[Rodney Nelson]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

Might want to use two or three smaller bits as you work up to the big one. Less shudder. Maybe.
That piece is stainless ya know. May have a weld issue, although I've mig welded SS exhaust parts , slowly, one spot weld at a time.....

Thank you for the advice John. I will try to step it up with some other drill bits I have.

I also did some research on the SS welding to mild steel. It seems that it can be done and it is recommended to use SS wire in the MIG, which I have. We will see how it goes. It did spend hours trying to find a round mild steel female 12 mm coupler, it does not exist on the planet. Only Hex shaped ones, and I don't have a lathe.