Drilling Stainless Steel

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spook100
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Drilling Stainless Steel

Post by spook100 » Mon Mar 15, 2010 4:11 pm

I bought a 10 gallon stainless steel milk urn at my local car boot sale that I want to convert into a kettle/HLT. I have found some HSS step drill bits on the internet that I am should be able to cope with the holes up to 26mm diameter, but I need to make a much bigger hole (around 64mm I think) for an immersion heater. Does anyone know of a (not too expensive) tool that will do the job or will I need to take it to a prefessional metal worker?
A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure.

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Aleman
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Re: Drilling Stainless Steel

Post by Aleman » Mon Mar 15, 2010 4:30 pm

A 64mm Qmax sheet metal punch is a much better tool for making large holes in Stainless . . . while you can use a 64mm Bosch Cobalt Hole saw, the odds are that it will blunt in short order. With a Q Max punch you only need to drill a 12 mm hole . . . and don't forget to buy the thrust race it makes life much easier with those big holes

fractureman
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Re: Drilling Stainless Steel

Post by fractureman » Tue Mar 16, 2010 2:29 am

or take to any welder fabricator, my house mate is 1 & says he could do that no problem for a couple of pints ;)
keg 1 : (Drinking) : Amarillo extract brew
keg 2 : (Conditioning) : Summer Ale extract
keg 3 : (Conditioning) : Lightening extract Goldings only
keg 4 : (Conditioning) : Lightening etxract

FV1 : FV2 :
Bottled: Brewferm Diabolo, Brewferm frambois
next up: coppers stout:)

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spook100
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Re: Drilling Stainless Steel

Post by spook100 » Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:40 am

Thanks for the replies. I think the steel on my urn is a bit thicker than 16 gauge so I'll have to try and find a welder to do it.
A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure.

jason123

Re: Drilling Stainless Steel

Post by jason123 » Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:02 pm

I'd look for a small local engineering workshop and see if you could persuade one of them to do it for a £10 in the dinner hour. You'll also benefit from a nice neat job too!

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