How to Make Holes in Stainless

Stainless steel is light and durable, making it ideal for use on pans.

Stainless steel is hard and rust proof, making it an excellent material for sinks. Your stainless steel sink may not have holes to accommodate accessories such as a soap dispenser. Fortunately, with the right tools you can easily open up a professional-looking hole through the stainless steel sink. Follow the same process and use the same tools to open up a hole on any other stainless steel surface.

Things You'll Need

• Marker
• Center punch
• Hammer
• 1/2-inch carbide drill bit
• Lubricant spray
• Carbide drill bit

Instructions

1. Mark the area where you want to open the hole with a marker. Draw a dot in the center of the hole with the marker. Line up the center punch over the dot and hit it with the hammer to cause a dimple on the dot.

2. Place a 1/2-inch carbide drill bit on a drill. Line up the drill bit into the center of the dimple and push down hard on the drill. Squeeze the trigger of the drill slowly to open the hole slowly; if you spin too fast, the drill bit will move all over the place. Lubricate the tip of the drill bit every 10 seconds with spray lubricant to avoid burning the drill bit. This will serve as your pilot hole.

3. Place a drill bit on the drill that's the size of the hole you need in the stainless steel. For example, if you need to open a 1-inch-diameter hole on the stainless steel, use a 1-inch carbide drill bit. Place the center of the drill bit on the hole you opened with the 1/2-inch drill bit and push down hard. Lightly squeeze the trigger of the drill, lubricating the tip every 10 seconds with the lubricant until the hole is opened.

Tips & Warnings

• Only use carbide drill bits, as they are the only drill bits that can handle the hardness of the stainless steel.

References

• HammerZone: Cutting a Small Hole in a Stainless Steel Sink