Step Drill Bit

[Strelok]

Hello Builders!


What is your experience with a step bit?

I bought one and it is sharp.
Still, when working on a thin sheet of metal I had to use a lot of force and ther was a terrible noise, but not much was cut.
And yes, the drill was even spinning the right way.

I saw Brad Lindsey use one on a thick chassis and that seemed to work very fine!

So, I am very cusious to what your adventures are!


Strelok

[nauta]

Hey Strelok

I used a step drill bit to makes holes in my Marshall chassis but thats thick steel. I'm guessing it is easier to make nice holes when the metal is thick and hard than if it is thin or saft?kinda like drilling hard or soft wood? better holes in the hard wood. I used a real drill bit on some aluminum way back and it made a big bur. That was one cool thing about the step bit is that once you get through the next step can take off the bur but you gotta use it from the ohter side toi get the the big bur off.

The step bit might be waht KOC would call clever cuz it is sort of cool and sort of cheezy at the same time

Peace man

[Strelok]

Hey Strelok

I used a step drill bit to makes holes in my Marshall chassis but thats thick steel. I'm guessing it is easier to make nice holes when the metal is thick and hard than if it is thin or saft?kinda like drilling hard or soft wood? better holes in the hard wood.  I used a real drill bit on some aluminum way back and it made a big bur. That was one cool thing about the step bit is that once you get through the next step can take off the bur but you gotta use it from the ohter side toi get the the big bur off.

The step bit might be waht KOC would call clever cuz it is sort of cool and sort of cheezy at the same time

Peace man

Hey Nauta!

Thanks for your reply!
So, you used a step bit!
Do you have other ways now or is there just no drilling at this time?

Hey, what a neat idea, using a step bit to deburr!

What surprised me was how much force I had to use to get trough the thin sheet.
In that video I saw it went much faster.


Also useful to drill with a normal bit and then get the right size with the step bit.
I am under the metric system here in Holland.

Milwaukee tools did not want to sell me a step bit with imperial sizes if you can believe that.
So I had to get one via  Amazon, not my favorite option.

Oh yes, that goes for everybody. Thin, soft material gives burrs


Yes, peace to you too!

[Sherlok Ohms]

Hello Good Gentlemen

I believe KOC suggested the use of a step-bit to deburr holes in TUT3 ? Or was it TOT? or both?

I would not worry too much about the use of a metric drill versus an Imperial one, as both come in very similar sizes. For example,1/8" is 3.175mm and likely in most cases one could use a 3mm drill without any issue. The difference is about 5-6%. I might propose that the very common "drill wobble" most consumer-grade tools exhibit would cover this difference?

For a tube socket mounting hole, metric might actually be better since many sockets are metric. otherwise, the clearance hole itself needs to be a small bit larger than the portion of the coket to pass through the hole. If the clearance hole is for the tube itself then any size larger than the tube diameter will suffice, accounting for the rocking or swiveling of the tube needed to gently release it from the socket. I believe a 1" hole is typical here, which is 25.4mm.

Cheerio

[Strelok]

Hey all!

Can't remember a step bit being mentioned but that doesn't mean a lot haha.

Good point there, wobble comes to the fix.
When using those isolater washers for metal jacks it is a little tricky to get the right size, and the size for a DIN chassis part is really tricky.
For me at least.

Ah well, I have my step bit now.

Yes, socket sizes are fine as far as I know, thanks for all the info!


Strelok

[makinrose]

Hello Builders!


What is your experience with a step bit?

I bought one and it is sharp.
Still, when working on a thin sheet of metal I had to use a lot of force and ther was a terrible noise, but not much was cut.
And yes, the drill was even spinning the right way.

I saw Brad Lindsey use one on a thick chassis and that seemed to work very fine!

So, I am very cusious to what your adventures are!


Strelok

The most critical thing with step bits is to use the right speed.  They work best on a drill press with slower speeds and moderate pressure.  To ease the cutting you can use cutting oil, but it is messy.  If you have very thin sheet I'd back it with a scrap piece of wood, so you'd don't deform the metal.   When working with metal I always use hearing protection and safety glasses.  I hope that helps!!

[Strelok]

Hi Makinrose!

Thanks for all the info!

Yes I backed the thin sheet up.

I did not take the other things in consideration so thanks a lot!

Hearing protection seems like a good idea too