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Thread: Drilling M2

  1. #1
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    Default Drilling M2

    I'm gonna make some carving knives from M2 steel from McJings so I'll need to drill some holes in the M2 about 3mm diameter.
    How shall I do it?

  2. #2
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    With a drill.

  3. #3
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    I drilled a 1/8" (approx 3mm) hole in one of my D2 plane blades no problems.

    I used a solid carbide drill bit and plenty of cutting compound, and drilled in short bursts so as not to get too hot.

    I dont know how a HSS drill bit would go, maybe try on a waste piece first, just be carefull not to overheat the drillbit.

  4. #4
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    I have heard people say that you can drill a hole in HSS with one of those glass & tile drills that you get from the hardware store.
    Although I have never tried it myself so I can't say for sure.

  5. #5
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    I have successfully drilled 3/16" holes through hardended stainless several times using an el-cheapo carbide-tipped masonary bit and a bit of cutting fluid or WD 40 or oil.
    He Who Dies With the Most Tools Wins

  6. #6
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Most HSS is M2 or a similar alloy of a similar hardness, so HSS is not going to drill into . I have also heard about the tile drill and carbide bits but have not done it myself.

    What I do instead of trying to drilling holes in hard steel if I want to add a handle is to cut small slots in it using a fine kerf cut off wheel. The handle bolts or screws fit in the slots and there are various geometrical arrangements you can use that will allow you to lock a blade into a handle with just one screw if you need to. This is much easier than drilling - see picture below which uses 3 slots and 3 screws. The little gaps left behind can be filled with a sliver of wood or an interesting piece of something like brass or even just casting resin.


  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    Most HSS is M2 or a similar alloy so this is not going to do it. I have also heard about the tile drill and carbide bits but have not done it myself.

    What I do instead of trying to drilling holes in this stuff for handles is to cut slots in it using a fine kerf cut off wheel. The handle bolts or screws fit in the slots and there are various geometrical arrangements you can use that will allow you to lock a blade into a handle with just one screw if you need to. This is much easier than drilling - see picture below. The little gap left behind can be filled with a sliver of wood or an interesting piece of something like brass or even just casting resin.

    Mmhmm..So you'd have a screw that hits the slot and pushes it into the handle and holds it there?

  8. #8
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    A 3mm ARTU drill bit with a little cutting oil will go through just about anything.
    Costs about $5.
    https://www.bolt.com.au/product_info...ducts_id=91964

    Mike
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    www.ColonialPlantationShutters.com.au
    Use your garage or home workshop to make Plantation Shutters as a business

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    Years ago when I worked in toolrooms ,we had stellite drills for drilling hardened tool steels .
    They basically were a triangular shape with rounded sides ,not much of a flute just a hollow along the sides no twist .
    But you drove them at high speed until the material you were drilling turned red hot and then put pressure on the drill and it would punch straight through.
    I haven't seen these drills for along time .Not sure if they are still available or even used these days.

    Kev
    "Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend ,inside a dog it's too dark to read"
    Groucho Marx

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    A COBALT DRILL WILL DRILL HARDENED STILL UP to about 55/60 rockwell at slow speed with juice

  11. #11
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by beetle View Post
    A COBALT DRILL WILL DRILL HARDENED STILL UP to about 55/60 rockwell at slow speed with juice
    M2 or HSS is typically Rc61 - 63 so cobalt drills are not going to do it either.

    I just tried using a cheap chinese carbide tipped masonry 7/32 bit to drill a hole through a 3 mm thick piece of M2. Touched the carbide tip up on a grinder, so it has a fresh edge, lots of standard metal working soluble oil/water lube, high down pressure on the DP and it went through in about 20 seconds, the steel flakes off as you would expect from a hard material. Cleanish hole on one side, bit ragged on the other - there are probably more optimum cutting angles on the drill than for masonry - but hey it worked!

    Cheers

  12. #12
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    I meant hardened steel

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    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by beetle View Post
    I meant hardened steel
    I kind like the idea of a "hardened still" - sounds like something that could have handled great uncles potato skin based hooch making activities without blowing up every coupla months. Man that stuff was like dynamite.

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    WE could build a stilll

  15. #15
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by funkychicken View Post
    Mmhmm..So you'd have a screw that hits the slot and pushes it into the handle and holds it there?
    or even just like this. ie screws going in/out of screen.


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