

Stainless steel cobalt drills should be used in accordance with general drilling principles in hard materials to provide them efficient use. Thanks to the properties of cobalt, this will allow you to work quickly, leading to at least satisfactory results. Even though the product gives you great capabilities, its price is very low and purchasing even a few cobalt drills is not a big expense.

Contact us for information. Thermal drilling, thermoforming, thermal drilling is an innovative technology for the manufacture of threaded connections and perforation of metal materials with a thickness of 1 mm to 12 mm. for bonded nuts, welded nuts, welded nuts, forged and pressed nuts and other joining methods.

When doing repairs, many owners have to perform a wide variety of work, among which drilling is quite common. However, to perform this task well, you must have a suitable drill available. There are no problems with purchasing this device, given that the building materials market offers a large number of their different types.

In addition, thermal center drills are used for thermoformed holes. by the address

You have questions? Please call or write to us! You will receive free help and information. Drilling, thermoforming, thermal drilling: it is possible to produce threaded or perforated holes in metal.

As a result of friction, heat is created, which, together with the axial force, causes the material to plasticize and create a so-called burr. Shorter turnaround times compared to conventional methods, strong, durable thread, no chips going into the center of the profile, eliminating cleaning costs - especially important when making holes in long closed profiles that cannot be contaminated, ability to make holes in different metal materials with one tool, long tool life and no need to sharpen the thermoforming surface, no electrochemical corrosion, uniform material - a phenomenon that occurs when two different metals are in contact, processed by atmospheric conditions. Threaded connections, soldered and welded connections, socket sockets and fittings, self-tapping screws, pipe couplings. Mechanical engineering, furniture industry, energy and electronics industry, automotive and aerospace industries, such as threaded hole for lambda probe; cardboard couplings, agricultural and mining engineering structures, machine tools and machine structures, processing lines, steel structures, hangars, fences, gates, stairs, platforms, ladders, pneumatic and hydraulic pressure structures, fire extinguishers, sanitary facilities, hospital beds, bicycles, fencing and buildings, handles, fixtures, street lighting, lanterns, flagpoles. Thanks to the universal grip design, you have the ability to assemble tools of different diameters for different types of holes and even use the handle to mount common cutting tools.

Therefore, every home craftsman who has purchased a drill should also worry about choosing good drills. Otherwise, they will quickly use up their service life, and you will have to spend money on new ones.

In stores you can find a large number of different drills, differing in length, diameter, and material for which they are intended. And even before you start creating a hole on the surface of the structure, you should decide on the appropriate size drill. To avoid mistakes here, it is necessary to take into account the type of work being performed.

We also offer drills in unusual sizes and designs for special solutions. We offer assistance in choosing parameters, implementing machines and technologies. Thermal friction drilling method, hole drilling can make up to 000 holes with one tool and even dozens or tens of thousands of holes with one tap. These values ​​depend on the workpiece, its thickness and processing conditions.

The worn material is used to make the collar - completely without any additional material. At the point where the sleeve of material is formed, approximately 3 times more threads can be produced than with traditional carving. We have a stable threaded connection that meets the most high requirements to quality and durability. This on-site drilling process ensures that chips are not driven into the profile, avoiding costly and time-consuming cleanup - in some cases.

Those owners who at least once had to do drilling, I think, tried to understand what material was used to make these devices, what is meant by labeling, driven by the instrument? What makes it possible to create holes on a surface made of the same material from which the drill itself is made?

Prices for thermal drills depend on the type of drill bit and its diameter. Thermal friction thermoformers have good feedback. Center folding taps. Technicians usually select the appropriate equipment for their task. Anything else looks like a homemade environment. They don't always have a lot of tools. Usually one of them is a universal drill model or drill. The more they should be armed with a proper weapon which is a high quality drill.

Professionals and “masters” need good drills. The most important principle that everyone should keep in mind is that "the exercise should always be chosen according to the task." In the case of metal drills, these are mainly twist drills. When drilling into metals and plastics with twist drills, it is important to select the correct rotation speed. Optimal parameters are checked in speed tables developed by drill manufacturers. In short, the smaller the drill diameter, the higher the rotation speed.

The efficiency of working with a drill is achieved due to the fact that high-quality and high-strength steel is used as the material for it. But cheap options that are produced on a raw material basis are not able to cope with most of the problems that many owners face.

