OT. Fair wine, greedy bugs and drill Bits

Watch that the bugs are not flies as you'll end up like Doug ha ha

Kev

Get a stepped drill bit they are expensive but well worth the money, just don't force it to drill

Kim,

You need to call me more often.

I can tell you where to buy quality tools. Avoid the mainstream hardware stores, they only sell junk. They're not cheap, but they do the job.

As for your other problem, get some Citronella oil and burn it in a lantern. It keeps the nasties away.

Jim.

What size hole are you trying to drill? as for drilling get good quality drill bits as mentioned hereabouts do a pilot hole and then step up in size. I have not had any problems drilling 13 mm holes in 6 mm steel this way. Also set your drill to slow and don't force the drill good bits will simple do the job.

The only problem with the bugs is you drink slow lol :)

Have fun

Brian

Why put the glass down?

Gnats..

Sounds like some space age metal.... or blunt bits...

HI , most decent drill bits are made from HSS ( high speed steel ) and the same stuff we used to use for lathe tools and milling cutters before carbide tooling came in ( HSS is cheaper than carbides so we still use HSS today, still easily grind able and adjustable for different applications such as screw cutting and odd cutter shapes )

HSS should be more than enough for mild steel applications , could not imagine the use of high carbon steels in a trailer except maybe on the hitch. So as others have mentioned a few pilot holes would be a great idea -- example you going FINISH ON A 13 MM HOLE

maybe start with a 4mm drill -- then 8 mm then 13 if its thin guage steel
if your doing 10 mm plate you would maybe go

4 mm 8 mm 12 mm 13 mm

remember faster speeds for small drills and slower speed for the larger drills - plenty of lube to keep the drill cool and moderate feed

for Stainless steel - you drill much slower but with much higher feed rate - don't allow to get hot as the s/s will work harden and you wont be able to drill easily( rake angles on the drill are also different)

blunt drill bits are the biggest cause of dodgey drilling , its a bit of an art to grind a drill by hand ( sharpen ) as you have to get both faces the same or one face will cut and the other wont , and you will end up with a drill that wants to wonder off and worse still a hole that is not straight, if your not good at sharpening your own drills - then buy one of those cheap drill sharpeners , they work pretty well and for light work such as your doing ( nothing precision) it will be fine

hope this helps a little !!

Boc