For most DIY enthusiasts, there will be a time when you will have to drill a hole through a piece of metal. The tools and methods used to do this are almost as varied as the different types of existing metals. So, here is a guide on ‘how to use a drill press for metal’ depending on the type of metal.
How to use a drill press for metal?
If you are a dedicated mechanic man, sooner or later you will have to drill something. And if you are lucky it will be metal. Whether you are making a modification, holding or installing. It needs to know ‘how to use a drill press metal’ according to your project and materials. The right preparation and technique will give you time and money. Here are some tips for drilling metal.
This will depend a lot on metal. For aluminum, high-speed steel bits are fine. For some alloys and for a higher percentage of plastics filled with glass, they have a low yield. The right lubricant makes a huge difference for all combinations of drills and metal.
Drill bits for drilling Metal
Drill bits are an important step for metal drilling. The next step is to coat the drill bits with lubricants. The correct coating depends on the material that is being cut. Because at the temperature and pressure at the tip, it is necessary to take into account. Some can be chemically reactive and erode the coating very quickly. You need to consult a table of coatings and alloys on this.
Once you have everything you need on hand and your workplace is tidy, we can start. The first part is the hardest part: make sure the drill is aligned and that it stays where it should be. To help, before drilling, mark where the point should go and use a punch or a nail and a hammer to make a small notch. This will prevent the tip of the drill from getting out of position.
Hold the drill very firmly with both hands to help ensure the desired angle. For harder metals, drill slowly. If the metal is very thick, take breaks to give the heat the opportunity to disperse a little. Softer metals must be drilled quickly. To prevent metal chips from accumulating inside and thwarting the entire project. In any case, the intermittent addition of some lubricant.
Standard metal drill bits are good for drilling in soft metals such as copper and aluminum. It is better to use chrome vanadium, cobalt or titanium carbide bits. For hard metals such as stainless steel, it works well. The HSS label indicates that the drill is made of a harder metal. Standard metal drill bits are available in diameters from 1 to 13 mm.
In conclusion, the best tips are:
- Drill slowly
- Use a drilling lubricant
- Let the drill stand to avoid overheating.
- Avoid the use of excessive pressure.
Drill metal with a drill press.
Standard metal bits are fine for drilling in soft metals, such as copper and aluminum. But for hard metals, it is best to use chrome-vanadium, cobalt or titanium carbide drill bits. The HSS label indicates that the drill is made of a harder metal. There are standard metal drills with diameters from 1 to 13 mm.
We recommend the use of work gloves, safety glasses, and a dust mask for your protection. Also, you can use hearing protection when working with power drill tools. How to use a drill press for metal’ talk about more below.
- Metal drill bits: A distinctive feature of the metal drill bits is the tip. It’s very pronounced to ensure that the drill easily cuts the metal. The metal drill bits have the same diameter throughout their length and an angle of 118 ° at the tip. They are also known as HSS bits (from High-Speed Steel). HSS cobalt bits allow drilling of hard metals such as stainless steel. And have a tip with a slightly higher angle (135 °) to ease centering when starting to drill. These bits are made of HSS steel with 5% cobalt. It must be kept refrigerated while working using a special drilling oil.
- Burr formation when drilling: When drilling in metal, chips or burrs (with soft metals such as brass). Or filings (with hard metals such as iron and steel) are created. There are special bits for both types of metal. The cutting edges of the soft metal drill bits are flat (A). Thus it is more difficult for these bits to make bites in the metal. And can be used with other soft materials such as plastic and nylon. The cutting edges of the hard metal drill bits are very sharp (B).
- Drill large holes: If you are going to drill large diameter holes in metal, it is best to pre-drill them with a smaller diameter drill. Thus the large drill will cut more efficiently and is less likely to slip. If necessary, you can pre-drill in successive steps. You can increase the diameter at each step. When pre-drilling, the diameter of the smaller drill bit (B) must be at least the same as the core of the larger drill bit (A). The core of the drill is the shortest distance between the two cutting edges.
- Drilling speed: A very common mistake is to use a drilling speed that is too high. The harder the material to be drilled, the lower the drilling speed must be. For example, if you are going to drill an 8 mm hole in brass, you should select a speed of 2500 rpm. For stainless steel, which is much harder, the proper drilling speed would be 800 rpm. If the chips are long and of regular size. That is a good sign that you are using the right speed.
- Drill in thin metal plates: If you need to drill a thin metal plate, do not think of holding the plate with your hand. As soon as the drill passes through the metal and comes out on the other side, there is a problem. That is the metal plate will lock over the drill and shoot out of your hand. It is best to leave the metal plate firmly held between two pieces of wood. Thus there is less danger of being shot and the amount of burrs is reduced. So that the finishing of the piece will be easier.
- Lubricate the drill bit: When drilling steel or iron, it is best to apply as little force as possible. Let the drill do the job! You can use lubricant not only to lubricate the drill bit also to cool it. When you have almost pierced the metal with the drill bit, do not let the drill penetrate the material too quickly. This will cut the number of burrs when the drill comes out on the other side.
- Drill metal pipes: If you are going to drill a metal pipe, make sure the workpiece is well fixed. It is best to use a drill stand and a workbench. Insert a piece of wood of the same size and shape into the latter. It will prevent the drill pressure from deforming the pipe. And, again, avoid applying too much force and let the drill do the job.
Tips when using a drill press for metals
- Very large holes: If you want to make large diameter holes, do not pass from the guide drill to the drill you need. Repeat the same action with larger drill bits until you reach the desired diameter. Another option we have is to use a stepped drill for metal. In this way, we can increase the size of the drilling without changing the drill.
- Avoid burrs when drilling: When drilling soft materials such as brass, chips or burrs are created. While if we are ready to drill hard metals such as steel, filings are created. To minimize them we must use the appropriate bits for each material. For soft materials, we will use bits that have flat cutting edges. And for hard materials, we will need bits with sharp edges.
- Metal drilling speed: When drilling metal we must have a very clear thing. The harder the metal we want to drill, the lower the drilling speed must be. To know if we are using the right speed, a trick is to look at the chips that are released. If they are long and regularly we are drilling at the correct speed.
This note is all about ‘how to use a drill press for metal’. If you want to buy a drill press metal then check below the instruction. Thank you!
