So I've started my adventure turning Stainless Steel Damascus and similar to a previous post, the rod I have is too hard for HSS bits. However, the materials in the SS Damascus can't be annealed like their carbon steel cousins. The method for annealing the 304 SS will harden the other metal, AEB-L. So the maker annealed the AEB-L, taking 2 days, leaving the work hardened 304, well, hard. The recommendation was to use carbide bits and tooling. Being the impatient and hard headed person I am, I decided to cut corners and use what I had and what I could purchase from Home Depot for drill bits. I had small bits made for drilling glass and ceramic that has a carbide tip brazed to carbon steel. Those worked quite well actually, they just didn't last too long. I then moved up to carbide tipped masonry bits from Home Depot. Bad move. The carbide tips aren't centered on the bit creating lots of noise and vibrations and an oversized hole. They also wore out quickly. Then I tried using a boring bar with a carbide tip to "drill" through the last little bit and broke the tip off it. Those only come in a set, so replacement won't be easy or cheap.
Lastly I took a long hard look at what I was doing, recognized my folly, and called a time out. Amazon Prime to the rescue. I bought 2, just in case, tungsten carbide end mills at about 1/2 the price of carbide drill bits and they arrived in a day. Drilling was like a good sharp bit in mild steel. It made quick work of what had previously taken hours with no damage to the tool. The end mill cost less than the 6 bits I wore out and it still lives for more abuse.
I had the carbide cutter but lost 1/3 of an insert facing the end after cutting with a band saw. The carbide doesn't like impact. Next time I will sand it square before machining. Most of that expensive Damascus ends up as chips to be thrown away. Now its off to heat treat so the material will etch correctly and be more corrosion resistant. Praying it doesn't warp.
Learn from my sorrows, get the right tools for the job, It will be cheaper in the long run.
Danny the former tight wad.
Lastly I took a long hard look at what I was doing, recognized my folly, and called a time out. Amazon Prime to the rescue. I bought 2, just in case, tungsten carbide end mills at about 1/2 the price of carbide drill bits and they arrived in a day. Drilling was like a good sharp bit in mild steel. It made quick work of what had previously taken hours with no damage to the tool. The end mill cost less than the 6 bits I wore out and it still lives for more abuse.
I had the carbide cutter but lost 1/3 of an insert facing the end after cutting with a band saw. The carbide doesn't like impact. Next time I will sand it square before machining. Most of that expensive Damascus ends up as chips to be thrown away. Now its off to heat treat so the material will etch correctly and be more corrosion resistant. Praying it doesn't warp.
Learn from my sorrows, get the right tools for the job, It will be cheaper in the long run.
Danny the former tight wad.
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