Making a 2.5mm Hole in Thick Metal: Drill vs Hole Saw, DIY Methods and Techniques

Question

Hello, the topic is not funny :D what can you drill (make) a hole in thick metal, a hole with a diameter of about 2.5 mm, what to do with a drill, hole saw, I can't do it at a turner, I have to figure it out myself. Thanks for the help.

kokapetyl · Answer

This diameter can only be drilled.

mlewan · Answer

How thick, what metal and can you use a bench drill?

wzagra · Answer

Good drill, low speed, cooling. The drill is preferably table-top or on a good, stable tripod.

13adam13 · Answer

2.5 [cm] sorry, I stared material iron, thickness also 2 [cm] and I cannot use a table drill, accuracy does not matter.

kokapetyl · Answer

This is a bit different, it is a bigger problem and you probably won't be able to do without a table drill. One more important thing about the material in particular is its hardness.

czaplak11 · Answer

Buy a titanium drill ? 2.5 and drill with an ordinary drill, only if it does not have hitting. You wrote it was iron! This is steel, as soft as it is, no problem! Try to drill at full speed and don't press too hard. Frequently pull out the drill bit to dislodge the chips. Good luck

kokapetyl · Answer

The author has already improved fi 25mm, not 2.5

13adam13 · Answer

I do not know what type of iron it is, I do not know what to call it a closed profile (structural steel

) I was going to burn it with a welder, but it will certainly weaken the profile.
I will explain it this way, such a cultivator, and I broke off the attachment to the beam, at the profile a stone broke the attachment instead of a paw.

That's something, that's it.

I'm going to drill through both handles on one side and the other and give the hex rod right through to hold it.

kajron · Answer

Burn with a burner or with a welder for aesthetics you can process.

Madrik · Answer

It can burn out, but forget about precision. The hole will have a lot of play and the pin will damage faster, and the joint operation itself will be far from precise.
Ideally, look for a workshop with a column drill. The table top is suitable for small things. A slightly different caliber here. Such a device should have locksmith's or repair workshops.

Alternatively - Burn the hole, add the bushing to the pin at the turner, and weld the bushing into the hole.

ociz · Answer

I drilled more or less with these diameters on a large coordinate drill, I had to manually rotate the feed because it was not so slow in the machine. Drilling one hole took several minutes. Also, forget about a manual or some ordinary canteen, none of them even have a sufficiently low speed.

13adam13 · Answer

I will try it myself, do it yet I do not know how, please do not close the topic in a week, I will praise what came out.

balonika3 · Answer

Closed profile, i.e. a sheet. Buy or borrow a metal hole saw and drill with a hand drill.

Madrik · Answer

You can use the table top, if done gradually, by reaming every 2-3mm.
The problem is that a bench drill, usually above 16 mm in diameter, is already leaking. And there is a problem with drills, with a fitting that fits the "canteen" with large diameters.

IMHO, just like "at home", just make the sleeves and weld them in a burnt hole with a welder or torch.

Anonymous · Answer

At home, holes are drilled, e.g. 5mm around the circumference, in this case 20mm circles, as close to each other as possible. The core is removed with a hammer and a small chisel, and the hole is finished with a file.

Tools needed:
Any drill.
5mm drill bit, maybe small, e.g. 3mm for precise starting, solid punch (needle from an old diesel injector, old tap etc.).
Hammer, chisel, file and a little bit of oil in the head.

zbich70 · Answer

Exactly so

Instead of a hammer and a chisel, you can also use a saw blade with a width of, for example, 5mm or a jigsaw. Or a whole jigsaw ...
In order not to swing the file, there is a grinding stone for a drill and driving ...

marcin55246 · Answer

Even manually, it can do this. Only drill first with fi10 because the cutting will be difficult.

