ping...cue ricochet sounds as another M2.5 drill bit whizzes past ear and off wall behind me...

I decided to have a go at iimproving backlash on the cross-slide of the lathe by drilling two holes through the nut parallel to the axis of the thread, tapping them M3, drilling M3 clearance 1/2 the length and cutting a slot across the nut 1/2way along...

well i never got past step 1... the HSS M2.5 drill hardly made a dent before snapping... and the second fared little better...

I thought brass was about the same as ali to work...clearly not... so where am i going wrong...

Off to order another job lot of M2.5 drills!