Help with metal drilling

[TomSr]

I am not a metal worker. I know very little about working with any kind of metal. I am a wood person. I am trying to replace my seat on my Mits 2050D using some channel from old bed rails. I have a HF cheap drill press and cannot for the life of me drill a hole through the metal. I have burned 2 drill bits.

Dont Laugh to loud.

Where am I going wrong.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Use oil and drill slowly with pressure. Keep the area moist with oil... There is drilling oil, but I have seen people use wd40 as well.

 

[MikeD74T]

Bed rails are hardened. Heat a small spot to red & cool slowly to soften (anneal) before drilling. MikeD74T

 

[Deerlope]

Buy a Colbalt drill bit and run at 200 rpm's or less and use cool tool cutting oil. If you can not do all of the above just use a colbalt bit.

 

[Buckeye_Jim]

I have seen sets of drill bits that were worthless. They wouldn't drill through 16 gauge sheet metal on their first use. So, that may your problem.

Jim

 

[kentrodngun]

I have seen sets of drill bits that were worthless. They wouldn't drill through 16 gauge sheet metal on their first use. So, that may your problem.

Jim

Agreed - especially some of the bargains we all buy from Harbor Freight. I worked in a machine shop for five years and learned to sharpen my own drill bits. You'd be surprised just how fast some of them will dull up! I was trying to use my HF drill press yesterday along with a HF bit to drill holes in galvanized bolts. Bit wouldn't even move. A little touch up on the grinding wheel along with some cutting oil and it went through like the proverbial hot knife into butter. Can't beat a sharp bit, even if it's a cheap one. MikeD74T's comment about the hardened steel is right on too, so heat, make sure the bit is sharp and use some oil to "Get R Done".

 

[scott_vt]

I am not a metal worker. I know very little about working with any kind of metal. I am a wood person. I am trying to replace my seat on my Mits 2050D using some channel from old bed rails. I have a HF cheap drill press and cannot for the life of me drill a hole through the metal. I have burned 2 drill bits.

Dont Laugh to loud.

Where am I going wrong.

Mornin Tom,
Mike gave some good advice if the bed rails are hard. Also you didnt say what size hole you are trying to drill ? I assume that if its for a seat, probablly not bigger than 3/8" or 1/2". Quite often if Im trying to do something like that at home I will predrill with an 1/8" drill on my prick punched hole and then redrill to the desired size. This also helps the drill from wandering on your workpiece. As some of the other guys have suggested, use some oil lubricant to help dissipate the heat from the bit.

BTW you can touch up the drill bits with a bench grinder so they stay sharp!

 

[DieselPower]

Lot's of good advice. Drill a small starter hole when drilling large holes, use a good quality drill bit and keep the drill bit well lubricated with cutting oil and you should do just fine. You should be able to pick up some good single drill bits the size you need and cutting/taping/drilling fluid at any good hardware store.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

Also set the drill press to its slowest speed possible.
I can drill bed rail no problem. Stuff seems soft to me.
Use plenty of cutting oil, or I have even seen kerosene used.
Cutting oil is cheaper, safer, and better for the drill bit.

Pooh Bear

 

[TrippleT]

There are some very good answers here. I would suggest as someone else did, that you use a cutting, or drilling, oil.
I will never forget when I was in a tech school that an instructor came by while a student was drilling, but was using motor oil. He took all of us to the class room and gave a, believe it or not, two hour lecture on drill bits and how to use them.
First, he asked a question, what does motor oil do? It separates two metals. SO, when you use it your going to burn bits.
Not saying that is what you used, but just something for those who read these posts and do not know. That they might learn without a lot of frustration, and cost. Good bits, proper lubricants, right feed, will make most jobs a pleasure.