Drilling D2

J. Neilson

J. Neilson

Joined
Feb 6, 2001
Messages
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I'm sure this has been done but, the search just pulled up too much stuff to go through. I got a good deal on some D2 planer blades, 1/8" thick that I have an idea for but, lo and behold...I can't drill through the buggering steel to save my life. I already us cobalt drill bits and they ain't cutting it. I only need to drill a couple, probably 3/32" holes in the tang. Will carbide bits do the job or is there a way to anneal the tang without screwing things up easily, or at least easily for someone like me?
:rolleyes:
 
J.
To drill through this material heat treated you will need a carbide spade bit.
D2 is a very tough steel to drill when heat treated .
I suggest a area anneal first.
Clamp off the blade area so that the heat does not travel to the blade area.
Then take a propane or acetylene touch and heat the area that your drilling to a dull red.
Let the tang sit until it is cool.
Then try drilling it with the carbide spade bit.
Good luck.
Regards
Darrel Ralph
 
Are you positive they're D2? Many planer blades were made of M2, and those things run HRC65-67.
M2 is very hard to anneal for the average knifemaker also. :eek:
 
HMMMMM. Maybe all those useless planer blades that I assumed were D2 are M2.....Anyway, they are a royal pain.
J. I have had some luck using new masonry carbide bits. They are cheap so it can't hurt to try one!
 
I was told they were D2, maybe not. Well...there goes what was suppose to be another easy project right out the window.
:grumpy:
Thanks guys I'll give the suggestions a whirl.
 
J,
If you want to drill a hole in heat treated D-2 the only option is a carbid drill bit. I would not try to drill a 3/32" hole in heat treated D-2 with a carbid bit. Carbid bits are fragile to start with and a little bit like that will probably break. If you must drill a hole in heat treated D-2 I would drill a 1/4" hole and then insert a 1/4 brass rod and pean LIGHTLY. You can then drill a smaller hole where you want it.
Some tips for using carbid bits. Use either no cooling fluid or bathe it with cooling fluid from the start. Use a high speed with light pressure. Be very careful as you break through as this is when most bits will break. Wear safety glasses, lots of very hot and sharp little shavings.
By the time you buy a carbid bit or two it might be cheaper just to purchase some surface ground bar stock from crucible. Can you use the planer blades for hiden tang knives? You could high temp silver braze a tang extension on them that you could drill through or thread. Hope this helps.

Tom
 
J, I've been making knives from D2 shear blades for a long time now. Darrel is correct that a spot anneal works wonders, but McMaster also sells some really killer spade bits specifically for drilling very hard steel. You may want to give them a whirl. I use flood coolant and those bits in my mill and they will melt through that hardened D2 like butter in any bore that's 1/4" and up. Below that, heat and fragility play havoc, so you have to be super careful like Tom says.
 
Thanks guys, I'll play with it a bit today if I get the chance. I got a call from a fella only about 20 miles away who owns/runs and exotic hardwoods business and he invited Tess and I over. Really nice place and a nice guy. Even got a piece of Greenwood that was from the pier in the Philadelphia Harbor during the revolutionary war. Might be neat. Anyway, he offered the blades and though I don't normally use this type of steel, I figured I'd give it a try. We'll see what happens. Thanks again.
 
You could do a simple test to see if it will rust,if it doesn't rust it's D2 ,otherwise most likely M2. Won't be so easy to spot anneal M2.
 
Mike is right! If the blades are M2 this may be a problem not worth attacking!
I have seen planners in D2 M2 And L6. A flat tipped spade will do the job ok and they are cheap...$8.00 or so.
Another drill for long performance is a drill called a Hi-Rock drill.
These are straight flute drill made to drill materials over 50 rc.
I use a 3/32 ever day in a process I do on blades.
 
Darrel,
Always something new to learn on here. Where do you get your hi-rock drill bits? Does MSC carry them? Are these carbide? Thanks.

Tom
 
all this talk of drilling holes got me thinking.....

I was drilling some 440C with a carbide bit the other day when it suddenly stopped. What was usually easy to drill suddenly became impossible. I tossed the bit and got another one - no luck. It is possible that the heat from drilling hardened it? I was going the same speed I went on every other hole....I usually drill at around 900 RPM. Or maybe it was a defective part of the steel?
 
Daniel,
It is likely that the steel workhardened. I have had this problem with regular HS and cobalt bits but have never had the problem with carbide. Depending on the size of hole you are drilling 900rpm sounds a little slow. Since you already think the bit is no good try speeding it up and see what happens.

Tom
 
sometimes I take it up to 1200 or 1500, but I need to correct my original statement.

It was a cobalt bit, not a carbide.....:o
 
Daniel,
I definently think it work hardened. I run my benchtop drill press as slow as I can when drilling steel. This is approx. 650 rpm and haven't had this problem in some time. Are you using cutting fluid? I can gauge how sharp my bit is by the color of the chips and the amount of pressure it is taking. I sharpen my bits as soon as they start getting dull, this seems to help.

Do you still have the blade that work hardened? Try center punching the hole to the side, the beveled part and then drill with a sharp bit. I have used this to salvage a blade blank in the past.

Tom
 
I drill 440C at 720 RPM, with lots of lube. Sometimes I go down to 170 RPM.
High RPM's will get you a work hardened surface real quick on SS.
 
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