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Also left out of the list of active 30 plus year old Navy ships is the USS Constitution

Drilling stainless is more about how you drill than what bit you use. Yes, use a reasonably good bit but key is high pressure and slow rotation. Essentially, you want to be always cutting and not just spinning in the hole.

I'll add COOLING & lubrication to that drilling stainless post. Stainless "work hardens" very quickly.

Yeah, that too

Nice work, CUSCUS.

Yup – any High Speed Steel (“HSS” will likely be marked on the drill shank somewhere) drill bit that is sharp and turned at the right speed will easily drill stainless in the types and thicknesses we encounter on sailboats. Even the Chinese ones are good enough for this.

Tip: while cutting oil will help with lubrication and cooling, in that order – for metal cutting at home I like to use a water and baking soda solution (saturated solution with some undissolved at the bottom of the squeeze bottle, shake it a bit each time you go to use it, just add water when you need to).

It helps with cooling and lubrication, in that order, but make sure to keep the cutting edges continuously immersed. It's totally harmless, odourless, less smoke, less messy than oil (clean), cheap, evaporates on its own, is always on hand, and metal vise and drill press table surfaces won't rust. (Baking soda prevents rust).

If you're drilling a larger hole by hand, drill a smaller pilot hole first, then go larger, but carefully control your downfeed force or you could chip the cutting edges of the bit. Slow the drill speed for the larger diameter bit.

If you don't understand about cutting speeds of metals and choosing the correct drill rpm to use, just ask.

The carbon content of most stainless is low enough that drilling in the heated zone of a weld should not be an issue either, if it's 304 (likely) the heating might even soften it, depending on the filler rod used.

- B.

Freedom, I didn't personally drill those holes. The metal fabricator I had extend the tabernacle and make the plate, drilled them to match up perfectly. When I do drill ss, I def follow the tips others have suggested and start with a small hole and work my way up in small increments. As far as lights go, during the day, just cracking the curtains abit is plenty and I do have afew LED lights for night.

As Always, Thanks to all for the great advise. I have a good drill press. Will scout around for a piece of metal and go from there. Fair Winds and Full Sails...Old Salt.