What does the drill marking mean?

Typically, the marking of a metal drill contains a specific set of letters and numbers. The letter of the main element is usually indicated first, followed by it's already underway a figure that corresponds to the percentage of this element in the material used to produce the drill.

After the first two characters, other elements are often specified.

• P – corresponds to tungsten;
• K - indicates cobalt;
• F - means vanadium;
• M – means molybdenum.

Most often, the labeling does not include the designation of chromium, since this element is necessarily included in the source material, in which its share is about 4%. Among the elements that are missing from the labeling, carbon should be highlighted. Let's say if the drill has marking Р7М6К6, then from it you can understand that the manufacturer used high-speed steel as a material, which contains tungsten in the amount of 7%, molybdenum - 6%, cobalt - 6%.

If you pay attention to domestic products, there is no such information. However, this applies primarily to products whose diameter is less than 2 mm. Devices with a diameter of 2-3 mm contain information about the geometry and grade of steel. Drills that represent other standard sizes have additional data: they also provide the trademark and sometimes the accuracy class of the drilling product.

Each of the offered drills can be designed in one of the following colors:

• bright gold;
• black golden;
• grey;
• black.

You can tell by the golden color that the manufacturer used titanium nitride in the manufacture of the tool. This operation provides such a drill with increased strength characteristics. Working with such a device will ensure less friction between surfaces.

A black golden hue indicates that the raw material contains a temper, the purpose of which is to eliminate internal stress.

The gray color indicates that the drill in question has not been finished in order to increase the level of protection and strength of the material. From this we can conclude that this device has a low level of workmanship, and therefore it is quite will soon fail.

The black color suggests that during the manufacture of the drill, an operation was carried out that involved exposing the product to superheated steam. The benefit of it is to increase its wear resistance.

Advantages of cobalt drills for metal

Prices for cobalt metal drills are 4-5 times higher than regular ones. What makes them so popular among home craftsmen? What merits made them so highly rated?

A distinctive feature of cobalt is high melting point. For this reason, metal drills, created on the basis of high-quality high-speed steel alloyed with cobalt, perfectly withstand high temperatures and demonstrate improved mechanical properties. They are characterized by the ability to cope with significant thermal loads, for which they do not have to resort to additional cooling. Similar properties of these metal drills are primarily manifested in situations where it is necessary to create holes in high-strength alloy and high-viscosity steels.

Among other properties that cobalt drills for metal have, one should highlight a fairly large sharpening angle of the tip, which is 135 degrees. Thanks to this design of the tip, it becomes possible to drill on smooth round surfaces.

These drilling devices can also be used to create holes in pipes and welds where high precision requirements are important. An important advantage of such metal drills is that when working with them, the master has to exert less physical pressure on them.

Drilling with a cobalt drill for metal

Even before you start drilling, you should decide the issue with the cutting mode. To clarify, let us inform you that the main parameters that affect such a mode are the following:

Each of the above parameters influence each other, and when choosing them should be considered:

• The material in which the hole needs to be created;
• The material from which the metal drill is made is cobalt;
• Equipment used for work and type of cooling;
• Other factors, which include the degree of surface roughness, contamination, etc.

Features of drilling stainless steels

When creating holes in a stainless steel surface, you have to face problems that boil down to the fact that this material is characterized by sufficient ductility. Therefore, during operation, the drilling product sticks to the work surface, as a result of which the device heats up too much and subsequently fails.

This can be avoided if:

• The problem with heat removal will be solved, for which cooling is used;
• Work will be carried out with drills that best cope with heat and have the ability to better remove chips.

The material used for cobalt metal drilling products is high-speed steel HSSCo (M35) or similar marked. The peculiarity of these drills is that during their manufacture, manufacturers incorporated special properties into them that allow them to effectively create holes in difficult-to-cut stainless steels.

R6M5K5 steel contains 5% cobalt, due to which the drill acquires increased red resistance. We are talking about the property of remaining as hard and resistant to wear as in the normal state, under conditions of heating to a red-hot temperature. A similar effect is achieved through heat treatment.

The production process involves the use of more expensive grinding technology. In other words, this device resembles a spiral, where a grinding machine is used to create grooves. This eliminates the appearance of internal tension on the device, while the surfaces remain smooth. This creates more favorable conditions for chip removal.

