Help! Cant drill any further

[jtp137]

I am on my last hole on my mash tun already drilled the hole for the valve using 7/8 step bit. I am trying to drill the hole for the recirculation port and it will not budge. I drilled the 1/8 inch pilot hole and now the step bit will not go any further cant get past the first step. What are my options. Should I try a hole saw, buy a more expensive step bit, or start again lower

 

[kh54s10]

Seems like you wore out the step where you are stalled. I would go with another step bit. Or you might try a standard drill bit that will get you to the next step on your step bit. Drill very slowly with just enough pressure to get a bite. If you go fast you heat up and harden the steel that you are trying to cut.

 

[MaxStout]

You probably work-hardened the metal around that hole and dulled the first step of the bit. Drill out with standard bits in a progression, i.e., 5/32, then 3/16, 7/32...until it's big enough for the next step to go. Go low RPMs and not too much pressure. Keep adding lots of oil.

 

[bigdawg86]

Lower RPM is key, otherwise you burn the bit... use lube too

 

[jtp137]

I don’t know what happened with this hole I drilled the kettle fine and the valve port for the mash tun fine. Used center punch pilot hole and lots of cutting fluid. I wonder if step bit just wore out and the first step was too much of a gap from the pilot hole. Might go to harbor freight tomorrow see if I can get smaller step bit and drill it as far as I can

 

[VipperOfVipp]

Oh man, this was my weekend! 3 days of trying to cut a hole in my keggle for a ball valve. Go to harbor freight and pick up some new step bits ($5-$15) if the one you have look worn.

Then:

1. Look up step bit keggle on YouTube for a good video. Below are the tips he gives.
2. Go slow. Really slow. It will stick and bind a little as it gets going. You should see ribbons or little shards of metal coming off. Put a LOT of force behind the bit till it starts grabbing. You may be able to let up.
3. Use cutting fluid or WD40 oftern
4. After you get 1/2 way or a full step, take a break. The bit and the metal need to be cool or cold. This was my biggest mistake. I use ice cubes to help it cool down and walked away for 15min
5. Rinse and repeat. This takes awhile to do. Way longer than I expected to do it right.

Good luck with this. PM me if I can help out anymore.

 

[Bobby_M]

On a thin wall like that, I like to swap the drilling from the outside to the inside every two steps or so. You see how the wall starts flaring inward and it's harder to continue drilling.

 

[LarMoeCur]

I highly discourage using a hand drill and hole saw. You will regret the outcome. Drill press and hole saw with kettle very secure you maybe ok.

Like Bobby_M said, work it from the other side. Or like MaxStout said, us a regular bit to get you to the next step.

 

[jtp137]

Crap, was able to widen the hole with 5/32 bit but using three different step bits I was not able to go any further and the damn kettle is bent from pressing so hard

 

[bigdawg86]

Why not just order a chassis punch at this point? You already have your pilot drilled

 

[ancientmariner52]

Please don't be insulted by my question. Is your drill motor turning in the right direction? I've machined all sorts of metal for 50+ years and never heard of anything like this.

 

[jtp137]

Nope right direction first two holes where extremely easy the third on close to the top is impossible

 

[jtp137]

This one?

 

[PADave]

I don’t know what happened with this hole I drilled the kettle fine and the valve port for the mash tun fine. Used center punch pilot hole and lots of cutting fluid. I wonder if step bit just wore out and the first step was too much of a gap from the pilot hole. Might go to harbor freight tomorrow see if I can get smaller step bit and drill it as far as I can

That's your problem right here. Buy garbage tools, get garbage results.

 

[jtp137]

Finally got it what a pain in the ass wonder if it was difficult because it was so close to the bend at the top. Hope I never have to do that again. Of course amazon has this on sale

 

[kh54s10]

I bought a 2 pack of Harbor Freight step bits. $19.99 I drilled 4 holes in my S.S. pots. They are very heavy gauge steel. All 4 holes took less than an hour including deciding where to drill.

