drill bit help

I

inzane

Joined
Jul 26, 2006
Messages
106
hey guys i just got my first drill press and some brand new dewalt bits for it in the 1/8 size, i tryed to drill a hole in some unhardened 1095 steel and i just couldnt get the bit to go through i was wondering if u guys could let me know what kind of bits u use and any advice would be awsome, thanks in advance
 
I did some drilling today on some 1095 using HSS steel and it went through fine. When you say 'unhardened', do you mean you have actually annealed it, or have confirmed that you bought it in the annealed state? If not you have have to do that before you drill, otherwise will require more specialised bits.

Lang
 
well i bought an 18 inch peice from jantz supply i didnt do anything to it heat wise
 
If you ordered the 1095 from Jantz Supply, it is annealed. You certainly should be able to drill with regular HSS twist drills, use a cutting fluid and set your rpm at 260-330 for best results.
 
cutting fluid and slow speed. Like the slowest setting your drill press has as a ballpark. If your bits are smoking you are cooking the life out of em. They will dull extremely fast. I use the brand Rapid Tap, but 3 in one oil will work in a pinch. Kinda messy. You might want to use a catch pan for oily shavings but that is better than burning bits.
 
check with the supplier what state it is in. they sould be able to tell you... steels are often sold as normalised, cold rolled, annealed, etc . In other words it can sometimes be in a hard state as bought. Good luck
 
Make sure you're on the slowest speed. I used to go through bits like crazy, drilling unhardened 1095, then realized I was drilling on high speed.
 
Besides the type and quality of your bits, it's all about the RPM and downward pressure you are exerting as you drill, not to mention the possible use of cutting oil. I used to use a type of self centering bit that didn't require a centerpunch mark, and, though it was intended mostly for sheet metal, it worked well on somewhat thicker stock, too. There are fractional size, number size, and letter size drill bits. This one was, as I recall, a #30 which worked perferctly for 1/8" rivets because it was just about .003" oversize. These bits were double ended for extended use, and they came from a supplier of sheetmetal tools and supplies. See if you have one in your area.
 
thanks alot for the help guys i learned two things i thought that a higher speed would be better and also i didnt know that oil was a must im gonna go try out this advice and all post my results thanks again
 
well i just tryed to drill my whole and it came out great i turned my drill press all the way down and it read about 540 i out some 3in1 on the steel and it went through like butter
 
You might have the drill speed up too high where it heated up the blade in that one spot and basically work hardened it. Slow it down and try again and it should go through with a regular HSS bit. If you use carbides you want to speed up the press but for regular drill bits, cobalt and carbon drills use slow speed.

STR
 
inzane said:
hey guys i just got my first drill press and some brand new dewalt bits for it in the 1/8 size, i tryed to drill a hole in some unhardened 1095 steel and i just couldnt get the bit to go through i was wondering if u guys could let me know what kind of bits u use and any advice would be awsome, thanks in advance
Click to expand...

If they were wood working bits or general purpose bits they were common carbon steel and won't stand up to the heat and abrasion generated in drilling steel.

Make sure the package has the words HSS steel, M2 steel or M2 High Speed Steel
 
All the 1095 I ever bought from Admiral as annealed, was acually about quarter hard, and even cobalt bits wore fast. My press is set as slow as it will go. I soon found that I had to do another anneal, or sacrifice a cobalt bit for every blade.
 
inzane said:
well i just tryed to drill my whole and it came out great i turned my drill press all the way down and it read about 540 i out some 3in1 on the steel and it went through like butter
Click to expand...
Well, all the way down is all the way down for you. 540 is still a tad high but the only whay you can fix that is to buy another drill press--not happenin. Just be sure to keep the lube flowin and if you start to smoke, back off and fill the hole with fluid.
 
ACe hardware- Irwin Turbomax. WOn't say they are the best, but they are the best I've tried :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top