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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

Making holes in steel

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RoySC

05-06-2007 17:29:28




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I'm in the process of making an attachment for my tractor and need to make some bolt holes in steel plate. Size of holes: 5/8", Steel is 1/2" thick, number of holes: approx. 20 each. Any suggests: Drill bit, welding rod, others.....

Looking for the easiest / most cost effective approach.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions / ideas.




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Butcher

05-08-2007 19:51:55




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to RoySC, 05-06-2007 17:29:28  
Get a cutting torch and blow um open. BTDT.



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TomTX

05-08-2007 05:48:17




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to RoySC, 05-06-2007 17:29:28  
Just drilled 8 holes through 3/4 inch steel with old cheap drill press, used haavy hit with center punch, set on slowest belt speed, used Brownell dew drill cutting oil, steady pressure, no pilot hole. Used an already used bit, and it was still sharp and cutting continous ribbons when I finished. Tom



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RickL

05-07-2007 05:39:19




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to RoySC, 05-06-2007 17:29:28  
drill press and bit no big deal,otherwisw if you do not have a drill press borrow /rent a magnetic drill they work just as well



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Gerald J.

05-06-2007 20:03:42




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to RoySC, 05-06-2007 17:29:28  
21/32" drill with 135 degree split point. It won't need a pilot hole. I drilled 40 such holes in 1/2 inch plate making adapters for my 4020 rear wheels last year. Then I drilled another 16 holes last fall in 3/4" steel with the same bit that I bought from McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com). I used a small vertical mill at about 250 RPM with cutting oil. I used pipe threading oil from the local hardware store. Round about 45 holes I did have to touch up the cutting end of the bit.

Gerald J.

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jmixigo

05-06-2007 19:03:50




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to RoySC, 05-06-2007 17:29:28  
The shop I work at has an "iron worker"-it would punch your holes in about 15 min. includeing setup time. Since you likely don't have one of these, why not lay out and center punch the holes then find a shop that can either punch or drill em for ya? I figger you'll spend less gettin it done than you would buying stuff to do it with. A hand drill an a bit or hole saw for drilling a total of ten inches of 5/8 ths. holes in steel is a pretty tall order.

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msb

05-06-2007 19:22:09




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to jmixigo, 05-06-2007 19:03:50  
Agree with the iron worker. Have a fabricating shop in your area? Second best idea would buy a set of inexpensive drill bits (Silver & Demming) from Harbor Freight if you have access to a SLOW drill press. Start with a small hole and gradually work up to the size hole you want. Don't make the mistake most people make by trying to save a few passes only to burn their bits up.



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Davis In SC

05-06-2007 23:23:39




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to msb, 05-06-2007 19:22:09  
After 30 years in machine shop, I feel that stepping up drills is really not the best way.. For 3/4 inch, I would do a 3/16 or 1/4 pilot, then drill 3/4... All you really want to do is to clear the web thickness of the large drill.. Stepping up just seems to chip and burn the incremental drills... Just MHO...



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dan hill

05-07-2007 03:57:34




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to Davis In SC, 05-06-2007 23:23:39  
Step drilling puts a large load on a small area of the web.Big drills need a starter hole from a smaller drill, only enough to get the big drill point started.Big drills run slow.I ve worked with big radial drills that cut a continuos chip.



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Matt in TN

05-06-2007 18:44:06




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to RoySC, 05-06-2007 17:29:28  
Bi-metal holesaw. Use plenty of cutting oil.



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Don L C

05-06-2007 18:27:04




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to RoySC, 05-06-2007 17:29:28  
I would mark it off....set the drill mark with a good sharp pumch.....drill 1/8" pilot holes,using cutting oil..... .then with a lot of cutting oil drill the 5/8" holes slow....



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old

05-06-2007 17:33:23




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to RoySC, 05-06-2007 17:29:28  
Drill bit is the best way to go but that size you almost need a drill press to do them. Next to impossible to do them with a welding rod, you could do it with a touch but they would be very ruff at best. Start with say a 1/4 inch bit then work you way up to say 1/2 inch then 5/8. That will keep the hole true and also keep from working the bigger bit to much

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Slowpoke

05-10-2007 00:20:06




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to old, 05-06-2007 17:33:23  
I disagree. Step drilling will produce an out of round hole. Start with a pilot drill the size of the web, then go to the finish size bit. The center of the bit mashes thru the metal, so a large bit requires excessive force without a pilot hole.



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dan hill

05-07-2007 04:01:30




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to old, 05-06-2007 17:33:23  
Step drilling breaks the corners off drill bits.



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old

05-07-2007 07:51:15




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to dan hill, 05-07-2007 04:01:30  
Guess I've been lucky then because I haven't ever had that problem



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VaTom

05-07-2007 18:03:58




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to old, 05-07-2007 07:51:15  
I doubt luck had much to do with it. LOL Angle of grind does.

That's the process I used to drill 20 3/4" holes in a 3/4" thick new cutting edge for my large loader. Worked very well with a drill press, 3 bits/hole. Harbor Freight large bits were pretty good steel.



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dan hill

05-08-2007 04:50:54




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 Re: Making holes in steel in reply to VaTom, 05-07-2007 18:03:58  
Just consider the high load placed on a short length of the drill web when you step drill.I drill 3/4 and 7/8 holes with a small drill press,Just takes time and some cutting oil.



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