Does anyone know something about drilling into aluminum? DIY tonearm fail!!
- Thread starter Doctorhugo
- Start date
toxcrusadr
Omelette au Fromage
Uhh, if that cologne smells like WD-40, that's a completely unnecessary product. You smell like it anyway after using it. 
Any truth to the rumor that it will chase away jackasses? As in 'wanker dispersant'?
Any truth to the rumor that it will chase away jackasses? As in 'wanker dispersant'?
Depends on what you're doing. On CNC machines with full enclosures, sure they'll be flooding the hell out of the tool and parts with water based. We even used water based spray mist on our conventional lathes and mills. But on a drill press for one lousy hole? OIL. Either from an aerosol can or a squeeze bottle .....
1audiohack
Active Member
Hi Hugo;
If one of my guys at the shop walked up to me with that part and that drill, my first response would be: slow it down, then increase the feed pressure/rate.
The original hole is too large for the drill to initially pilot into. Your new very sharp drill aggravates the issue.
A twist drill wont really settle down until it is at least half of its diameter into the material.
If you want a fairly precise hole you would want to follow the drill with a ream.
Barry, who generates on average over 2800 pounds of aluminum chips per week.
If one of my guys at the shop walked up to me with that part and that drill, my first response would be: slow it down, then increase the feed pressure/rate.
The original hole is too large for the drill to initially pilot into. Your new very sharp drill aggravates the issue.
A twist drill wont really settle down until it is at least half of its diameter into the material.
If you want a fairly precise hole you would want to follow the drill with a ream.
Barry, who generates on average over 2800 pounds of aluminum chips per week.
Grenadeslio
Lunatic Member
Hi Hugo;
If one of my guys at the shop walked up to me with that part and that drill, my first response would be: slow it down, then increase the feed pressure/rate.
The original hole is too large for the drill to initially pilot into. Your new very sharp drill aggravates the issue.
A twist drill wont really settle down until it is at least half of its diameter into the material.
If you want a fairly precise hole you would want to follow the drill with a ream.
Barry, who generates on average over 2800 pounds of aluminum chips per week.
Or an endmill if a vertical mill is on hand lol.
Yes the size of the initial hole is allowing the bit to chatter, better at this point to just use more steps to minimize chatter until each bit gets a good bite.
Most likely a good thing the bit chattered as it wouldn't have been pretty once the bit grabbed with the vice only being handheld.
Thanks for the new replies everyone:
Tonight I clamped it firmly in my drill press vise, and bolted the vise to the table of the press. I slowed down the drill speed and lubricated it. I also used a stepped drill bit to enlarge the hole before using my large bit (it cut through no problem). Unfortunately the same result: it chattered until the chuck vibrated off the shaft. so I think it's time I tried to find a professional shop to do it.......
I'll report back on what happens!!
Tonight I clamped it firmly in my drill press vise, and bolted the vise to the table of the press. I slowed down the drill speed and lubricated it. I also used a stepped drill bit to enlarge the hole before using my large bit (it cut through no problem). Unfortunately the same result: it chattered until the chuck vibrated off the shaft. so I think it's time I tried to find a professional shop to do it.......
I'll report back on what happens!!
Grenadeslio
Lunatic Member
Water based coolant is also in regular use on most horizontal bandsaws, makes for much easier cleanup. The biodegradeability of the water based coolant being another reason for its use.
Definitely agree on the use of an oil can for small drill press duty, job shop type work, etc.
Grenadeslio
Lunatic Member
Thanks for the new replies everyone:
Tonight I clamped it firmly in my drill press vise, and bolted the vise to the table of the press. I slowed down the drill speed and lubricated it. I also used a stepped drill bit to enlarge the hole before using my large bit (it cut through no problem). Unfortunately the same result: it chattered until the chuck vibrated off the shaft. so I think it's time I tried to find a professional shop to do it.......
I'll report back on what happens!!