The upper part of the working device is located at an angle of 135 degrees and is distinguished by the presence of a cross-shaped point. A similar angle is formed by the working edges of the device. It ensures a reduction in the area of ​​the product’s working area. As a result, it is subject to less stress. As for the cross-shaped point of the top, its presence reduces the dead zone between the working edges.

How to drill stainless steel with a cobalt drill

If you have equipment at your disposal that allows you to accurately select the optimal speed, feed and provide cooling for working with stainless steel The following parameters are recommended:

Cutting speed. The optimal value would be 10 m/min. The value given will be optimal for drilling most stainless steels. In addition, its use will provide the opportunity to select speeds.

You can determine the speed using the following formula:

n=3180/D, Where

for a drill with a diameter of 1.0 – 3180 rpm;

for drill 5.0 already 636 rpm;

Innings. To calculate this parameter you should also use a simple formula:

0.005-0.01d mm/n,

where d is the diameter of the drill.

To put it more in simple words, in one minute a metal drill with a diameter of 5 mm should create hole 3 mm deep. When working with a metal drill with a diameter of 10 mm, the hole created should have a size of 1.6 mm.

The problem with overheating is solved with the help of oleic acid, which will act as a coolant.

Features of drilling in the field

If a special coolant is not available, you can use it instead. olive oil. Also suitable here is vegetable, in which the proportion of oleic acid content is only 2 times less - 40%. If none of these substances is at hand, then ordinary lard or fat can come to the rescue: their content level oleic acid can reach 44%.

When creating holes, you must set the minimum speed to no more than 200 rpm. Some drill models do not have the ability to select speed. In this case, the problem is solved by using the “on-off” technique, in which a depression in the material is created due to inertia.

Make sure that the feed to the drill is minimal. At the same time, it is important that it is uniform.

Conclusion

Cobalt metal drill bits can help create holes in particularly durable materials, primarily stainless steels. However, to successfully complete this work, it is necessary to take into account a number of nuances. Drilling holes with a cobalt drill bit for metal will not cause you problems if you determine the operating parameters correctly: cutting speed, feed, and also solve the cooling issue. In this case, it will be useful to know how to work with such drills correctly. Then they will become good helpers for you when carrying out repairs.

Stainless steel is widely used in household and industrial applications to create various items due to the significant amount positive qualities. It is an alloy various materials, which gave the stainless steel resistance to corrosion and aggressive environments. Based on their percentage, it is possible to create different types of material in the alloy.

At home, items made from so-called food-grade stainless steel are often used, such as taps and mixers, sinks and sinks in the kitchen, tableware and other things. Therefore, it is often necessary to drill through stainless steel for some purpose. However, you should prepare for the process. That is, study the recommendations more experienced craftsmen, if the procedure is being performed with your own hands for the first time, and also select suitable drills and lubricants.

In addition to experience, you will need a bit of sensitivity and attentiveness. This is far from the only thing a master needs. What helps most when drilling is lubricating fluid, without which the master risks damaging the drills and the material. The lubricant consists of machine oil and sulfur, so it is easily recognized by its viscous form and increased fat content. In addition to choosing the right material, you need to know some features of how to drill a hole in stainless steel.

Nuances when drilling

What needs to be done is to decide on a tool. What exactly to use depends on the diameter of the holes needed. If up to 12 mm, then at home you can use a hand drill.

Nothing else will help you drill holes in stainless steel as efficiently as preliminary marking. It is especially effective when making single holes or processing hardened and sheet metal. Axial marks are applied to the workpiece under the drill, and then a small recess is made in the product. Later they are deepened to the required size.

A template is another thing that will help save time when drilling, because the contours of the holes are pre-marked on it. Craftsmen have to resort to tricks when the work is done from the edge of the surface. Usually, half-holes are needed here, which are made as follows: a plate of the same material is attached to the workpiece, which is clamped in a vice. After which you can drill out a standard recess, and upon completion of the work, simply remove the attached plate.

Useful drilling techniques

Every master who has gotten his hands on this business has a couple of clever tricks that greatly simplify the drilling process. Many videos and photos on the site will clearly demonstrate what needs to be done and how.

