Need to drill a hole...
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dstig1
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I've used a hole saw in steel even with a hand drill, set on low speed. Not as easy as a press, but it will work. Sounds like you are on the right track, but I would advise one thing I haven't seen mentioned here: EARMUFFS! The screeching can be horrendous.
Short Game
Veteran Member
I have used a 1/2 inch variable speed hand drill to put holes in steel.
Crap it would...I don't know what I was thinking! Making both the same would be 1 rotation per every rotation of the motor. Right now it's 1 rotation for every 2 or 3 of the motor.
Ok, then I need to change the output pulley to a larger diameter. Right now, it's small drive pulley, large middle pulley, small output pulley. If I make the output the same as the middle pulley, THAT should slow down the bit because as it is now, every turn of the large middle pulley is spinning the small output 2 or 3 times. Making those 1:1 should slow it down.
10 bucks says that for some reason I won't be able to flip the output pulley upside down.
BHD
Veteran Member
If using a hole saw, if you take and drill a 1/4" hole in the coupon area, right next to or in the path the saw will cut, so the saw has a place to dump the chips, use plenty of oil, and a slow speed,
my experience a "good" home drill press is not that good if the bit is much over 5/8 inch, and most will not even hardly turn any thing over 1" with out stepping, yes you may have a chatter problem but with out some thing that has a back gear your going to hard pressed to do much besides stepping the size of the hole unless one does use hole saw, If you want a exact hole size, (I find hole saw are only close, not very exact)
my experience a "good" home drill press is not that good if the bit is much over 5/8 inch, and most will not even hardly turn any thing over 1" with out stepping, yes you may have a chatter problem but with out some thing that has a back gear your going to hard pressed to do much besides stepping the size of the hole unless one does use hole saw, If you want a exact hole size, (I find hole saw are only close, not very exact)
k0ua
Epic Contributor
One more "me too" for the holesaw.. I have a nice Bosch set the wife bought a few years ago, but as noted they do not cut an exact size hole, there is some runout. Think of them as a rotary bandsaw, so slow speed, lube and don't crowd it. Mine have lasted a long time that way.
James K0UA
James K0UA
F250DSLPWR
Silver Member
I have cut lots of large holes (3" and larger) in in 1/2" and thicker mild steel by using a bimetal hole saw on the drill press. Slow the drill press rpm down and take your time, use cutting oil to carry the heat away and you can cut your holes.
hole saws will work on thicker steel as many have noted, but as one above poster also pointed out, you need to find a way to remove the chips. when starting out it will be fine, but once you get to where the teeth are totally below the surface of the material (about 1/8" in) you will find it harder to make any headway because the voids between the teeth fill up quickly. if you don't want to drill a "drain" hole at the edge where the hole saw will travel you can probably get away with drilling from both sides. since you're only working with 3/8" plate you could go about 3/16" on one side and then flip over to finish. It may not be the best way, but it will work.
I just drilled some 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" holes in 1/8", 1/4", and 3/8" plate with old hole saws myself. it certainly is a little tedious, but if it's only a few holes on one occasion it won't be too bad. if it were a common thing, it would get old in a hurry. I only have drills up to 1", so past that I have to use a hole saw. The other option for me would be to bore it, but it didn't need to be that precise a hole, though I think drilling 1" and boring out to 1 1/2" might not be much slower than a hole saw.
I just drilled some 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" holes in 1/8", 1/4", and 3/8" plate with old hole saws myself. it certainly is a little tedious, but if it's only a few holes on one occasion it won't be too bad. if it were a common thing, it would get old in a hurry. I only have drills up to 1", so past that I have to use a hole saw. The other option for me would be to bore it, but it didn't need to be that precise a hole, though I think drilling 1" and boring out to 1 1/2" might not be much slower than a hole saw.
Steave
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Bi Metal hole saws can be used easily at the slowest speeds of most drill presses. I've used hole saws for years with hand held drills while doing electrical work because most of the time we didn't have a drill press on the job. Just don't force the cutting action and use a little cutting oil or just any oil a little while cutting. 1-1/8 holesaws are readily available as they are used in the construction industry for 3/4" pipe entering electrical panels. Any homedepot or similar store will have them along with arbors that are required to use them.
I'm new to the Forum and am looking forward to learning and sharing any info pertaining to almost anything (especially spelling) Hope you can read this and hope this helps. It seems like almost everybody agrees with the hole saw.
I'm new to the Forum and am looking forward to learning and sharing any info pertaining to almost anything (especially spelling) Hope you can read this and hope this helps. It seems like almost everybody agrees with the hole saw.