• Grinding a Step Drill

    From Bob La Londe@none@none.com99 to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Dec 15 15:24:15 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    One thing I drill a lot are holes for hinge pins in molds. Typically I
    drill D, then G, (F would work, but G allows for faster work and still
    not bind) and then deburr the hole.

    I was thinking if I grind a 5/16 or 3/8 with a .246 and then .260 step I
    could drill and deburr every hole in one setup with out swapping drills.

    I'm about to go swap out the diamond wheel (normally I make carbide
    tools) for a white stone and give it a go.

    Can you:

    1. Tell me what I'm about to do wrong?
    2. Off suggestions to make it work better next time?
    3. Off some guidance other than ask a tool grinding shop to make some
    for me?

    I'll stick with stub length screw machine drills of course.
    --
    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff

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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Dec 15 19:10:07 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking



    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10hq1qh$281ns$1@dont-email.me...

    One thing I drill a lot are holes for hinge pins in molds. Typically I
    drill D, then G, (F would work, but G allows for faster work and still
    not bind) and then deburr the hole.

    I was thinking if I grind a 5/16 or 3/8 with a .246 and then .260 step I
    could drill and deburr every hole in one setup with out swapping drills.

    I'm about to go swap out the diamond wheel (normally I make carbide
    tools) for a white stone and give it a go.

    Can you:

    1. Tell me what I'm about to do wrong?
    2. Off suggestions to make it work better next time?
    3. Off some guidance other than ask a tool grinding shop to make some
    for me?

    I'll stick with stub length screw machine drills of course.

    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff

    ---------------------------

    I've made drills to cut various tapers and curves but never a step drill,
    and they usually needed a pilot hole.

    Supposedly dry diamond wheels won't burn on steel below a speed variously given between 3500 and 4500 SFPM. Is your grinder 3 phase?

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  • From Bob La Londe@none@none.com99 to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Dec 15 17:21:25 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 12/15/2025 5:10 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:


    "Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:10hq1qh$281ns$1@dont-email.me...

    One thing I drill a lot are holes for hinge pins in molds.-a Typically I drill D, then G, (F would work, but G allows for faster work and still
    not bind) and then deburr the hole.

    I was thinking if I grind a 5/16 or 3/8 with a .246 and then .260 step I could drill and deburr every hole in one setup with out swapping drills.

    I'm about to go swap out the diamond wheel (normally I make carbide
    tools) for a white stone and give it a go.

    Can you:

    1.-a Tell me what I'm about to do wrong?
    2.-a Off suggestions to make it work better next time?
    3.-a Off some guidance other than ask a tool grinding shop to make some
    for me?

    I'll stick with stub length screw machine drills of course.

    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff

    ---------------------------

    I've made drills to cut various tapers and curves but never a step
    drill, and they usually needed a pilot hole.

    I started with a split point screw machine length drill.


    Supposedly dry diamond wheels won't burn on steel below a speed
    variously given between 3500 and 4500 SFPM. Is your grinder 3 phase?

    Nope. Just a plane old single phase single speed induction motor. I
    did go ahead and use the diamond wheel. Mostly because I didn't feel
    like digging for the wheel arbor spanner.
    --
    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff
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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Tue Dec 16 07:28:06 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10hq8m8$29uqn$1@dont-email.me...

    On 12/15/2025 5:10 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

    I've made drills to cut various tapers and curves but never a step drill, and they usually needed a pilot hole.

    I started with a split point screw machine length drill.


    Supposedly dry diamond wheels won't burn on steel below a speed variously given between 3500 and 4500 SFPM. Is your grinder 3 phase?

    Nope. Just a plane old single phase single speed induction motor. I
    did go ahead and use the diamond wheel. Mostly because I didn't feel
    like digging for the wheel arbor spanner.
    Bob La Londe
    ----------------------------
    Drills I modified to make one or two holes cut aluminum without back relief
    if pushed hard enough. Your step may be small enough to get away without it. One without side relief jammed in the hole when the corners and/or side edge wore down a little.

    I made an edge locating support finger for spiral flute grinding from the
    end of a dull hacksaw blade, a thin spring with a mounting hole. Grinding toward the end went fairly well because the finger forced the end mill to rotate, grinding toward the shank while maintaining contact was difficult.
    The finger slipped down if twisted too hard and the wheel damaged the edge
    if it lifted off the finger.

    This is the grinding fixture which is very fussy to set up. https://www.ebay.com/itm/276582409460

    The top rocks sideways for use with a tool grinder dish wheel. I used the
    top half separately on my surface grinder mag chuck, grinding on the top. I had poor results with a 5C spin index, possibly because it was inexpensive
    and not closely fitted.

    Straight flutes are easier to grind because the finger can be attached to
    and move with the rotary fixture. I bought large dull taps cheap and resharpened them between centers on the surface grinder tool grinding attachment.

    https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/delta-milwauka-toolmaker-surface-grinder.37558/
    The manual admits it isn't the finest precision grinder but it's very versatile.

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