chevyx92
Senior Member
- Location
- VA BCH, VA
Will a regular knockout set cut through stainless back splash like you see in commercial kitchens??
knockout set
- Thread starter chevyx92
- Start date
- Status
electricguy61
Senior Member
Hydraulic might, but you may not cut anything else.
qcroanoke
Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
- Location
- Roanoke, VA.
- Occupation
- Sorta retired........
Yeah, true.
Seems a few years back I actually ruined the threads on a pull stud trying to punch stainless.
kingpb
Senior Member
- Location
- SE USA as far as you can go
- Occupation
- Engineer, Registered
bi-metal hole saw, but if you look for Tungsten Carbide Tipped it will be faster and cleaner over standard one.
I use an extremely slow speed and coolant if available. I believe that by using too fast of a speed the heat generated at the end of the cutting tip actually hardens a SS and intern dulls the cutting edge. So be very, very patient and allow the holesaw to cut.
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
So true. Painfully slow and every bit of patience that can be mustered.
Aleman
Senior Member
- Location
- Southern Ca, USA
I use a regular Klein set to knockout stainless as long as it isn't too thick. Over 16ga I will use hole saws...just regular saws, slow feed, lots of lube. The SS will kill your
knockouts but they do work. Put lube on those too.
knockouts but they do work. Put lube on those too.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Used to do a lot of work in a Dairy processing plant. Lots of stainless enclosures there. We punched holes all the time with standard KO sets and had no issues. Hydraulic ram is definitely your friend though. I think some of the slug buster/slug splitter sets are not recommended for use with stainless, but most of the standard punches usually don't say anything about stainless restrictions.
If you want a "clean hole" the hole saw is a poor choice. A worn/dull KO punch is also a poor choice. Ultra cutters, or similar, in good condition make very clean holes in stainless. Lubricant is necessary but not just any lubricant. Those designed specifically for cutting stainless work best. Slow speed is important. High speed just creates more heat and makes the cut more difficult, as well as destroys the cutting tool.
rt66electric
Senior Member
- Location
- Oklahoma
Drill slow LOTS of HEAVY pressure
Drill slow LOTS of HEAVY pressure
Drill slow LOTS of HEAVY pressure
Drill slow LOTS of HEAVY pressure
Drill slow LOTS of HEAVY pressure
It took me a long time to learn this, countless ruined drill bits and hole saws which should be worth at least 3 college credits one would think.
readydave8
re member
- Location
- Clarkesville, Georgia
- Occupation
- electrician
Pack hole saw with ductseal to help keep it cool, still need cutting oil though.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Does that really work? It would seem to me it would just insulate the inside portion of the holesaw and inhibit any natural cooling.
Maybe you need to pack it with dry ice
Does that really work? It would seem to me it would just insulate the inside portion of the holesaw and inhibit any natural cooling.
Maybe you need to pack it with dry ice
No, start with a six pack off beer. Poor a little beer on ot drink some beer, poor a little more beer on it and drink some more beer. The way that I got it figured is that if you have it timed right you will ron out of beer just when the job is complete and you will not care it you ruined the bit or not.
readydave8
re member
- Location
- Clarkesville, Georgia
- Occupation
- electrician
I thought it worked, assumed duct seal getting warm meant holesaw was warming slower, but since you asked if it works, I can't prove that it does. I felt like my holesaws were lasting longer when I started packing with duct seal but have no statistics to back up with.Does that really work? It would seem to me it would just insulate the inside portion of the holesaw and inhibit any natural cooling.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Maybe you use super heat conductive duct seal of some kind. It would make sense to pack it with something that is a good conductor of heat to sink some of the heat, but I wouldn't think your typical "duct seal" is a very good heat conductor, and for good reason when sealing raceways with different temperatures on each side.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
But for sealing, the purpose is usually to keep moisture (and/or heated or cooled air) from passing through the hole. Its insulating qualities are not really important for that.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
True, but if the seal is a thin wall of copper (high thermal conductivity) and the temp and humidity difference is great enough you will still get condensation on it even there is no air exchange
Though you likely will not see copper used as a raceway seal either
gadfly56
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
We punch holes in stainless steel kitchen hoods all the time. We use Greenlee punches. Never had a problem. Drilling the pilot hole, that's another story. Slow speed, high pressure and keep it lubed. I used Breakfree CLP with good success.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
Do you use split point or chisel point bits?
- Status