Working Stainless Steel

[Bob Babcock]

Could I get some advice on working stainless steel and its properties?
I want to work sheet and plate to about 1/8 thickness and have found
this stuff very tough in the past. How would one drill and cut it
with good results in a homebuilders shop? What types of saw blades
and drills work best? I do not own a metal bandsaw yet but it is
probably going to happen. Can this stuff be cut with a hacksaw?

Also which stainless is good for fittings and such?
Thanks from Canada
Bob

[Rich S.]

"Bob Babcock" > wrote in message
om...
> Could I get some advice on working stainless steel and its properties?
> I want to work sheet and plate to about 1/8 thickness and have found
> this stuff very tough in the past. How would one drill and cut it
> with good results in a homebuilders shop? What types of saw blades
> and drills work best? I do not own a metal bandsaw yet but it is
> probably going to happen. Can this stuff be cut with a hacksaw?
>
> Also which stainless is good for fittings and such?
> Thanks from Canada
> Bob

The most important thing to learn about stainless is that it work hardens
instantly. Let's say that you are drilling a 1/8" hole with a typical 1/4"
capacity electric drill motor. If you pull the trigger, then set the bit in
the centerpuch mark and start to apply pressure, you're all done for the
day, pal.

You *must* use a variable speed drill, place the bit in the centerpunch
mark, apply *lots* of pressure, and then *slowly* start the bit turning. It
must cut into the metal with every turn. If you "skid" the bit over the
metal - even once - it will work harden to what seems to be the consistancy
of a diamond.

Same story with a saw.

You will probably get a lot of conflicting information about this and
arguments about which alloy of stainless will act this way and which won't.
But if you follow this procedure you won't go far wrong with any alloy
stamped CRS (Corrosion Resistant Steel).

Rich "Gimme another cobalt bit - this one's as dull as my _______" S

[sleepy6]

In article >,
says...
>
>"Bob Babcock" > wrote in message
om...
>> Could I get some advice on working stainless steel and its propertie
>s?
>> I want to work sheet and plate to about 1/8 thickness and have foun
>d
>> this stuff very tough in the past. How would one drill and cut it
>> with good results in a homebuilders shop? What types of saw blades
>> and drills work best? I do not own a metal bandsaw yet but it is
>> probably going to happen. Can this stuff be cut with a hacksaw?
>>
>> Also which stainless is good for fittings and such?
>> Thanks from Canada
>> Bob
>
>The most important thing to learn about stainless is that it work hard
>ens
>instantly. Let's say that you are drilling a 1/8" hole with a typical
>1/4"
>capacity electric drill motor. If you pull the trigger, then set the b
>it in
>the centerpuch mark and start to apply pressure, you're all done for t
>he
>day, pal.
>
>You *must* use a variable speed drill, place the bit in the centerpunc
>h
>mark, apply *lots* of pressure, and then *slowly* start the bit turnin
>g. It
>must cut into the metal with every turn. If you "skid" the bit over th
>e
>metal - even once - it will work harden to what seems to be the consis
>tancy
>of a diamond.
>
>Same story with a saw.
>
>You will probably get a lot of conflicting information about this and
>arguments about which alloy of stainless will act this way and which w
>on't.
>But if you follow this procedure you won't go far wrong with any alloy
>stamped CRS (Corrosion Resistant Steel).
>
>Rich "Gimme another cobalt bit - this one's as dull as my _______" S


Yep. The trick is to keep the speeds slow and enough pressure that a
thin continous chip curls out.....Plus a good bit sharpener:) Use
finer teeth on the saw blades and expect them to wear out quicker than
normal. Bimetalic blades are worth the extra cost. Regular cutting
oils aren't very good with stainless. Keroscene makes a good drilling
or sawing fluid but it's dangerous. There are other products out there
that are designed for stainless cutting but I don't remember the names.

[Cy Galley]

Had an old timer tell me that a wet drill bit dipped in baking soda works to
drill Stainless.

