Hello:
Have a 1" thick piece of Al that I need to drill a 3/4" diameter hole thru.
I have the normal home owner type of tools, but nothing for going thru metal. Have a electric drill of course, but only wooden drill bits up to the normal
3/8 inch dia size.As this would be a one time deal, really don't want to buy anything too expensive to do the job.
Any suggestions ?
Thanks, Bob
a 3/4" diameter hole thru.
nothing for going thru
drill bits up to the normal
want to buy anything
A hole saw or spade drill should do the job once you get a 1/4" pilot hole thru. Spray it with some WD-40 while you are cutting. And don't spin it too fast. That will just burn up your tool.
I would take it to a local machine shop and have them do it. If you have a good drill press with a 1/2" chuck and a new drill, you could do it yourself if you could clamp the material so it wouldn't move. That's a lot of material to go through.
Depends on what sort of hole you need- how precisely cylindrical, perpendicular and located. (Which you don't specify.)
Hole--saw will hack a hole, with pretty rough sides. Use water-soluble oil to cool both the material and the cutter. Aluminum melts readily, and will clog the cutters. WD-40, being mainly kerosene, is probably not what you want to use for coolant. Keep tool-speed down.
JI would suggest taking it to a machine shop. They will make short work of it and do a better job than you can. You will likely find they will charge you less than the cost of the drill bit you will need to buy and may well damage using.
While you may be able to do it yourself with your hand drill, as aluminum is reasonable soft, that large a hoe in inch thick stock would not be easy.
A small driss press is another option, harbor freight has some pretty cheap, and I make good use of mine
If you don't need great tolerance or finish, a hole saw should do it, and I'm wondering why no one yet suggested that you drill a 1/4" pilto hole through the stock, use the hole saw to go half way through the one inch thickness and then drill out the rest from the other side?
Jeff
precisely cylindrical,
specify.)
sides. Use water-soluble
Aluminum melts readily,
kerosene, is probably
tool-speed down.
Kerosene is what you use on cutting tools in aluminum. Unless you have water soluable coolant specifically designed for cutting aluminum.
Kerosene is best for aluminum
kerosene is best for aluminum..............
~:>
There is NO kerosene in WD-40. None.
Or try your independent car repair shop. Mine once helped with a similar task, at no charge.
spend a couple bucks at the store and get a metal-drilling bit tfor your drill.
I think I spend about $4-5 (which is most cost efficient)on a bit, and that bit lasts quite a few jobs like what you spoke.
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