Problem Drilling Holes

S

smorgan345

Joined
Mar 8, 2007
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It's my first knife, I'm trying to drill holes in the handle, it's 1/8" thick 1080, the hardness is about 36. I have a 3/16" Cobalt Drill bit made for metal and a drill press. The bit starts the hole fine but after I get a certain depth in it just quits cutting and just starts getting hot. Am I doing something wrong or should it be this hard to drill through? Thanks for any input.
Scott
 

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you've reached a hard spot. try spot annealing by focusing the tip of a propane torch on that spot for a few minutes.

Jason
 
Also be for starting to drill again recheck the sharpness of the drill. If it stop cutting the bit may have gotten a litttle dull. A cobalt drill bit is a good choice for RC-36.
IMOP.
 
cooling/lubrication and back out, restart... though at this point your bit might be dulled far enough to need either sharpened or replaced. I back off and add more lubricant several times even on 1/8".
 
Remyrw said:
cooling/lubrication and back out, restart... though at this point your bit might be dulled far enough to need either sharpened or replaced. I back off and add more lubricant several times even on 1/8".
Click to expand...

what type of lubrication do you use?
 
This is what I use these days. They're not joking, it's THICK, very gel like. I put a blob of it where I'm going to drill then ooze some more in as I work. Until it's all spun off or clogged up with metal shavings just lifting the bit slightly and starting again will let more sink into the hole. At that point I add some more.

I'm not sure about the smoke free part, but it does smoke less than other things I've used. I tend to be pretty careful about not overheating things these days anyway. Drill a bit, lift, drill a bit, lift... Keep the speed on the low end for the size, keep things sharp and don't use too much pressure, let the bit do the job at the proper pace, you just want enough pressure to be cutting.

http://www.usaknifemaker.com/ultra-lube-cutting-and-drilling-oil-4-oz-norseman-p-263.html
 
thanks guys. I slowed down the speed, lubricated, and used a smaller bit followed by the proper size. It worked great. thanks again.
 
Remember feed and speed, I do all my drilling really slow now. If you are not getting a nice curl of metal especially from a simple carbon steel you have the wrong feed or speed, most posts it seems like everyone is too fast. I just checked my drill press and it had a 1/8 bit in the chuck and the speed was set at 360. I could probably go faster but I got comfortable with the slow speeds and dont move up much.
 
My press goes down to 570 rpm's or so. I keep the metal well lubed, light pressure, and don't have any issues. I'd probably go slower if I could.
 
I noticed the same thing on the 1 1/2" X 1/8" 1080 steel I got from Kelly Cupples. Where did you get your steel?

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
Feed rate is an important issue. Light pressure can cause spot hardening, and make the drill suddenly burn and be useless. Drill with a steady pressure, and a well lubed. sharp bit.. A Drill Doctor is one of the best shop tools you can have. It should be the second purchase after the drill press.
 
Stacy has it on feed and speed rate . Go look at Nathan the machinist WIP thread on his radius platens . He drills a 1" block of steel with no lube , just the right feed and speed .
 
bladsmth said:
Feed rate is an important issue. Light pressure can cause spot hardening, and make the drill suddenly burn and be useless. Drill with a steady pressure, and a well lubed. sharp bit.. A Drill Doctor is one of the best shop tools you can have. It should be the second purchase after the drill press.
Click to expand...

Any recommendations of a specific Drill Doctor, a budget friendly one? :o
 
lonepine said:
I noticed the same thing on the 1 1/2" X 1/8" 1080 steel I got from Kelly Cupples. Where did you get your steel?

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
Click to expand...

I got my steel from Kelly too. But I think this was user error, not the steel. I slowed the drill down, lubricated and piloted the hole with a smaller bit and it went through no problem.
 
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