First of all, you should pay attention to what plane the working surface. When you need to drill a hole in a horizontal object, coolant is poured into a small plug, through which drilling is carried out.

If the structure is installed vertically, then a paraffin ball is attached to the site of the future hole. Thanks to this trick, you can quickly get the job done even in the most inconvenient places.

Another important nuance to remember when planning to drill stainless steel is to set the drill to minimum speed. To obtain standard holes, a speed of up to 150 revolutions is sufficient. If the speed is too high, the lubricant simply will not have time to cool the drill.

What to do with equipment that does not have a speed switch? Press the “Start” button and release after 1-2 seconds. If you work with such short presses, the drill motor will not develop high speed.

If you have to drill a lot and often into stainless steel, you should buy a special stand for the drill. IN financially expenses will be small, and the process will be greatly simplified.

You can determine that the drill is dull or the material is overheated by the darkening of the chips. Therefore, skilled craftsmen first use drills without large diameter, for example, four. Then the hole is brought to the right size, obtaining smooth and neat edges. This is especially important when drilling stainless pipes. In this case an ideal result can only be achieved using a special stepped cone drill. When it is necessary to make a hole of a large diameter, from about 15 millimeters, a crown hole is used, in other words, a crown.

Use of lubricants

To prevent the procedure from ending in failure, you need to use cooling materials. The thing is that stainless steel has high viscosity. During operation, the load is placed simultaneously on the drill and the material, as a result of which overheating of either one or the other may occur. Therefore, it is so important to consider how to cool the instrument.

When you have to drill a lot, it makes more sense to attach an automatic supply of lubricants to the machine. If drilling is a single and rare case, then the drills are processed immediately before drilling. A mixture of machine oil and sulfur is used as a lubricant. In this case, sulfur can be taken both colloidal and for fumigation, well known as “sulfur color”.

If it was purchased in powder form, then the substance is simply mixed with machine oil. When the sulfur is lumpy, it still needs to be ground. An effective cooling lubricant is a mixture of sulfur and fatty acids, which can be obtained at home from ordinary laundry soap.

To do this, perform the following steps:

• a bar of soap is rubbed, and the resulting mass is poured hot water;
• technical hydrochloric acid is carefully poured into the soap solution;
• when fatty acids float to the surface, pour in cold water;
• wait until they harden and remove the top layer.

When creating a cooling material, fatty acids and sulfur are taken in a 6:1 ratio. The effort and time spent are justified, because this composition will help drill through even the thickest stainless steel.

Drill selection

Choosing a reliable drill is an important step when preparing for drilling. On sale you can find foreign tools manufactured according to the DIN-338 standard and marked HSS-CO. It makes it clear that the composition contains at least 5% cobalt, as in old Soviet drills. You can recognize a stainless steel product by its obtuse sharpening angle, which makes alignment easier when starting work. Such a tool is easy to obtain in any specialized store at an affordable price.

As for carbide tools, they are suitable for processing stainless surfaces and products made from this material. But problems may arise with its purchase, since such drills are not available in every hardware store, plus they are much more expensive.

When choosing tools, you should purchase only high-strength products. You can look for old cobalt drills, which are still considered the best. If you fail, then you should stick to products from Ruko, Bosch, Gross, Hilti, which are available in most stores. The price depends on the diameter, for example, a 3 mm tool can be bought for about 100 rubles. The larger the diameter, the higher the price. It will not be difficult for real craftsmen to adjust the angle of a conventional drill if they have a diamond wheel at home.

Stainless steel is used in many household items. Elements of furniture, cutlery, dishes - it’s hard to imagine without these items comfortable life. What can we say about industry, where stainless steel is used everywhere.

What kind of metal is this? Most people think of a plate or piece of iron that does not rust in water. In fact, stainless steel combines a whole class of alloys with many useful properties, including corrosion resistance. It is obtained by adding metals that are resistant to aggressive environments. Depending on the amount of material, an alloy with different characteristics is produced.

Today, the most popular in industry is the so-called “food grade stainless steel”. It has found its application in factories producing cutlery, water, milk and other food products.

Metal is processed quite simply. On an industrial scale, it is easily bent, extruded, cut various forms. At home, it is better to use an angle grinder for this.

How to drill stainless steel?

