Tricks to drilling into acme? It’s like impenetrable steel.
Solid carbide. Slow speeds. Lots of pressure. Use coolant if you need to keep the bit.
How do you get the pressure? I’m pushing when a hand drill and carbide bit as hard as I can but all it’s doing is making the screw shiny.
I would use a lathe but a drill press could be rigged. Make sure you have not dulled the bit. I have drilled lots of tool steel but not one of these screws yet.
Colin is correct with his answer. The only thing I would add to it is time. It takes a long time to drill. Slow and steady.
Is there a certain type of bit I should use? I was trying a carbide 5/32 bit, and as much pressure as I could and it only polished the end. Debating going and getting a drill press later, but still wondering how some of you guys did it with a hand drill.
Hmm Dont recall having any issues with a hand drill, are you using a punch mark to start the hole? I use one of those spring loaded jobbers.
Did you need to sharpen the bit? I’m using a hand drill and carbide bit and it just seems to rub on the surface without drilling it all. I used a center tap and have tried slow and fast speeds.