A funny thing happened at Fastenall today...

[Plecostomus]

I ordered some material, went to pick it up about an hour or so ago. I'm standing in line (yes line, there were three other people in there today!) and there was this chap talking with the clerk about drilling a block of steel.

He was complaining that the bit was just burning up no matter how fast he drilled, even with oil. So I asked him what he was drilling and he shot me a dirty look.

The clerk calls up Ultimate Expensive Drill Bits on the computer and while he's checking the sizes... it's quiet so I ask "Have you tried grinding the tip?" and he just shoots me a look and says "They come pre-sharpened."

Finally the person behind me speaks up: "Well what *are* you drilling you might be turning your drill too fast."

He responds "Big hunk of stainless steel, I'm turning my drill as fast as I can but it's just burning the bits down to nothing."

I look at the person behind me, he looks at me. We roll our eyes and the first person goes "What? I've been drilling shi* for 40 years I know what the hel* I'm doing."

I say "Yes, but I'm a machinist by trade" and the guy behind me goes "Toolmaker" and we both shrug.

First person goes "Oh so you think you're better than me? Well I don't need no fancy education to know how to drill a hole I've been drilling for over 40 years. Wood, concrete... all the same. Faster is better is what my father taught me."

Then the clerk speaks up and tells him how much the UberBit will cost, and he starts cranking at HIM about the price... Mr Toolmaker behind me and I are trying not to laugh. He pays $120 for his bit and storms off.

Gotta love it. Try to help someone (free advice from two tradesmen!) and they go apeshit on ya.

 

[JonathonWally]

I'm laughing because you know he's going to ruin that $120 bit and burn out his drill.

 

[Plecostomus]

I'm laughing because you know he's going to ruin that $120 bit and burn out his drill.

I drill stainless steel at work all the time with $10 bits that have been sharpened dozens of times. Slow speed, slow feed, plenty of coolant.

The grade of stainless I work with most often actually gets harder if you abuse it... say with a rapidly spinning drill-bit. Evidently Mr. Toolmaker knows about that too by the way he was laughing.

 

[JonathonWally]

I'm laughing because you know he's going to ruin that $120 bit and burn out his drill.

I drill stainless steel at work all the time with $10 bits that have been sharpened dozens of times. Slow speed, slow feed, plenty of coolant.

The grade of stainless I work with most often actually gets harder if you abuse it... say with a rapidly spinning drill-bit. Evidently Mr. Toolmaker knows about that too by the way he was laughing.

Generally, people are dumb and think everything gets drilled like construction grade lumber.

 

[Plecostomus]

Yes, exactly. This is why drills have more than one speed. If everything was meant to be drilled at 120,000 RPM they wouldn't bother with a variable speed feature.

I'll bet dollars to doughnuts this guy learned all his "metalworking skills" from watching Orange County Choppers.

 

[Mallory]

The guy was an idiot. My dad taught me a lot too. He also taught me to run what I was going to do past an expert (or as close to one as I could get) before I did it. So unless I'm just slapping 2x4's together to help my son build a catapult for school or something equally as undone, I always check with someone who knows better.

 

[Plecostomus]

The guy was an idiot. My dad taught me a lot too. He also taught me to run what I was going to do past an expert (or as close to one as I could get) before I did it. So unless I'm just slapping 2x4's together to help my son build a catapult for school or something equally as undone, I always check with someone who knows better.

Never pass up free advice from anyone. Everyone has a different method of attacking the same problem. You just might learn a better way.

So, when's the person who's going to take the side of Drilling Idiot going to get here? I gotta log off shortly.

 

[John Picard]

I'm laughing because you know he's going to ruin that $120 bit and burn out his drill.

I drill stainless steel at work all the time with $10 bits that have been sharpened dozens of times. Slow speed, slow feed, plenty of coolant.

The grade of stainless I work with most often actually gets harder if you abuse it... say with a rapidly spinning drill-bit. Evidently Mr. Toolmaker knows about that too by the way he was laughing.

I'm with you, Plecostomus. A few years ago, I had to teach someone that when it comes to drilling steel, start slowly and not much faster. He was doing the same thing as this clod. He approached the piece of steel and hit it full bore with the bit and couldn't figure out why he wasn't making a dent. I showed him to use some lubricant and then start slow and increase the RPM slowly and to stop at a point. He was flummoxed that I was able to slice through very nicely

 

[Plecostomus]

The Daft Punk Drilling Method works great on lumber and plastic but can play hell with some grades of metal.

 

[John Picard]

^^ I've hit some species of wood too fast as well and the bit wouldn't cut. Also, people never take into account to back out the bit to allow the shavings to clear the flute as they clog bit in when it's in the bore.

 

[Plecostomus]

^^ I've hit some species of wood too fast as well and the bit wouldn't cut. Also, people never take into account to back out the bit to allow the shavings to clear the flute as they clog bit in when it's in the bore.

Point geometry might help with that as well. Most bits come with an all-purpose point, but for best results consult a chart and use a grinder to optimize.

 

[JonathonWally]

^^ I've hit some species of wood too fast as well and the bit wouldn't cut. Also, people never take into account to back out the bit to allow the shavings to clear the flute as they clog bit in when it's in the bore.

Well, just ask anyone who builds furniture, different types of wood need to be drilled different ways.

Pine, Maple, Oak, all that fun stuff.