Drilling/cutting a 30 mm hole in 0.8 mm aluminium

[David]

I need to cut a 30 mm hole in some 0.8 mm aluminium.

I have various hole cutting devices such as Forstner bits but they are for wood.

Is there anything clever for cutting holes in metal sheets?

Cheers

Dave R

[Fredxx]

Any metal cutting hole-saw should be fine. Use oil to stop the aluminium balling though with just 0.8mm it's only marginally necessary.

[T i m]

Depending on how many holes you may need to make and how much you want to spend, a 'Q-Max' cutter / punch makes a very neat hole.

Cheers, T i m

[David]

Ta.

Having trouble locating a 30 mm one at the moment.

I have also looked at hole punches. Apparently you drill a pilot hole, insert a bolt, then tighten the cutter down. Again not finding 30 mm size. [At least, not with fast delivery.]

Cheers

Dave R

[charles]

try QMax

[nothanks]

If you haven't got a (Qmax) hole punch or hole saw then something like this will do the job

In thin aluminium I would use a wooden block to reinforce the pilot hole area to stop the pilot drill from waggling around

[Fredxx]

Screwfix have a couple in stock, but you will need the arbour to suit:

As others have suggested Qmax cutters leave a good finish. After looking at the links T i m has given they seem good value for money.

[Fredxx]

I have used this type before, as you imply they don't have much precision!

Step drill, of course, is another method for producing a 30m hole.

[Chris Hogg]

+1 I bought my first se of QMax punches back in the early 1960's for punching holes in aluminium sheet for radio valve sockets. Still got them, although they don't get much use these days.

[Tricky Dicky]

A stepped drill will do if you cannot get a punch. This one has steps at 3mm so third from the end should be 30mm

Richard

[Bob Eager]

I worked for a (then) well know electronics component supplier around the same time. I got one of the 'Eagle' sets (remember them? Japanese).

I now have a set of Qmax and still use them occasionally. I even have the (painfully expensive) DE shell punch.

[David]

I am constantly baffled by my inability to find stuff on the Screwfix site. I think in this case I've been applying too many filters. Anyway, been there, got that including the arbor.

Thanks to all who have posted.

Cheers

Dave R

[David]

Interesting. I think it only goes down to 40 mm though.

Cheers

Dave R

[newshound]

0.8mm is quite thin though so important to have it on top of a sacrificial piece of plywood or similar. Use a pillar drill if you have one.

[Dave Plowman (News]

A hole punch, common name Q-Max, gives a near perfect hole, but costs a lot more than a hole saw. Ebay price about 15 quid.

Any decent supplier should have a 30mm one.

[David]

Used a scrap piece of decking clamped to workmate.

Cut slowly using Makita battery drill. All worked remarkably well, considering.

In time to cancel my backup order from Amazon with a range of cutter sizes.

Cheers

Dave R

[John Rumm]

A bimetal hole saw is the obvious answer, but many wood cutting tools will also work on ali for one off jobs.

Loads of things... depends on the size of the hole and how many of em you want?

[Bob Eager]

One problem with a lot of sites that use filters is the the data are not consistent.

Let's say you have a number of different items with attribute A. It's common for not all of them to have attribute A marked against then in the database.

So when you filter on A, you remove some of the items with that attribute.

I find it's best to use as few filters as possible, and then resign myself to a longer scan of the results.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Q-Max hole cutters held central by a pilot hole. Brian

[Chris Bacon]

holesaw site:screwfix.com

HTH.