knowing ones limits

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

OK, no one mentioned lubercants

You can use dishwashing liquid and a little water for plastics.

No one has mentioned Pilot-point bits. Great bits for drilling into sheet metal and plastics. They also make round holes rather than triangular shaped in sheet metal.

Also, no one has mentioned transfer punches. Say for example you need to drill a hole for a CPC connector. This needs a large center hole and 4 evenly spaced holes in a square pattern. You drill the large hole. Then place the connector and use a "transfer punch" to align the first hole. Then repunch with a center punch.

Now insert the connector again ans tighten using one of the screws. Now transfer the other three holes. Remove the connector. Repunch and drill.

I once drilled the top of a case for feet. Fix. I just countersunk 4 screws into the holes.

I second the method of a template done in a CAD program.

 

[Blueteeth]

lubricants...pilot-point bits..transfer punches! I didn't expect all that to come from someone with your name Might sound like I'm mocking, but I just copied all your info to a notepad file incase I need it.... because I know I'll be thankful I did. Cheers!

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

I once set someone up (A mechanical engineering student) to drill about 100+ 0.250" holes on a staggered grid pattern in Molibdinum. We didn't have a CNC available, but I used the next best thing. A Mill with a digital X & Y positioning and a round tipped milling bit. I set the mill to do auto-quill feed. No one in recent years even used that option.

Then set the human robot to work. I got in trouble, but it was swashed quickly.

The hard part is the set-ups. I went through that phase too.

 

[Neil Groves]

I have this vision of as all huddled round a pillar drill press:

"do it this way"

"no, this way is better"

"Get rid of that auto center punch and use this one with a hammer"

"no the auto one is quicker"

"give me that drill bit, i'll sharpen it"

"let me do it, i have more experience"

"have you got the CAD print?"

"no but trust me, it'll be close enough"

lol

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

The lesson here is: "The easiest way to get drilled holes is to have someone else do it"

The inexperienced hit the automatic center punches with a hammer. They also hit the manual center punch on thin sheet metal on a precision machined table. The creative ones, use motor oil for the work lubricant/coolant in the horizontal bandsaw.

Do we have a $1.00 worth of all of the $0.02 worth of advices yet?

 

[Blueteeth]

Do we have a $1.00 worth of all of the $0.02 worth of advices yet?

Only $0.42 by my count.. I could phone up this old guy I know at a workshop to make up the rest, but do'nt tink he has change for $10....

Edit: probably should be noted I contributed nothing to that $0.42 :/

 

[BrownOut]

For lubricant, I keep a spritz bottle of WD-40 near my drillig machine. A quick spritz at the drilling site is usually all that's needed. Often, I wait until I've made a litle divit with the bit so the lube collects at the site.

 

[JimB]

I have this vision of as all huddled round a pillar drill press:
"do it this way"
"no, this way is better"
"Get rid of that auto center punch and use this one with a hammer"
"no the auto one is quicker"
"give me that drill bit, i'll sharpen it"
"let me do it, i have more experience"
"have you got the CAD print?"
"no but trust me, it'll be close enough"
lol

That sounds about right to me!
We just need to find somewhere where the weather is pleasant, we can have a few beers and a barbeque, and if no one remembers to bring the drill press or there is no electric supply - why worry, just decide that you did not need that hole drilled there in the first place and have another beer!

JimB

 

[QuietMan]

Unless I am drilling thick metal, I do not use lubricants. They will mess up the plastic if that is the case style, and thin aluminum is done long before the drill bit gets hot.

Safety accessories, Safety glasses (a pain, but good for your remaining good eye) and a vice. A vice holds it steady, which is important, and will not allow the part to spin. If you hold it you could get a major and nasty gash. Drill presses make the drill go in steady and smooth, which was your original complaint. I also like automatic center punches a lot for precision.

For old folks like myself reading glasses or a head visor is also handy. Helps get it into the right place

When drilling go slow, touch the work to mark the part and see where the drill is actually going, then slow and steady, let the drill do the work. If you try to force it it will not cut cleanly, even to the point of tearing out the part material (ouch!).

 

[Mr RB]

I haven't seen this one yet; When drilling harder brittle plastics like clear acrylic, use an older more blunt drill bit. A new sharp drill bit will bite in very deep and will often crack and destroy the acrylic. I have a box of old bits all suitably "blunt" that drill acrylic perfectly (as they cause the tinyest bit of melting at the tip as they drill, instead of biting in).

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

For hard brittle plastics use a bullet or pilot point bit with soap and water as a lubrcant.

I had to drill a few 1/2 inch or so holes in a sheet of polycarbonate. No one was really sucessfull but me. The hand drills just pulled in and crashed and the hole saws just gummed up.

I took an old bit and ground it into the Pilot Point shape and used the soap and water lubercant too. Worked great.

"drill press", "campfire", any excuse for a party.