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It's this...
https://www.metals4u.co.uk//stainless-steel/c8/angle/c77/50-x-50-x-3mm-316/p7415
Have I bought some sort of undrillable metal or am I being a numpty (probable)?
I bought 2 stanley fat max drill bits as they were the most expensive ,put the drill on slow and have shagged them both out and drilled half a hole.
Do I buy some drill bits that aren't made of angels tears or get some different metal?
lots of coolant or oil and keep it cool
Stainless is difficult to drill - what size holes are you making? If you're not using it for an application that needs stainless steel and you've got a few holes to make it might be cheaper to buy some mild steel than more drill bits 🙂
If they are larger holes you might have more luck drilling a smaller pilot hole then enlarging it with a step drill
Lubricant?
Try a dormer high speed one
Did you start with a very small pilot hole and then step up a few mm for a few steps?
What size you drilling? As said stainless is tough, you’ll need to work up through sizes to get say 6mm.
Start about 3.5 ish. Then 6. Etc
Stainless will work harden. As you drill you need to penetrate and remove the hardened material. Keep cutting speeds constant and everything cooled as you apply an even pressure.
You might be going a bit slow, try a new sharp bit, faster and firm pressure. When its cutting nicely you should get chips or spirals of metal, if its just grinding away and not making progress you should step back and try again.
did you get the 304 or 316 ? one of them will need tougher drills , fatmax is marketing not definitely suited to drilling nasty stainless, a cobalt drill
might be suitable - your linked supplier sells them.
Smaller the hole the faster you drill - there are charts online - but usually its drilling large diameter too fast thats the problem.
Use a cobalt drill bit... much harder than HSS bit. I Use them regularly on Stainless in a drill press, cuts no problem.
Good luck, I screwed some dormer gold tipped 1.5mm drill bits up trying to mount a relay.
It got cable tied in the end.
All I needed was a bit of extra metal to get me free postage. It was cheaper than buying ready made brackets. Live and learn.
I shall now count the drill bits I've ****ed...eleven. That's starting with 2 mm bits. I shall buy some brackets with holes and cut them to size.
You could take it to a local fabricator and get them to drill it. Seeing as you'll have to go into town anyway
You need sharp bits, plenty of lube and just the right amount of pressure, get it all right and it's hot knife and butter, get one bit wrong and your screwed. Start at 3mm for a pilot.
am I being a numpty (probable)?
stainless steel 😆
Righto plan b. Will this 3mm aluminium be ok to support a 50mm beam 3.4 m long. It will be supported in the middle as well.
I've tried to squash it in the vice and it doesn't seem to bend.
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This is long rude and funny - offensive to some but good for a laugh whilst
informative:
AVE - What drill bit is best drill? :
As others have said - Stainless is difficult to drill, and really difficult to drill by hand (i.e. not using a pillar drill)
You need a sharp drill, plenty of coolant and a constant speed/pressure.
And a big bin to chuck it in.