How To Drill Holes In Thick Steel - A Lesson For The Novice - With & Without A Drill Press

There are important things to know if you want to properly drill thick steel. This video is a lesson in the basics...

[misterdubity]

Can you further define "bar stock"? The text overlay @6:36 says "Common high speed steel bits will NOT drill hardened steel, stainless steel, and cast iron." Are you saying the drill bits you used were better than 'common high speed steel bits' or that the bar stock is "softer" than hardened steel, stainless steel etc?

[scottp]

Great video! I'm glad you can teach something to others so they can learn how to do a project like this. When we were drilling any holes in steel and couldn't get access to the magnetic drill we would have to fend for ourselves. Of course we did a small drill bit first but when we went up to half inch or so we would make a dam with plumbers putty around the hole that we were going to drill. That would hold our lune/coolant to the area being drilled. We then would fill a large spray bottle with crushed ice and water. We would spray that concoction to cool down the drill bit. We keep it lubed and we kept it cool so we didn't have to stop and resharpen. Just a hint to everyone. Thanks for reading this.

[GarrisonFall]

Thanks for this info. I used to think lubricating a drill bit would somehow stop it cutting! I wish I had seen this video about 15 drill-bits ago.😊

[pcfred]

Metalwork is all about feeds and speeds. This is the speed formula SFPM = (π x Dia x RPM) / 12 High Speed Steel tooling working mild steel 100 SFPM is max speed. Generally I like to run twist drills at 50% of that myself. So 50 SFPM End mills I wind up to full speed. Using that formula we can see that 764 RPM would be max speed for a half inch diameter tool. Here's the derived formula for breaking out RPM from the equation RPM = SFPM / (π x (Dia / 12))

[carlmclelland]

I use Marvel Mystery Oil for a cutting oil. The problem of using a hand drill is the inability to maintain the SLOW SPEED you need for drilling through metal, and keeping the drill perpendicular to the intended hole. I don't even use my drill press, Herrick, but then... I have a milling machine with plenty of torque and low speed. The other thing you mentioned... quality drill bits. With cheap ones, they dull slightly, so the person applies more pressure and more speed. At that point you're not drilling, you're burning a hole... right up to the point where the bit breaks.

Excellent educational video, my friend....

[beerdrinker]

Great video. Very useful. I never would have thought about securing the metal to a board with screws. Wow. I would have used the tried and dangerous potential disembowelment method. Drill press on very low rpm is something I was shown in person just two weeks ago. Thank you.

[brent]

Great video…Thank-you for an excellent tutorial on this topic. How about another video on your way of sharpening drill

[garysabo]

Nice Video! Was watching in my den. Looked at my book shelf when you mentioned Shop Work on the Farm, I have a copy! It was my Dad's from school. Author is Mack M Jones, MS Professor of Agricultural Engineering, University of Missouri. Published by McGraw-Hill, 1945. Keep passing on the knowledge and skills, you would have been a great shop class instructor!!

[harrytinker]

Good tutorial. Titanium refers to the titanium nitride coating on the steel which helps them to last longer and look nice. That cutting oil looks like used motor oil. Its worth mentioning that keeping the tip of the bit cool, with the oil and low speeds, is critical because as soon as it overheats it looses its hardness and dulls quickly.

[Clyde_Lewis]

Thanks very much for this great explanation, which is easy to follow. Myself have been somewhat self-taught as well, and I really admire your workbench and tool area. Did you construct the workbench, and do you have a video on how to design a work area like that? Also, I'm trying to drill a hole in a garden hoe (it's the 'head' part of the hoe - the round steel part that goes into the hole in the handle). I'm wanting to drill a hole for a rivet, but I was wondering if that is a harder steel, or might this technique work on that?
Thanks very much.

[TGYoung]

Is there any advantage to stepping up in smaller increments of drill bit sizes, particularly if you're drilling by hand?

[rockhoundranch]

Who is the author of "Shopwork on the Farm"?

[rickleffel]

Liked it - Drill press is the most dangerous tool in the shop. People do not respect it especially drilling large holes

[edwinlikeshistractor]

Remind newcomers to tuck the shirt in when hand drilling. Later with more experience you can let it all hang out. Right?