Soften Hardened Steel

Use Elmer's white glue on the drill bit. This works for drilling springs

 

if you can put it under a drill press. you can get a nail and install it into the chuck,and put preasure on the piece at high rmps untill the metal gets blue and then you can drill through it , old memory here

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Brx1Hii5g

 

! C A R B I D E ! that is your answer! Or EDM, good luck!

Brent

 

Ap 30.06.

 

Discer blades are really tough. We use the thick ones for gong targets they will crack and break before you will put a hole through them other than military solids or really big stuff . I dont have an answer re drilling them. we use a torch to put holes in them to bolt a chain on.

 

Friend of mine had some tall car stands made of discs with a pipe between the two. Very stable, never thought of using them for hubcaps.

 

If it won't soften with the heat, it might have a lot of manganese in it. If you need it countersunk you could try punching a hole. Take a sharp center punch and clamp a Visegrip to it. See if you can make a mark so you can find the correct spot. Have a large hammer ready and an ***istant. You need to heat the steel to nearly it's melting point, white hot. When it starts to melt quickly hand the torch to the ***istant and use the punch and hammer to punch a hole through the white hot metal. This is how they put holes in horse shoes and steel rims for wooden wheels.

 

Why don't you look into something like this. http://www.realtrains.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33%3Asection-8&catid=1%3Asub-category&Itemid=3&limitstart=5

 

Blew a hole thru this **** with my torch, tried to drill it on my press..........NO way!
No more f ing with this! Thanks all..........

 

Engine man knows what he is talking about! If I had to try drilling it I would get carbide masonry drills. For a 7/16 drill I would run about 400rpm no coolant and lots of pressure. You are trying to get the steel hot enough right at the drills cutting edge so the drill can dig into it. If at first it doesn't cut use more speed! wear protection as the chips should be orange to yellow hot. If this method doesn't work, give up and have the holes EDMed or water jetted by a pro.

 

Beat me to it.

Contemplating this causes me to "furrow" my brow....

 

Then install a rear sway bar

 

All in all this thread cultivated some good thought.