Drilling through 22 guage stainless steel sheet

[ufobob]

I am going to be drilling over 100 3/32 holes through 22 guage stainless sheet steel.
Any suggestions as to type of drill bit?
I am afraid that the drill bit will "run" if I don't make a strarter depression with a center punch.
If I have directed this question to the wrong forum, would someone please be kind enough to direct me to the proper one?.

Thanks a lot - Bob

 

[dvd]

laser or punch the holes.

 

[eromlignod]

I would recommend:

stub length (screw machine type)
split point
cobalt steel

Don
Kansas City

 

[MiketheEngineer]

I like dvd's answer

If you are doing it by hand it may run. Try a test piece and push down hard on the manual drill - almost makes it own depression. Back it up with wood. You might be OK....

Otherwise punch and drill. For that matter - get a a 3/32 punch and hit it with a hammer.

I am assuming you are only doing one sheet of this - otherwise - automate it or sub-contract it.

 

[mfgenggear]

It depends how precision

cnc punch with backing is good & cheap
cnc water jet no backing required.
cnc mill with backing

emuga drills

22 gage = .028" thick
3/32 dia holes =.0937 dia

ratio is good

 

[dvd]

You also need to consider how long it will take to deburr all of those drilled holes. Drilled holes in stainless usually have quite a burr.

 

[ufobob]

Thanks to those who responded to my question about drilling through 22 gauge stainless steel.
The drill bits I got were Ex-Gold« Cobalt TiN Coated 130° Screw Machine Drills - 2 inches long.

The one I tried popped through the material very easily.

My only question now is how many holes will I be able to drilll before the drill dulls down.

Thanks again.

bob

 

[eromlignod]

I'd use the one you bought until you wear it out. That will tell you how many holes it's good for. Then buy enough drills to finish the job.

You could use solid carbide, which would last longer. It might justify itself in leiu of going through a dozen or more of the cobalt drills. You might have trouble finding them in stub length though. A regular jobber would probably work fine, but I would chuck it up as deep as you can, leaving just enough exposed bit to drill the hole. Good luck.

Don
Kansas City

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Bits are relatively cheap - buy a couple and then a couple more if need be.

 

[btrueblood]

I really like our local hardware store, they have a bit sharpener, and charge a nominal fee to resharpen a sackful for you.

 

[MikeHalloran]

If you're literally carrying drill bits around in a sack, i.e. banging into each other, they may not be worth resharpening.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA