suggestions for holes in bed frame.

[dieselscout80]

If you've got an anvil and punch.....punch the hole!!

What kind of punch?

Are you hitting over a hole in the anvil?

 

[slowzuki]

I use bed rails all the time, I always drill them on the drill press, never had a problem except with small holes. I pilot with 1/8" then drill to desired size. I use HSS and titanium coated HSS bits.

I find it welds very well too, so it much just be cold worked low carbon steel to make it hard.

 

[sandman2234]

I towed it all the way from Cove Arkansas to Turon Kansas, behind my 92 Chevy pickup. I had that poor little trailer loaded down too. :laughing: I was wondering if the old thing was gonna make it to Oklahoma, let alone Kansas. But it did.

After I got to Kansas with it. I used some bed frame angle to give it some support and works great.

I bought the trailer from a guy (he died not to long ago) in Cove Arkansas for $10.00

Hate to hear the old man passed away, as that is one less person who knows where Cove, Arkansas is at...lol.
I went to school there for about a month, just long enough to order my senior ring, before transferring back to the big town of DeQueen .
David from jax

 

[9fingers]

When building with bed rails I use a propane torch to heat the area to be drilled or cut. Half minute or so softens the metal nicely. No need for special bits etc.

 

[9fingers]

I cut and drill lots of bed rail. Just heat it for a minute or so where you want to work it with a propane torch. Takes the temper out very easily.

 

[Workstead]

I read this suggestion years ago but haven't tried it yet, but here is what I read.

When you have the hard-to-drill piece you want to drill on the drill press, chuck a nail about the size of the pilot hole into the chuck with the nail head cut off. Run the drill press as if trying to drill a hole with the nail so it heats the metal to be drilled to red hot. This removes the temper where you want to drill. Swap the nail for a drill bit and make your hole.

 

[Baby Grand]

Thanks for the idea, Workstead. I'll have to try that!

 

[chopped]

Thanks I will try that in the future. Just this last week I had to put 1/4 holes in some and used a arc rod on hightest setting it did the trick..But If i needed smooth holes ill have to try this method.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Actually, use of American made bits and cutting fluid in a drill press has always worked for me. The forced feed is a +, but also, Chinese bits are softer by a couple points on the Rockwell C scale.
larry

 

[chim]

Here's something interesting. It's punching small holes in a stainless strip in this pic that I used for holding the plastic fender skirts on my cab. Pretty sure the guy in the shop said it'll do 1" holes in 1/2" steel. Other parts of the machine can chomp off large angle and flatbar. There's even a jaw at the other end that can act like a big nibbler.