Let's look at a few important rules, which should guide you when drilling stainless steel. They are also valid for other types of carbon steel:

• We set the rotation speed of the electric drill to minimum speed. About 120-150 revolutions are quite enough to work with metal of any thickness. If your tool does not have a speed switching function, then work should be carried out by short pressing the “start” button. Thus, the drill will not be able to accelerate to its maximum speed.
• If you often work with metal, buy a drill stand. It is not very expensive, but it greatly simplifies the process.
• If the chips darken over time, this indicates a dull drill or overheating of the material. It’s worth starting work with small-diameter drills, for example, a four-piece. Then you can make a hole of the required size, which will be as smooth and neat as possible. This is especially important when drilling stainless pipes. For achievement perfect result you need to use special stepped drills.
• Large diameter holes (from 15 mm) are made with a “crown”.

Drill cooling methods

The biggest mistake that amateurs often make is dipping the drill in water or other liquid. That is, first the master works “dry”, then dips the heated drill into water. Do not do this under any circumstances. For cooling, you should use olive oil or fat.

To achieve maximum effect and high speed, buy cobalt drills (golden color). The material does not just cover the surface of the instrument, it is part of it. Although some manufacturers really just coat the drill for better glide.

Many different parts and products are made from stainless steel. This metal is in demand due to its resistance to corrosion. During processing, it may be necessary to make a hole in it using improvised means. The fact is that the alloy differs from ordinary steel in its increased viscosity, and this is fraught with rapid failure of the cutting tool due to overheating. And here the question arises, how to drill stainless steel at home. Video tutorials on this topic will only help if you know the intricacies of such operations.

Not everyone can afford a specialized machine that allows easy processing of the alloy. In a home workshop, you can often count on a regular drill and the same drill bits. Therefore, craftsmen have a whole arsenal of tricks that help them effectively drill through stainless steel.

When working with turning or drilling equipment, you need to be extremely careful and not violate safety rules when operating electrical machines.

The first and most important thing to remember: drill stainless steel only using cooling lubricant and special drills. As for the thickness of the material being processed, the technology provides the following:

1. Stainless steel, the thickness of which is within 1–2 millimeters, can be drilled with ordinary metal drills. In this case, the sharpening angle of the tool should correspond to 120 degrees, and the revolutions of the electric drill should not exceed 100 per minute.
2. It is better to drill a millimeter-thick or thinner layer of stainless steel using step-type equipment. It provides a smooth channel with no burrs or burrs on the edge.
3. It is best to produce holes in stainless steel with a thickness of more than 6 mm using specialized cutters in two stages. First you need to drill the metal with thin equipment with a diameter of 2–3 mm, and then bring it to required diameter finishing drill.

If stainless steel shavings begin to acquire dark shades and becomes small, this signals that the cutting edges are dull and overheating. It is impossible to work in this mode.

Which drill is better to use

List of drills for stainless steel that are definitely suitable for drilling metal:

1. Any tool that contains cobalt in its alloy. The higher the percentage of this component, the better. Cobalt products differ from ordinary ones in a yellowish tint. Do not confuse the cobalt alloy with the application of this metal only to the outer part of the drill by electroplating. In the latter case, it will not be possible to drill through stainless steel.
2. Expensive specialized tool. These can drill through stainless steel, not just concrete. They have a certain sharpening angle.
3. For thin stainless steel, you can use a feather-shaped drill to ceramic tiles. Is not the best option, but it will help to drill the workpiece one time.

Application of cobalt drill

Of the old Soviet drills for stainless steel, the most suitable tool would be the one with the brand R6M5K5. This type of equipment contains up to 5% cobalt in the alloy. Due to this element, the tool acquires high strength, and the heating temperature can reach 135 degrees Celsius, which does not entail destruction of the material. Products of this quality can only be found in markets where old Soviet equipment is sold, and even then not always. An alternative to a domestically produced cobalt drill is a foreign analogue under the HSS-Co brand.

To drill stainless steel with a cobalt drill, you should also use lubricants and do not use high speed power tools.

Coolants and lubricants

Lubricating the area to be drilled in stainless steel is essential to successfully obtaining a hole. The easiest and most affordable way is to purchase machine oil and colloidal sulfur (as an alternative, you can take sulfur for fumigation). Large pieces of sulfur are crushed to a powder and mixed with oil. The solution must be constantly supplied to the treatment area - the wrong approach would be to periodically dip the cutting edges of the drill into the lubricant.

