How to drill titanium (6 wizard steps)

Content

6 Easy Steps to Drill Titanium Alloy
The best drill bit for drilling titanium alloys

This short and simple guide will help you learn how to drill titanium.

Drilling titanium can be tricky, especially if you don't use the right technique with the right types of drill bits. Otherwise, you may have to look for ways to remove broken titanium drill bits. I have suffered the same fate several times in the past, and during these incidents I have learned some valuable tricks. Today I hope to share this knowledge with you.

In general, for drilling titanium:

Attach the titanium object to a stable surface.
Determine the location of the hole.
Wear the necessary protective equipment.
Check the sharpness of the carbide tipped drill.
Set the drill to moderate speed and pressure.
Drill a hole.

You will get a detailed explanation in the step by step guide below.

6 Easy Steps to Drill Titanium Alloy

Things You'll Need

Electric drill
Carbide tipped drill
Suitable titanium object for drilling
Clamp or bench
Cutting fluid
Pencil or marker

Step 1 - Clamp the object you will be drilling

First, find a suitable place to clamp what you will be drilling. For example, a flat table would be a great choice. Use the correct clamp for this process. Attaching the object to the table will greatly help you in the drilling process.

Or use a bench to secure the titanium object.

Step 2 - Determine where to drill

Then inspect the titanium object and determine the ideal drilling location. For this demo, I'm choosing the center of the object. But your requirement may be different, so change the hole location according to it. Use a pencil or marker to mark the drilling point. If necessary, make a small hole for the axle before the actual drilling process.

Step 3 - Wear protective gear

Because of their strength, drilling titanium alloys is not an easy task. Due to the complexity of this process, an accident can happen anytime, anywhere. So it's better to be prepared.

Wear protective gloves to protect your hands.
Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes.
Wear safety shoes if you are afraid of electric shock.

Step 4 - Check the drill

As I mentioned, I use a carbide tipped drill for this process. Carbide tipped drills are the best option for drilling titanium. But be sure to check the drill properly before starting the drilling process.

For example, if you are using a dull drill, it may start to shake while drilling. When the drill cannot go through the titanium, it will rotate in the same position and shake.

Therefore, check the sharpness of the drill. If it's dull, use a new one that can do the job.

Step 5 - Set Speed and Pressure

For successful drilling, you must use the correct speed and pressure.

Too high speed or pressure can cause the drill to overheat. Before you know it, you'll have to deal with a broken drill.

So, set the speed to moderate settings. Apply medium pressure while drilling. During this process, it is important that sharp metal parts do not fly out; high speed and pressure will not allow this to happen.

Step 6 - Drill a Hole

Having rechecked everything, now you can start the drilling process. The drill will heat up quickly due to the high friction between the drill and the titanium and will eventually break.

To avoid this, a cooling lubricant can be used.

I use LENOX Protocol Lube, a great heatsink lube for metal cutting and drilling. For the drilling process, follow these steps.

Connect the drill to the electric drill.
Connect the drill to a suitable socket.
Place the drill in the marked location (or in the hinge hole).
Start drilling.
Remember to apply Lenox Protocol Lube while drilling.
Complete the hole.

The best drill bit for drilling titanium alloys

Choosing the best drill bit for the job is vital when drilling titanium.

For the demo above, I used a carbide tipped drill. But is this the best option? Are there other drills for drilling titanium? Carbide tipped drills are the best option, BUT- You can also use HSS drills with cobalt and titanium tipped bits.

Carbide tipped drill

Carbide tipped drill is best for drilling non-ferrous metals and these drills last ten times longer than cobalt drills. So if you drill 20 sheets of titanium with a cobalt drill, you can drill 200 sheets with a carbide drill.

Quick-Tip: Aluminum, copper, bronze and brass are non-ferrous metals. Precious metals such as gold, titanium and silver are also non-ferrous.