"sleepy6" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> says...
> >
> >"Bob Babcock" > wrote in message
> om...
> >> Could I get some advice on working stainless steel and its propertie
> >s?
> >> I want to work sheet and plate to about 1/8 thickness and have foun
> >d
> >> this stuff very tough in the past. How would one drill and cut it
> >> with good results in a homebuilders shop? What types of saw blades
> >> and drills work best? I do not own a metal bandsaw yet but it is
> >> probably going to happen. Can this stuff be cut with a hacksaw?
> >>
> >> Also which stainless is good for fittings and such?
> >> Thanks from Canada
> >> Bob
> >
> >The most important thing to learn about stainless is that it work hard
> >ens
> >instantly. Let's say that you are drilling a 1/8" hole with a typical
> >1/4"
> >capacity electric drill motor. If you pull the trigger, then set the b
> >it in
> >the centerpuch mark and start to apply pressure, you're all done for t
> >he
> >day, pal.
> >
> >You *must* use a variable speed drill, place the bit in the centerpunc
> >h
> >mark, apply *lots* of pressure, and then *slowly* start the bit turnin
> >g. It
> >must cut into the metal with every turn. If you "skid" the bit over th
> >e
> >metal - even once - it will work harden to what seems to be the consis
> >tancy
> >of a diamond.
> >
> >Same story with a saw.
> >
> >You will probably get a lot of conflicting information about this and
> >arguments about which alloy of stainless will act this way and which w
> >on't.
> >But if you follow this procedure you won't go far wrong with any alloy
> >stamped CRS (Corrosion Resistant Steel).
> >
> >Rich "Gimme another cobalt bit - this one's as dull as my _______" S
>
>
> Yep. The trick is to keep the speeds slow and enough pressure that a
> thin continous chip curls out.....Plus a good bit sharpener:) Use
> finer teeth on the saw blades and expect them to wear out quicker than
> normal. Bimetalic blades are worth the extra cost. Regular cutting
> oils aren't very good with stainless. Keroscene makes a good drilling
> or sawing fluid but it's dangerous. There are other products out there
> that are designed for stainless cutting but I don't remember the names.
>

[Phil Sisson, Litchfield Aerobatic Club]

>

Also keep in mind that Stainless is a much poorer conductor of heat than Carbon
steel or aluminum. There will be lots of heat build up in the cut zone . This
will help account for some of the problems already talked about.

[Cam]

Hi guys, Just a tip, If you want to drill holes in really hard ****
(stainless included) go buy the cheapest tungsten tip masonary drill and
grind the negative rake off with a bench grinder ,(make take a while) and
push hard with a drill press.
I've drilled holes in saw blades, gears, case hardened axles and of course
stainless steel. and people pay me to do it!!!

The above is also true, once you stop cutting you start work hardening (SS)

Cheers Cam

(don't tell anyone..... I may have to kill ya)

PS. you can also grind the sides off to get an exact hole size.

[Bushy]

When I cut up the 5 mm thick stainless plate to make a 15" x 10" x 2"
1replacement water tank for my combustion stove (this is rec.aviation.steam
isn't it? ;<) I used my trusty angle grinder and a cut-off wheel in the back
yard so I could just cool it with the hose. It takes a while, but is much
faster to use a cheap and nasty 4 1/2 inch grinder than any other home
handyman tool.

The tank was then welded by a mate. The steel came from my friendly scrap
metal yard and was bent into a half cylinder in the pile. The scrap yard
pushed it flat with the boom of the forklift and then ran over it a couple
of time from both sides. Although not totally flat it was good enough to
make a very good and very cheap tank:
steel plate $20.00 (with half left over); cut-off wheel $2.00 (with half
left over); welding rods from mates work free; two 3/4 inch BSP stainless
water fittings welded in place $10.00; sixpack for mate and another for me
$20.00(with none left over).


Once the pipe fittings were welded in place, I drilled them out into the
tank wall with an electric hand drill and cheap drill bits. Maybe the heat
from the welding was enough to soften the steel for the 1/2 inch drill which
might have been a sharpened masonary bit, (they are good!) and I can't
remember whether I stopped or not, probably kept going at the time. Must
remember not to stop next time......

Hope this helps,
Peter

[Dan Thomas]

Cutting stainless was always a lot easier using a cutting fluid
containing 1,1,1,trichloroethane until they outlawed it. Not
ozone-friendly. I still have half a can of the old Rapid-Tap that they
stopped making about 14 years ago, and don't know what I'll do when
it's gone. The new stuff works, but not nearly as well.
The good fluids don't just lubricate. They form a hard oxide on
the tool as it heats, and the oxide eliminates almost all rubbing
friction, leaving the power to cut the metal without generating so
much heat. Using too much of such a fluid prevents the tool from
heating enough to form the oxide and is counterproductive.

Dan