What is the best drill bit for stainless steel?
What
1. What drill bit should I use for drilling stainless steel? When drilling into stainless steel the choice of drill bit will ultimately determine how successful you will be. Cobalt drill bits are considered the best option due to their ability to withstand the high temperatures created when drilling harder metals.
Can you drill 316 stainless steel?
Stainless is actually a relatively soft metal, at least in its initial state. What stainless tends to do is “work harden” fairly quickly when heated, and drilling at high speed creates a lot of heat. When stainless steel work hardens, it becomes very hard and extremely difficult to drill.
How do you drill through hardened stainless steel?
To drill through stainless steel, you need an HSS (High-Speed Steel) drill bit. HSS drill bits have sharp edges that can cut into the tough metal. To cut into hardened stainless steel, you will require a drill bit with a large point angle of at least 130 degrees.
What RPM should you drill stainless steel?
Recommended Speeds for Carbide Tipped Holecutters
| Size | Steel | Stainless Steel |
|---|---|---|
| 11/16 to 13/16 in. | 700 – 1000 RPM | 300 – 700 RPM |
| 7/8 to 1-3/16 in. | 500 – 800 RPM | 200 – 450 RPM |
| 1-1/4 to 1-9/16 in. | 300 – 600 RPM | 175 – 315 RPM |
| 1-5/8 to 2 in. | 200 – 500 RPM | 120 – 225 RPM |
What drill bit will drill through stainless steel?
Cobalt
Cobalt (HSCO) is considered an upgrade from HSS because it includes 5-8\% Cobalt blended into the base material. This is a great option for drilling into harder steel as well as stainless steel grades. Carbide (Carb) is the hardest and most brittle of the drill bit materials.
Can you punch holes in stainless steel?
They’ll tell you that you need to have extra-sharp, extra-hard, extra-expensive drill bits. Drilling holes even in exceptionally hard stainless is fairly easy, even if you have comparatively simple, low-tech tools.