Why not just get a step drill large enough to complete the job.
This two piece set sells for $19.99 at Harbor Freight, the larger one should do the trick.
I used to keep a hunk of leaded steel on my desk as a reminder to always use the vise properly. I got in a hurry when drilling a deep hole in it (probably 6x diameter) and tried to hand hold it. Drill caught, ripped the workpiece out of my hand and flung it 10+ft against the shop wall with half of the bit still embedded in it. Could have taken my hand off or hit me in the chest or face.
I got lucky that day. One of those mistakes you only make once!
toxcrusadr
Omelette au Fromage
Another thing I have tried - mostly on wood but - is a block over top of the one you're drilling, that you drill through first. It would help keep the bit from moving side to side (i.e. chattering). Maybe.
I have never had such a problem as you're having but I've always started small and worked my way up, so there is already a hole for the point to go into, and a smooth rim for the next bit to cut rather than a choppy one. Hard to recover from this with a large size hole I guess.
Perhaps a smaller, intermediate bit that is juuust larger than the existing through hole? Cut off as little chattered metal as possible with each pass.
I have never had such a problem as you're having but I've always started small and worked my way up, so there is already a hole for the point to go into, and a smooth rim for the next bit to cut rather than a choppy one. Hard to recover from this with a large size hole I guess.
Perhaps a smaller, intermediate bit that is juuust larger than the existing through hole? Cut off as little chattered metal as possible with each pass.
Grenadeslio
Lunatic Member
I would turn the piece over and start from the other side.
toxcrusadr
Omelette au Fromage
I had that thought, but if the through-hole is not centered or even, the resulting finished hole may not match up with the original on the first side? It would sure be easier to drill though.
The trick I've used is to keep the diameter of the through-hole small so it won't wander, but acts to center the bit on the other side.
I've also used the through-hole when recessing a bolt head from the surface using a Forstner bit.
The best way to get a nice long through hole is to drill it a little under (punching from both sides if necessary) and reaming to final size. Once the reamer is in a little bit it's not prone to wander even if the two drilled holes aren't perfectly concentric.
But most home-gamers don't have big huge reamers just sitting around.
But most home-gamers don't have big huge reamers just sitting around.
That's an excellent solution to address misalignment. One might extend that solution to cutting away material just short of the edge and then enlarging to the proper diameter.
But this approach only works if the metal thickness is small.
But most home-gamers don't have big huge reamers just sitting around.
Too true.
Which is why such poorly equipped machinists will all be eaten in the Zombie Apocalypse. You know what else they don't have? Adequate supply of welding gas (no power), rod, and flux. How else to weld on those bars over the windows to keep zombies out? Some people just can't properly plan. It's not like the Zombie Apocalypse is a secret...
Gas welding with random nonsense for filler rod is interesting. One of the steering spindles on my lawn mower was built back up with an oxy-acetelyne rig and coat hangers for fill wire. I have no idea what the hardness is for coat hanger wire, but I'm sure its higher than the plastic bushings that serve as wheel bearings. Those are custom too, the old bushing failed and caused the steel rim to grind on the steel spindle. One got bigger, the other got smaller. Fire and junk metal made the small one big, a lathe and a bit of UHMW fixed the other one. Its a lawn mower, it only needs to be so good.
You clearly have not thought about using a lawn mower on zombies where ISO 9001 quality standards will greatly matter.
I refer you to the training film Dead Alive by Peter Jackson, made in the days when he was still making documentaries. (Go to YouTube and search for "Dead Alive Lawn Mower Scene". The best clip is probably LxubSFRs8NU . I'm certain a direct link violates all manner of rules.)
I will personally build my zombie-consuming lawn mower to significantly higher standards. I may even make it riding, because I anticipate a number of zombies and who wants to be pushing a mower all day long. I mean, it's good exercise and all, but that seems too much like work and not enough like post-apocalyptic fun time.
