W.L Fuller hardened steel drills?

[fat tony]

I have discovered I need a hardened steel drill or 3, in 1/8" size. I like these ones as the others I have learned about such as at Brownell's have a short shank, for this application, I feel I need the extra shank length.

I want them to drill out a hardened steel cross pin that is holding the operating rod housing on the knoxform of an SKS barrel.

Here is the website I found them on.

http://www.wlfuller.com/html/drills_for_hardened_steel.html

The distributors claim there are a number of online retailers of these drills, but I am darned if I can find a direct link for ordering them online with no muss or fuss.

I see the only 2 Canadian retailers / Distributors of their drills are:

"Skookum Tools" and "Quality Saw & Knife Ltd".

To get to it, has anyone used these drills on firearms and did they work in a satisfactory fashion, and perhaps more importantly, was the price per unit for the drills economically viable, say; as opposed to ordering from Brownells?

 

[PEI ROB]

Run down to your local hardware store and buy a cobalt drill bit for $5. Carbide is harder but hardened steel is not as hard as a cobalt hardened drill bit. If your new cobalt bit won't cut, inspect the tip to make sure it is OK, ... don't ask.

 

[joe-boy]

If you do decide that you need a carbide drill, you could try your local fastenal. If you look on their website under straight flute drills, you'll find the 1/8" solid carbide bits run about $20 or so.

Carbide bits should be treated a little gentler than your regular HSS bits as they are brittle.

 

[Silverback]

kbctools.com has a great selection of carbide and cobalt drill bits and they are in Canada.

 

[fat tony]

Run down to your local hardware store and buy a cobalt drill bit for $5. Carbide is harder but hardened steel is not as hard as a cobalt hardened drill bit. If your new cobalt bit won't cut, inspect the tip to make sure it is OK, ... don't ask.

I'm not entirely sure, but I thought for sure the Vermont - American high helix twist bits I had (came in a card with 2) were cobalt. If so, they also didn't touch the pin.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[desporterizer]

If its realy hard, even carbide is going to have a hard time of it & unless you are using a mill (maye even then) its going to deflect. I take it you can't drive it out?

 

[mg4201]

i generaly use carbide endmills for this

i pick the ones out of the box that are at the end of their life. go slow use oil

 

[fat tony]

Actually I just got off the turnip truck and I don't even remember starting this thread, or why.

 

[art.h]

I find people forget the important step of getting a true start to the hole. Spend the time to get the centre of the object to drill, then use a carbide centre drill to start the hole-- it's shorter and stiffer than any drill. Then if the material seems extra hard use a carbide endmill the size of the drill to establish a pilot hole, alternate these two oprations to get this hole as deep as possible, then have at it with the drill.
Reason well side load and deflection are what destroys drills. The torsional load begins to generate heat + load which causes chatter at the cutting lip and bingo the drill is shot! all the best--art

 

[fat tony]

I had a 1/2" steel block with a 'true' 1/8" hole drilled in it as a guide. the whole item was set up laboriously with a mallet, and then securely clamped together with the help of a 3 foot long johnny bar. I had 4-5 different drills I tried to get the thing to cut, all of them were good drills.

I agree "people" are amusing most of the time.

"If only" - does not help out most of the time I find.