I understand to drill or turn stainless steel you need special tools but I'm not clear if the issue is hardess of the tool or lubrication of the tool.
Anyone confirm or correct me, please?
Drilling or turning stainless steel?
Feb 08, 2006
2 Replies
The issue with most stainless is rapid work hardening, compared with carbon steel. For example, 316 (machineable food-grade SS) can be drilled easily enough with 1/2" HSS bit if you keep the feed rate up; but to ream it you'll need 10 strong yet otherwise unemployed jolly jack tars, scaffolding tubes, some solid hafnium carbide reamers, Captain Grose's 1811 "Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue" and copious quantities of lard rendered from a freshly-slaughtered virgin sow to lubricate the sailors. I believe most of the items can be bought from J&L.
hope this helps Guy
Interesting to note J&L now stock quantites of Sea-men... I suppose that will save me having to deal with some of the usual Wonkers...
Joules
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