Drilling Holes

[ken orme]

I have attempted to drill holes in thin material and it ended up anything but a good experance. Just as the drill would start to break thru the material the drill would act like a corkscrew and scrap the piece. The piece was scrap and I started all over agaign using a smaller drill and finish the hole with a round file.

I have used the step drill with very good results in metal. wood and plastic. The one I use has a 1/8 dia on the small end and 1/2 on the large end. You can find them in the big box store and hardware stores. They cost $10 to $16 but I think they are worth it cost.

Ken

[patmat2350]

I've also had great luck with spur points:

http://www.diydata.com/tool/drillbits/dowel.gif

and flat wood bits:


http://www.diydata.com/tool/drillbits/flat.gif

[pompebled]

I've been sharpening steel drills like the spur drills, for use in thin sheet material and wood, works very good indeed!
Hardly any burrs.

Regards, Jan.

[CGAux26]

How about a sharp punch? That is, a hammer-driven cutter with a circular sharp edge. I also make small holes in sheet brass and plastic with an ice pick. If it's plastic, you can heat up something sharp (ice pick again) and melt a hole.

Just back up your work piece very stoutly before applying a punch.

Dave

[Olscuzbut]

For thin or hull type plastics, I use the variable sized leather punch. Cuts clean, no burs and perfect circles.
Norm

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

If I have jigged something for a set of parallel holes, I usually use a
spare block of wood to hold the material down to the table.
Of course that's usually after I have drilled an oval in the first attempt.

:p

[HoaRC]

Thanks.

[AndyKunz]

I have used tubing of the appropriate OD. For thin stock usually brass is sufficient, and can be sharpened with a #11 blade. If you have a thin HARD stock, stainless tubing is available from places like Small Parts or Mouser. But then, if you're drilling something hard, one of the bits noted above should work fine.

Andy

[pkboo]

If I have jigged something for a set of parallel holes, I usually use a
spare block of wood to hold the material down to the table.
Of course that's usually after I have drilled an oval in the first attempt.

:p
Yep, sounds familiar :confused: Boo

[Shaun Hendricks]

Spade bits and sometimes even forstner bits require drilling from the other side once the 'point emerges from the piece. Spades it's harder to gauge because the center point is so long by comparison to the side points. So I look for when the side points begin to press against the opposite side of the piece and work slowly. Then flip the piece and finish off the hole.

I try to use forstner's for most precision work but I've found my milling bits to be very precise as well for drilling if I go slow enough and can clamp the work down.

I also use the spur point bits Pat shows with great results in wood but terrible for any metal other than aluminum.

[charlie eaton]

''Spur point'' or ''brad point'' are really intended for use in wood to bore a nice clean hole. using them on plastic will work but metal will destroy them quickly. As said above they will work for thin aluminum anything harder and they are toast. Always (If possible) use a backing block with the item to be bored firmly set against it for best result and a clean cut hole.

[Greysquirrel]

For small parts in thin stock I have a small machinist vise I clamp the parts in and use a drill press with good results, for larger parts I use a larger vise, I favor a spur bit for wood and center punch metal parts, for plastic I will drill with a standard bit starting with a smaller size and working my way up to the size I need.

[RC-Archer]

I have attempted to drill holes in thin material and it ended up anything but a good experance. Just as the drill would start to break thru the material the drill would act like a corkscrew and scrap the piece. The piece was scrap and I started all over agaign using a smaller drill and finish the hole with a round file.

I have used the step drill with very good results in metal. wood and plastic. The one I use has a 1/8 dia on the small end and 1/2 on the large end. You can find them in the big box store and hardware stores. They cost $10 to $16 but I think they are worth it cost.

Ken

I use this drill as well and it is my favorite drill.