Drilling 1/4" and thicker metal with a hand drill
- Thread starter NCMau
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Thanks everyone for the excellent tips. They are all great, especially the stand-alone small drill press. I just happen to have one that has been collecting dust in the shop for the last 100 years. That, with straps would be a very strong possibility.
I checked the link from Katoomed00 for the ebay mag press, and cruising around, $249 w/free shp seems to be a reasonable price for a mag press.
I realize it is not a super heavy duty, but for my home non-industrial use, 1/2" bit capacity and usually working with 1/4" steel should be adequate. The 1910 lbs of force sounds like an ok spec, but I really do not have a clue. Maybe you give me an idea if it is or not.
I am seriously considering this purchase. It seems like it is something my wife should deserve for a Xmas present.
I passed up a good price for a magnetic drill after thinking about all the holes I drill. Over the years there have been very few, that I had to drill by hand drill, that had a wide flat surface next to the hole for the magnetic base. It would have been another neat tool that was almost never used.
Bruce
Bruce
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
For a hole half an inch or smaller, I go the the store and buy a brand new bit. Sharpening is a challenge for me, and I have never been able to get one sharpened as good as the come from the store brand new. I don't use oil. I know it's better, but I just use a small cup of water and dip the tip in that after each hole. I can usually get ten to twenty holes drilled easily on a brand new drill bit. If I need to drill more, I buy more bits.
For bigger holes, I use a torch and melt it out.
For bigger holes, I use a torch and melt it out.
BukitCase
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Bruce, I'd used different mag drills for work, but had extra $$ in the "toy fund" from a LOT of REQUIRED O.T. so I bought my own (lotta projects with big holes,etc) - I hadn't had it for more than a couple months when I came up with THIS -
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-table-build-6.html?highlight=mag+drill+table
I like to set up jigs if I'm doing more than ONE of anything; sometimes it's nice, sometimes it's NECESSARY - the above setup makes it really easy to do that... Steve
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-table-build-6.html?highlight=mag+drill+table
I like to set up jigs if I'm doing more than ONE of anything; sometimes it's nice, sometimes it's NECESSARY - the above setup makes it really easy to do that... Steve
oosik
Epic Contributor
I have a 3/8" hand drill that I use for drilling wood. For metal, if I can't get to the drill press - I have a 1/2" Milwaukee Hole Hog. It has the weight - it goes slow - it has the power to push a bit thru fairly thick steel. I keep my bits sharp with the Drill Dr. I've not been able to master bit sharpening by hand - that why I have the Drill Dr.
CincyFlyer
Veteran Member
Someone gave me a "Drill Doctor" for sharpening bits. Once I got the hang of it, I must have sharpened 100 bits in an afternoon, including the broken-off bits that I was gonna get to "some day".
bob 59912
New member
While a magnetic base drill may be the holy grail, Hougen makes several annual cutters that can be used in a hand drill or drill press, that will make life easier than using twist drills (which have a tendency to grab, when using larger sizes). Not to mention that the holes are actually round.
Small diameter sizes from 5/16" to 3/4" (in 1/16" increments) are part of a RotaCut Sheet Metal Cutters Kit. The small kit contains a 3/8" arbor for use in a hand drill. The cutters are limited to 1/4" maximum depth of cut in the smaller diameters. Individual annual cutters are available from 1/4" to 3/4" diameters in 1/32" increments, with some xx/64". Arbors may be purchased individually as well, see their "Sheet Metal Cutter Catalog".
Hougen also makes "16,000-Series" Extended Reach Cutters that are made to use with hand drills. Sizes are limited to 3/8" to 9/16" (in 1/16"). Max depth of cut is 1/4".
If you need more depth of cut you can get an arbor for a 1/2" drill that takes "12,000-Series" Annular Cutters, as well as other "12,000-Series" Arbors for Stationary and Machine Tools. The cutters come in a maximum depth of cut from 1" to 2" for less than 5/8" dia and up to 6" for 5/8" and larger diameters. The type of arbor determines the thickness and diameter that can be cut. The smallest diameter cutter in the "12,000 series" is 7/16" diameter. Plus, you can use the "12,000 series" cutters in a mag drill when you finally get one.
If you are new to using annual cutters they come in two varieties, Standard and Stack-cut. If you need to cut through more than a single layer of metal at a time, then get the Stack-Cut version of the cutter.
Finally when using a hand drill with an annual cutter it is best to constrain the "12,000 series" cutter with a guide block, that you previously drilled on a drill press and then clamped to what you are drilling. I typically use 3/8" thick, mild steel, flat bar stock, predrilled with the diameter needed to act as a guide.
The Hougen website also has technical information about cutter speed and feed rates for various metal and conditions in the Support/ Down load section.
Hougen cutters and kits are expensive, but high quality. Less expensive annular cutters and kit options (aka clones) exist on the web, depending on your budget. No association Hougen, just a very happy user.
Small diameter sizes from 5/16" to 3/4" (in 1/16" increments) are part of a RotaCut Sheet Metal Cutters Kit. The small kit contains a 3/8" arbor for use in a hand drill. The cutters are limited to 1/4" maximum depth of cut in the smaller diameters. Individual annual cutters are available from 1/4" to 3/4" diameters in 1/32" increments, with some xx/64". Arbors may be purchased individually as well, see their "Sheet Metal Cutter Catalog".
Hougen also makes "16,000-Series" Extended Reach Cutters that are made to use with hand drills. Sizes are limited to 3/8" to 9/16" (in 1/16"). Max depth of cut is 1/4".
If you need more depth of cut you can get an arbor for a 1/2" drill that takes "12,000-Series" Annular Cutters, as well as other "12,000-Series" Arbors for Stationary and Machine Tools. The cutters come in a maximum depth of cut from 1" to 2" for less than 5/8" dia and up to 6" for 5/8" and larger diameters. The type of arbor determines the thickness and diameter that can be cut. The smallest diameter cutter in the "12,000 series" is 7/16" diameter. Plus, you can use the "12,000 series" cutters in a mag drill when you finally get one.
If you are new to using annual cutters they come in two varieties, Standard and Stack-cut. If you need to cut through more than a single layer of metal at a time, then get the Stack-Cut version of the cutter.
Finally when using a hand drill with an annual cutter it is best to constrain the "12,000 series" cutter with a guide block, that you previously drilled on a drill press and then clamped to what you are drilling. I typically use 3/8" thick, mild steel, flat bar stock, predrilled with the diameter needed to act as a guide.
The Hougen website also has technical information about cutter speed and feed rates for various metal and conditions in the Support/ Down load section.
Hougen cutters and kits are expensive, but high quality. Less expensive annular cutters and kit options (aka clones) exist on the web, depending on your budget. No association Hougen, just a very happy user.
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