Pokrentz · Answer

There are core drills, as far as I know, I have seen, for example, the production of Dedra in Castorama. They are not very expensive (such 25 mm is probably around PLN 30) and he writes on the leaflets that even in stainless steel they can handle it. I have not tried to drill in steel, but maybe it is worth taking an interest in such a solution?

wolek14 · Answer

I drilled a 67mm hole in the steel (truck bumper) 6mm thick with the screwdriver. This was done without any unnecessary physical effort or devastation of the boring bar. Idle + good coolant (I used partisan WD40) and it should be possible in a sheet metal even 20mm.

krisxxl · Answer

Hello

As a colleague wrote above: the Dedra bimetallic crown. I've been drilling holes with it myself recently and it's quite acceptable. The cost of the crown is about 30 zlotys and the drill bit is about 20 zlotys. One Note: You need a 13mm drill chuck to mount. Cooling with a drill bit or other coolant.

greetings

Krystian

miro.nasz · Answer

Hello!
You need to start drilling a 25mm hole with marking the spot and drill with a few drill bits. 1 drilling with a drill 6-8 mm then 10 mm. I would have checked if it had skewed, if so, I would use a round file and then use a 15mm drill, then 20mm, and after checking the hole, I would drill 25mm. It will take a while, but the hole would be fine. The problem may occur with the fur of the drill. If so, the drills need to be inserted into the lathe and rolled to the diameter of the drill fur and that's it.
Regards Miro our

jacur · Answer

As a last resort, plain water is enough, remember that with a wall thicker than 4 mm, often pull the crown out of the hole to evacuate the chip and drill at slow speed

ursus1991 · Answer

I have to drill 10 holes from fi 16 to at least fi 20. These holes are in the frame of the combine and I have to do it to adjust the reduction gear slightly. This frame cannot be unscrewed to use a bench drill. Metal thickness approx. 20 mm. What's the best way to do this? Any special drill, this crown you write about?
All in all, it's enough to make beans here, but drilling the holes will probably be easier.

Anonymous · Answer

It is not a sophisticated art, a slow-speed hand drill, a regular drill, twist drill and drilling, the worst stage at the end when the drill goes through, you need a bit of practice and solid handles in the drill to master it at this point. Recommended removal of the switch lock in the on position.

If you want beans, a straight grinder like the GD800C, adequate rotary file and also doable.

jalop · Answer

Care must be taken with the rotary file, especially when working perpendicularly.
fi25 will definitely throw the drill and the object hard. Several steps, gradually with a small and bigger and bigger drill.
The hole saw seems the most sensible, with the addition of slow speed and necessary lubrication.

If you burn with a welder, take into account local hardening.

Lubrication = emulsion.

Magister_123 · Answer

With a hole saw and an ordinary drill, it will do nothing. Nowhere to screw in the pilot drill. It would be best to rent a magnetic drill. As long as there is enough space to attach it.

kierbedz4 · Answer

You can make holes in the combine's frame with a drill, an end mill or a drill. Such a drill is placed on the frame and the electromagnet located in the foot of the drill is turned on, and then the drill is turned on and the drill is cooled by cooling the tool with coolant. The attached electromagnet located in the drill foot easily holds the drill on the metal structure of the combine while drilling.

ursus1991 · Answer

Thanks. I bought a rotary file today and ream it with a drill. I tried today and it's going pretty well.

jalop · Answer

What file did you buy?

Making a 2.5mm Hole in Thick Metal: Drill vs Hole Saw, DIY Methods and Techniques

How can I make a 25 mm hole in 20 mm thick steel without using a lathe or bench drill?

Topic summary

FAQ

Quick Facts

What is the simplest DIY way to make a 25 mm hole in 20 mm structural steel without a bench drill?

Can I drill straight through with a single 25 mm twist drill?

Are hole saws effective on metal this thick?

What is a core drill and why pick it?

How do I enlarge an existing Ø16 mm hole to Ø20 mm on farm machinery?

What speed should I set on a hand drill?

Which lubricant works if cutting oil is unavailable?

Is burning a hole with a welder a good idea?

How to avoid the drill grabbing when it breaks through?

What if accuracy is unimportant?