For drilling holes in stainless steel, there are more effective lubricating solutions that can be prepared at home. This applies, for example, to a solution based on sulfur and fatty acids. Cooking method:

1. Laundry soap is ground by rubbing on a medium grater.
2. The resulting material is dissolved in a container with hot water until it becomes a saturated soap composition.
3. Take technical hydrochloric acid and slowly pour it into the same container. As a result of the chemical reaction, fatty acids will rise to the upper layers of the solution.
4. After the process is completed, cold water is poured in to solidify the fatty acids, then they are mechanically separated from the total mass.
5. Sulfur and lubricant are mixed in a ratio of 1:6.

To properly drill through stainless steel, you need to use a few simple techniques:

1. It is most convenient to drill a surface that is horizontal. To do this, the part is placed on a workbench or table and the location of the future hole is marked with a core. Next, take a piece of plastic or thick-walled rubber tube 20 mm long and with a diameter exceeding the diameter of the drill, and install it at the drilling site. A special coolant is poured into the tube, which has lubricating properties. You need to drill through the stainless steel through this tray.
2. If the workpiece is located horizontally, then there is a way out of this situation. The place to be drilled is also marked with a core and a paraffin ball is attached to this point. Drilling is carried out through paraffin. As a result of heating the surfaces, the paraffin will melt and gradually lubricate the treatment area.
3. It is best to use a drill whose shaft rotation speed can be adjusted. It will be very difficult to drill through stainless steel at high speeds. The optimal rotation speed of the tool should be in the range of 100–600 rpm.

In the case when a home drill does not have a rotation speed regulator, and the rated speed is high, you can drill stainless metal, including electrical equipment, pulsed for 1-2 seconds after the same period of time.

In order to drill different kinds stainless steels at home, use special drills and liquid cooling. This allows you to improve the technological process and obtain a high-quality metal hole without damaging the power tool and the main surface of the material. Such metal is drilled both on industrial machines and with conventional construction electrical appliances according to a pre-drawn template.

Features of stainless steel and choice of drill

Stainless steel is widely used in household and industrial applications. It is a high-quality metal alloy that is resistant to corrosion and various aggressive environments. In everyday life, this material is often used to make plumbing fixtures, countertops, pipes, etc. In the process of repair or construction, sometimes it becomes necessary to drill one or another part made of this metal.

An important nuance when drilling stainless steels, along with the correct selection of coolants and work technology, is a high-quality drill. Many experts to this day prefer the time-tested and very durable cobalt options (CO-5), which are also suitable for making holes in heat-resistant metals or cast iron without the need for pre-centering.

These models were previously made on the basis of steel alloys with 5% cobalt in their composition or from high-strength steels such as R-18 with the addition of this chemical element. These days they are difficult to find on the market. building materials those types that met Soviet standards GOST - 10902-77, since they are practically not produced on an industrial scale.

Most often the majority domestic producers They simply cover the parts with a “golden” layer of cobalt, but at the same time it is contained minimally or not at all in the workpiece. This technology allows for improved sliding parameters, but does not add any strength to the rod.

There are analogues on the market of “real” cobalt versions of foreign production, the characteristics of which correspond to DIN standards - 338 or 336, and the marking contains the abbreviation HSS-C or simply NHSS. These types of drills are also made from high-strength steels with a mandatory content of at least 5% cobalt in the alloy (among the manufacturers it is worth noting such companies as Bosch; Ruko; Gross; Hagwert; Hilti, etc.

Their advantage is the high hardness of the material from which they are made and a specially blunted tip sharpening angle, which makes them suitable for working with any type of “heavy” metals. The only drawback may be the price, which is noticeably higher than that of conventional versions of standard drills.

Steel core bits and conical drills for stainless steel

In addition to cobalt options various diameters and strength similar to stainless steel, other drills made of metal alloys of great hardness with the sharpest sharpening are used for dense materials, which, as a rule, is made on only one cutting side. The choice of drill and working tool depends on the grade of stainless steel, the thickness of the workpiece being processed and the selected technological process.

