Tougher Drills???

[sasquatch]

Geo, had pictured a post or two about it here when he bought it and tried it out, pretty sure it was a cole drill. Seems he had it clamped to his bench or in a vise?

[J. Randall]

Re: Saltmines post, is that called a cole drill, darn can't remember the name of them, but G A EWEN who used to post here had one.

It probably was not a Cole if it was mounted to the wall, they are a portable setup. I imagine it was just an antique drill press that worked about like the Cole.
James

[sasquatch]

Re: Saltmines post, is that called a cole drill, darn can't remember the name of them, but G A EWEN who used to post here had one.

[saltmine]

I think it has a lot to do with technique, also. I've always run my drills a lot slower than most guys, and have had excellent luck with them. A few years back, we were installing overload springs on an F-350, and the booster springs refused to stay in place. A friend of mine, who likes to collect antique tools suggested we drill a hole in the spring and thru-bolt it. Good idea, except that the spring is only a huge piece of spring steel, a half of an inch thick. I had visions of drilling on it until way past my retirement day. He told me to bring the springs over to his house, with the appropriate drill bit and we'd get them done in no time at all.. skeptical, I did just that, stopping by the hardware store to pick up a Cobalt drill bit, just in case. What greeted me was a bit of a shock, and my skepticism grew as he clamped one of the springs into the drill and chucked up the bit in what looked like an R-8 holder. It was hanging on the wall of his garage, a hand-cranked, automatic feed, antique drill. We slathered some lard on the bit, and the area of the spring where the hole was supposed to go, and he proceeded to turn the two-foot-long crank. The bit advanced slowly as it rotated, and watching, I figured it wouldn't be long before the crank stalled...or something broke. Much to my surprise, the drill marched through the half-inch spring like it was peanut butter. Astounded, I did the other spring and was amazed that the effort was only slightly more than hand cranking the table on a Bridgeport. When done, the drill bit looked like new, and the springs went back on the truck with their overloads to serve many years afterward. I don't think that bit turned more than 50 rpm's the whole time.

[firbikrhd1]

the question for people drilling through files is, are those files still usable as files before they drill em? :P
they could of easily have been annealed files.

That is a possibility although they didn't appear any different from files most of use in our shops daily. The demo I saw took place around 20 years ago. I wish I had paid more attention and actually tied to use a file before they drilled it.

[Black_Moons]

the question for people drilling through files is, are those files still usable as files before they drill em? :P
they could of easily have been annealed files.

[macona]

Die drills are also good for this kind of stuff.

[sch]

Website reports they are cobalt steel alloy drill bits. Nice but not exotic. TTP is an English company and they are proud of their drills. 88 pounds (~$145) for a 19 bit set (sub 13mm) and up. Bits over
13mm start at $6 and go up each.

[firbikrhd1]

Sounds like a carbide drill, goes like a piss in to the snow when drilling case hardened parts

I don't believe they were carbide and there was no mention of them being such during the demonstration. For all I know it could have been "snake oil". Those shows always have several people representing various products and seem to be able to make them do fantastic thinks that I don't seem to be able to make them do at home. If they were truly some kind of "super steel" I wish I had bought some.

[Jaakko Fagerlund]

Years ago, at a tool show, I saw a guy drilling through files with some drills he was selling. They were out of my price range at the time and I didn't buy any but the show sure made them look good. Don't know if they were really "super" or what the brand was now, but someone else may have some info about them.

Sounds like a carbide drill, goes like a piss in to the snow when drilling case hardened parts

[firbikrhd1]

Years ago, at a tool show, I saw a guy drilling through files with some drills he was selling. They were out of my price range at the time and I didn't buy any but the show sure made them look good. Don't know if they were really "super" or what the brand was now, but someone else may have some info about them.

[madman]

12.9 Grade Drills ,I get to drill these out, usually someone tries to drill them out before I get to them. They usually work harden the crap out of the surface, I end up using a carbide drill to get through the case hardened surface, Then i try to drill through and then weld onto it a nut or ??and try to remove the syuck Bolt, Its amazing hiow tiight some are. thanx all Mike

[boslab]

I bought a set of cobalt drills recently, but pricy but they will drill damn near anything, plenty of coolant, steady pressure low revs.
I still use hardmetal stellite drills from time to time, they will happily drill/melt through a file without hesitation, dont use coolant! We had a guy drilling throat armour for a blastfurnace who knackered loads of them, he was using flood coolant on the radial drill.
Mark

[Jono]

I'm with Jaakko. <50 fpm, good sharp bit, and heavy feed. You didn't say what drilling machine you use. If you're just relying on body weight, try rigging a lever feed or mag base.
It's quite possible that the guy in the vid had some mechanical assistance.Either that, or he was a lot bigger than me!

[madman]

I drill out many tough bolts, they run in a old videx machine and are self tightening from the massive pounding these old machines Take, I usually have to resort to a carbide drill but end up welding a nut onto the end and trying to get it out, man there have been some bitch bolts for sure hours spent removing them, Drills usually a nachi (I have a few) but also tried left hand drills , Problem is the material is so tough and seems to work harden fast . Anyhow??? Thanks ? Mike