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spro wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2020 10:47 pm
Maybe good ole center drill from the lathe.
I've always had better success using a split point drill than a center drill when drilling by hand. The only advantage a center drill offers is that it's short and rigid.
I don't recall, but did the op say what brand of drill was used? Maybe it was a harbor freight drill made of butter?
With a step drill I usually drill the first step size with good quality double point metal drill first after center punching. This is usually either a 3/16" or 1/4" DRILL size,
At this point you should consider a small carbide rotary file. The ball type that look like a rose bud. Then you can go back to the step drill and if it still doesn't work, use larger carbide rotary files to enlarge the hole.
I am a locksmith by trade and have literally drilled a few thousand holes in 16g hollow metal door frames as well as safe doors that have drill resistant hard plate protecting the lock so I have a bit of experience here, a good quality american drillbit should go straight thru that. I personally use Norseman. Drill a 1/4 pilot then use a good Starrett or Morse hole saw and you should be done in under a minute... good luck
I’d try a lockout punch...type used by electricians to make clean holes in electrical boxes. But you still need to drill a pilot hole. I didn’t see the size hole you’re trying to drill.
If you still want to try the uni-bit step drill, I find they do a very poor job starting holes. So drill a 1/8” pilot hole. Get a couple of new 1/8” quality cobalt bits and give that a try. Also, it might help if you clamp or stuff a 2 x4 behind the sheet metal to back up the flimsy sheet metal cabinet as I noticed that it looks like you’re pressing a dent but not penetrating the sheet metal.
But....if y