If necessary large hole(from 14 mm in diameter and above.) use special annular drills or crowns. They have additional clamping equipment, a chuck and a drilling head of various sizes, which, according to the tables, correspond to inch and metric standards for pipes and other popular stainless steel products.

For small thicknesses (1-2mm), you can drill out stainless steel with a simple steel drill, but only if its cutting part is sharpened at an angle of 120 degrees. In this case, the power tool is set to the lowest possible speed (100 rpm) in order to prevent the cutter from breaking, as well as overheating and failure of the tool itself.

For drilling processing of sheet metal, food grade and especially thin stainless steel (less than 0.9 mm), special stepped or conical drills for metal are used. Their peculiarity is that the working part of the part is made in the form of a spiral with annular transitions of various diameters.

This allows you to accurately determine during drilling what size hole was made at a certain stage of the work. In such cases (with very small thickness), such types can replace a whole set of parts for stainless steel, including round bits and conventional drills with different types sharpening.

Application of cooling and lubricants

Drilling holes in products that are made of stainless steel with a standard metal drill and using simple technology is not recommended due to the special structure of the alloy, which is characterized by high viscosity. The use of a conventional drill results in excessive heating of all elements that participate in it during operation, which can negatively affect the working tool and the finishing quality.

To avoid difficulties when drilling yourself and to make the hole correctly and as evenly as possible, use high-quality coolants, which at the same time act as a lubricant.

On an industrial scale there are powerful drilling machines and equipment that is equipped with an automatic fluid supply system. Some craftsmen equip old or homemade mills with a similar device, constructing it based on a pump from a car pump or other suitable option.

A common and serious mistake made by novice craftsmen is to dip the drill in water while working. That is, first they make a hole dry, then the hot rod is dipped into a cold solution. It is absolutely forbidden to do this, it reduces the properties of the part, and at a certain stage the workpiece will break, and this also applies to the working tool itself.

The composition that is used when drilling stainless steel is most often made on the basis of a mixture of technical oil or other types with high viscosity and colloidal sulfur, ground into powder (which is often used for the fumigation procedure in gardening and viticulture.). These two elements are mixed together in equal proportions and obtain the necessary for quality work cooling material.

More effective option cooling is a solution based on sulfur and fatty acids. The latter can be easily obtained independently using the following technology:

• a small piece of standard brand laundry soap is ground to a powdery state;
• add hot water (70-80 degrees) to the container and mix everything thoroughly;
• add a few drops of technical acid (hydrochloric acid) to the slightly cooled solution;
• after a few minutes, when characteristic fatty bubbles form on the surface, they are “quenched” with a large amount of chilled or ice water.

The resulting hardened layer contains the fatty acids necessary for the work, which are subsequently mixed with sulfur powder in a ratio of 1 to 6 and used as a heat compensator when drilling. If it is impossible to carry out such a procedure or for lack of suitable materials can be purchased ready-made options liquid cooling, which are sold in special stores (but their cost will be much higher than those that you get yourself).

In order for the hole to be smooth and of high quality, several simple rules, which allow you to perform quality work on stainless steel, namely:

When drilling parts that are located in a horizontal plane, the drill is pushed through a rubber washer or other material suitable in size and properties (for example plastic stopper), which in turn are filled with a cooling compound and installed directly above the place of the required cut. Or additionally spray the area universal means for metals in the form of aerosols.

For vertical surfaces, you can install a paraffin ball, which is a good lubricant. To facilitate work in any plane, experts recommend making preliminary markings (axial marks) or a special template with already marked contours.

Regardless of the type of part, thickness and other parameters, a household power tool or machine is adjusted using adjustments to the minimum speed feed (100-450 rpm). This will ensure uniform and precise drilling. An indicator of a correctly selected speed is the long and uniform metal shavings that appear during the work process.

If the thickness of the steel product is more than 7 millimeters, the procedure is performed in several technological passes. First, make a small-diameter preliminary hole with a drill suitable for this purpose (for example, 4-5 mm), and then carefully drill it to the required parameters. This allows you to get the most even and neat edges, which is especially important when working with food or plumbing stainless pipes.

Drilling stainless steel at home is not difficult if you have theoretical and practical understanding of it and choose reliable power tools and a set of high-quality drills. Do not forget about constant cooling of the metal, safety precautions and technological breaks.