You can successfully drill SS with high speed steel bits but you need to have the right ones. Best are screw machine bits (stubbier than jobbers drills so very stiff) with a 135 degree split point grind. Turn 'em slow and feed 'em hard. Lubricate _VERY_ well. Best stuff for lubricating drill bits when drilling SS is EEZ Foamy... comes in 2oz spray cans and really does the job. They'd like you to foam all over the place so you have to buy more, but in reality you only need to dip the tip of the bit into a bottlecap 1/2 filled with it and it works great. You can probably find it at McMaster Carr and other tooling supply houses. If you can't, call my friend Paul Kawka at Swift Saw & Tool, 708-335-0550. Paul is also an excellent source for drill bits and other cutting tools, abrasives. measuring equipment, anything you might need in a machine shop environment.

<marv>

Dale Rogers wrote:

"""
If you are going to do a lot of drilling on 304 (or 316, which
is nearly the same, except slightly better salt corrosion
resistance) get some M42 (cobalt) bits. 304 is hard on tooling.
(Go ahead, ask me how I know ...)
"""