Only for aluminum recommend it. And only with some lubricant.
I'm always willing to learn.
All my drilling activities are done with a drill press and if possible clamped.
This is time consuming activity and with not much spare time this can be skipped with my advice with the point welding drill. You only chop off slices of aluminum and because you drill with low speed it is a very controlled way of drilling. Also you don't end up with triangular holes.
As always
This only applies to sheets thinner then the steps on your stpped drill.
Unless you have cobalt bits and a drill press... then steel drilling is OK
(I have scars on my hand that say WHY you do NOT use a hand drill when drilling steel)
Steel Hammond/Bud/etc. chassis... titanium coated are OK, but do use the cheap ones, cause the expensive ones will wear out just as fast as the cheap ones and you don't feel as guilty when you dump them in the bin
Cheers!
Unless you have cobalt bits and a drill press... then steel drilling is OK
(I have scars on my hand that say WHY you do NOT use a hand drill when drilling steel)
Steel Hammond/Bud/etc. chassis... titanium coated are OK, but do use the cheap ones, cause the expensive ones will wear out just as fast as the cheap ones and you don't feel as guilty when you dump them in the bin
Cheers!
I drill steel every day with twist drill in a hand drill...I just don't do silly things like drill through my hand or try to use my hand (or fingers) to clamp the work down. Some common sense helps.
Cheap bits get duller quicker and break more easily. Some cheap bits are worth buying and others are not. Here in Canada, Canadian Tire (store) puts the Makita brand bit index on sale occasionally for $4. It has 1/16 to 1/4 and is well worth the money.
For bits above 1/4" do yourself a favour, buy better quality ones. The corners of the cutting edges will chip off on the cheap ones really fast and unless you can sharpen it, you are SOL and out the bucks for the bit.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1940481
I actually compared three boxes each of titanium bits from CanTire and the dollar-plus store.... both lasted the same time on aluminum/steel cabinets.
If it wasn't for the receipt, you couldn't tell the boxes apart out of their packages.
Cheers!
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Hi!
The best drilling bit I, ever used:
Min. size 8mm & Max size 30mm.
Regards zeoN_Rider
The best drilling bit I, ever used:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Min. size 8mm & Max size 30mm.
Regards zeoN_Rider
I could probably tell the difference
Canadian Tire sells mostly junk now, not much better than a dollar store but they have varying quality.
As for the dollar stores, I don't go to them and I certainly wouldn't buy any kind of tool in there...
Step drills are great (if they are good quality) for thin aluminum, steel and even for thicker metal, like ChrisA mentioned above. They cut less aggressively and that reduces the tendency "grab" the work.
I use Milwaukee step drills which are fairly priced and for a lower cost one there is Samona which is pretty good and nearly half the cost of the Milwaukee.
If you are uncomfortable using it in a hand drill that's fine, for you.
Step drills are used everyday in hand drills - I use them every day in a hand drill.
The safest thing to do is to do nothing...
Believe me, using a step drill in a hand held drill is safe.
I could probably tell the difference
As I'm sure any reasonably competent machinist could...
Canadian Tire sells mostly junk now, not much better than a dollar store but they have varying quality.
As for the dollar stores, I don't go to them and I certainly wouldn't buy any kind of tool in there...
Would you be surprised to know I found the same manufacturer stamp on a "Power Fist", "Mastercraft" and a "Craftsman" planer and drill press cast housing?
They all come out of the same Chinese facory
So why not go for the best bang for the buck?
(Yeah, I know they aren't good brands, but for prototyping and occasional custom builds, it's all I need)
I have three qualities of bits on hand I've found optimum for my prototyping work:
- A set of top notch HSS for wood/plastic.
- A set of where-I-can-get-'em-cheap Titaniums for aluminum chassis.
- A set of cobalts for steel/thick aluminum.
As for the hand/press issue, it's all up to one thing - experience.
Cheers!
I would like to revise my list and add laser cutting to the top.Unless you have cobalt bits and a drill press... then steel drilling is OK
(I have scars on my hand that say WHY you do NOT use a hand drill when drilling steel)
Steel Hammond/Bud/etc. chassis... titanium coated are OK, but do use the cheap ones, cause the expensive ones will wear out just as fast as the cheap ones and you don't feel as guilty when you dump them in the bin
Cheers!
I would like to revise my list and add laser cutting to the top.
I too: Water Jet, but not DIY.
Regards zeoN_Rider
I would like to revise my list and add laser cutting to the top.
Another way to put holes in the appendages
There's a fellow on the Dutchforce electronic forums using one of them things to blast holes in various substances around his shop. I suppose when the novelty wears off, it'll get used on real chassis
Cheers!
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