It is not the bits that is the problem.

Sure, a quality bit may do a lot more drilling but I only had the 4 holes to drill. I still have the bits and am sure I could do a few more.

 

[ancientmariner52]

I agree with kh54s10. I've drilled several kettles with my cheapo HF bits. No visible wear, and were still sharp enough to drill spigot holes in a pair of early Big Mouth Bubblers without melting or tearing the thin plastic.

 

[ancientmariner52]

I've never tried to drill a hole near the rim of a SS kettle. The kettles are made from flat stock, either by deep drawing or spinning. Either process is going to put some serious compression stress on the metal near the rim. Maybe kettles are just harder in that area?

 

[kh54s10]

I've never tried to drill a hole near the rim of a SS kettle. The kettles are made from flat stock, either by deep drawing or spinning. Either process is going to put some serious compression stress on the metal near the rim. Maybe kettles are just harder in that area?

One of the holes I drilled was for the anchor of the top end of a sight tube. That hole was not harder that the others. Maybe even easier, I don't really remember either way.

 

[ancientmariner52]

Dang it. I hate metal mysteries!

 

[jtp137]

Finished product cant wait to test it out. Pickup tube is 1/16 inch from bottom. Thinking of just dumping return straight on top with no silicone hose since HSA is busted

 

[jtp137]

Spent $112 on pot $80 on false bottom and $40 on fittings not bad

 

[day_trippr]

[...]Thinking of just dumping return straight on top with no silicone hose since HSA is busted

Whatever gave you that idea?

Cheers!

 

[FunkedOut]

HODO?

 

[LarMoeCur]

I bought a 2 pack of Harbor Freight step bits. $19.99 I drilled 4 holes in my S.S. pots. They are very heavy gauge steel. All 4 holes took less than an hour including deciding where to drill.

It is not the bits that is the problem.

Sure, a quality bit may do a lot more drilling but I only had the 4 holes to drill. I still have the bits and am sure I could do a few more.

My 8 dollar (got them on sale) Harbor Freight set cut 8 holes in my kettles, a hole in a false bottom, and countless other holes in refrigerator doors for taps. They are still going strong.

Stainless steel can be difficult but it is thin gauge. Cutting oil and not overheating is the key. If it's smoking like Churchill during WW2 then it's to hot stop and let it cool. The little slivers of metal being cut should smoke but not he entire hole or bit.

Yes the tools are cheap to purchase and cheaply made at the HF but if you only need to use them once or twice, why spend more money? I've got a Knock out punch set I bought to do my Electric panel. Cost me all of $20 bucks, I cut 10 holes perfectly and now it collects dust in my garage. Had I bought Greenlee punches it would have cost me $250 for the same holes. I still hate to buy Chinese goods but I love brewing more than I hate goods from China.

 

[FunkedOut]

I'll try and add something useful.
If the kettle wall is thin enough to bend out of the way, it doesn't matter how hard you push, it will get out of the way of the cutting edge and dull it.
If this is happening, put some kind of backing inside the kettle, like a block of wood to keep it from deflecting.

 

[MaxStout]

I have a couple of the cheap Irwin bits and have drilled about a dozen holes in ss so far and the bits are still sharp. Cheap bits aren't the problem.

I think the metal around the hole you're drilling has work-hardened from heat and pressure. And if the rim of the hole is starting to bend inward, you're pressing way too hard with the drill. Do you have a Dremel tool or one you can borrow? Use a skinny grinding stone and carefully remove some of the metal around the hole. Enlarge the hole to, say, 1/2" diameter to get past the hardened metal.

Then finish with the last steps of the drill bit. Go really slow, like <200 RPM. Lots of oil and keep adding oil along the way.

 

[Nebraskan]

You can also use water as a coolant. Putting something on the back side to give it support, using C clamps or locking vice C clamps is also very useful.