Tuesday’s Trick of the Trade
Stainless steel is the material of choice for many purposes in a hog barn. What would hog production be without stainless steel? But then there comes a time when you need to repair or remodel the stainless steel equipment and your first thought is, “Well, I better buy a lot of bits.”
When you take up this nearly impossible task, the typical guy response to material resistance is to run the drill faster while pushing harder. You shift it up to the highest speed. (At Klocke Farms, the term would be “letting it rip, tater chip!”) Within seconds, the tip of your drill bit looks more like a branding iron, blazing red. You mutter, “I’ll sharpen that up someday” as you place it in the drawer also known as the Drill Bit Graveyard.
A few years back someone gave me this tip. It has benefited me greatly and I’d like to pass it on to you.
PVC Cleaner
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PVC Cleaner can be found at your local hardware store or plumbing retailer. |
DISCLAIMER*** PVC cleaner is flammable. You need to keep this in mind as a spark could cause a serious problem. I’ve never had any issues with it, but it is important to take note and be cautious.
1. You need to start with a good quality drill bit. Top of the line is not a necessity, but now that you won’t be going through a bunch of them, you can spend more money on quality.

3. Typically it is best to start with a center punch to make a point or divot to prevent the drill bit from walking on you.

I’ve found it better to stop drilling and dip your bit more often than not. It will keep your good bit cutting and working much longer and your sanity intact!

If you do this and dip often, you’ll be able keep that bit in use much longer.
While we haven’t personally tested it out, our feeder manufacturer recently recommended Elmer’s Glue as an option. What trick do you have for drilling through stainless steel?
Hope this helps.
– Dave