Drilling Stainless for a new Amoeba Cell Design

[BoyntonStu]

I had 13 plates of 304L stainless with a 0.250" hole in each one.

I wanted to drill the 1/4" holes out to 13/32" (0.406").

I tried using a TIN 13/32 drill bit but after drilling a single hole with water cooling, it dulled up.

I went to Harbor Freight today and I purchased a 3 piece step drill set for under $10.

Within a few minutes, all the holes were drilled out clean.

I was quite surprised and satisfied with the result.

Why drill to 13/32"?

I am trying a new way to reduce leakage and at the same time make a leak-proof tubing connection without using heat, adhesive, or threads into the SS end plates.

I will keep you posted when I assemble the cell and get some results.

BoyntonStu

P.S. Thanks to Gary Diamond who suggested using the step drill.

[H2OPWR]

I had 13 plates of 304L stainless with a 0.250" hole in each one.

I wanted to drill the 1/4" holes out to 13/32" (0.406").

I tried using a TIN 13/32 drill bit but after drilling a single hole with water cooling, it dulled up.

I went to Harbor Freight today and I purchased a 3 piece step drill set for under $10.

Within a few minutes, all the holes were drilled out clean.

I was quite surprised and satisfied with the result.

Why drill to 13/32"?

I am trying a new way to reduce leakage and at the same time make a leak-proof tubing connection without using heat, adhesive, or threads into the SS end plates.

I will keep you posted when I assemble the cell and get some results.

BoyntonStu

P.S. Thanks to Gary Diamond who suggested using the step drill.

Good luck with it. I am anxious to see your idea to reduce current leakage. I had never thought of the step drill. I have always used Cobalt bits (spendy) and lots of thread cutting oil along with very slow speeds on a drill press.

[Gary Diamond]

Nay step drills work very easy, just don't use a cheap worn one. The hard part is getting a hole to start with

[DodgeViper]

I had 13 plates of 304L stainless with a 0.250" hole in each one.

I wanted to drill the 1/4" holes out to 13/32" (0.406").

I tried using a TIN 13/32 drill bit but after drilling a single hole with water cooling, it dulled up.

I went to Harbor Freight today and I purchased a 3 piece step drill set for under $10.

Within a few minutes, all the holes were drilled out clean.

I was quite surprised and satisfied with the result.

Why drill to 13/32"?

I am trying a new way to reduce leakage and at the same time make a leak-proof tubing connection without using heat, adhesive, or threads into the SS end plates.

I will keep you posted when I assemble the cell and get some results.

BoyntonStu

P.S. Thanks to Gary Diamond who suggested using the step drill.

Why SS-304? I use to work for the inventor of the step drill. He retired with millions...

[BoyntonStu]

Why SS-304? I use to work for the inventor of the step drill. He retired with millions...

Can you tell us some more about the step drill inventor and his other inventions?

As for the 304L, the price was right.

Besides, almost any SS is OK for experimenting.

I have used plain 304 and premium 316L and they both generate hho about the same.

The new Amoeba Cell design is very exciting, because it uses the minimum amount of SS, no welding, no adhesives, no threading, no plastic end plates, and the new tubing connection will also serve to reduce leakage.


BoyntonStu

[DodgeViper]

Can you tell us some more about the step drill inventor and his other inventions?

As for the 304L, the price was right.

Besides, almost any SS is OK for experimenting.

BoyntonStu

I should have said I worked for Unibit Corporation. But Harry Oaks was the inventor of the Step Bit of which in the 80’s was called the Unibit. Years ago I had boxes of new bits that had tooling errors that did not affect how the bit was used but more cosmetically the way they looked due to the hardening process. I was a young kid in the 80’s and these bits were being thrown out. I and others use to gather the bits each day and take them home.