Step Drill Vs Cone Drill ?
the_constructor
item, ie. Switches, fuse holders etc etc.
Is it best to use a cone drill or a step drill ?
When using a step drill, how is it able to go to next size hole etc
Jim (very confused)
js.b1
<the_construc...@freeukisp.co.uk> wrote:
> I have some alluminium boxes that I want to drill holes into for specific
> item, ie. Switches, fuse holders etc etc.
> Is it best to use a cone drill or a step drill ?
Cone drill will drill any size hole, with a slight slant.
Step drill will only drill discrete sizes of holes without any slant,
BUT to a certain depth only before they start enlarging the front of
the hole due to the next step size beginning to cut. So a step drill
can only be used up to a certain enclosure wall thickness - I think
polyester tend to be very thick wall on large sizes (£45+) due to
their crumbly nature. A solution on very thickwall is to drill with a
step-drill to the depth limit and then file larger.
Cheap fleabay step drills work well on alloy & polyester enclosures,
but are very sharp so any mind wandering and you will end up drilling
beyond the size you want. The sizes tend not to be engraved so beware
"think I will try the next one up" to save a bit of filing. You do not
need the high end german drill bits unless working in production with
tough (or highly abrasive gf reinforced) materials.
> When using a step drill, how is it able to go to next size hole etc
You just continue drilling and it "steps up" onto the next one. The
edge of each step does the cutting, the rest of the step is parallel
to the shaft. Again, check the wall thickness of your enclosures
against the step distance on a step drill - or it can lead to tears
(generally only polyester are that thickwall due to the crumbly nature
of the material, although I suppose ABS PVC etc could be if a large
enough enclosure).
If the aluminium boxes are of a poor alloy (ie, not Bopla or Rose)
then drill carefully. Some of the cheap ones seem to have the sand
mould buried inside them and drill bits can wander quite a bit (even
bizarrely a centre drill).
Andy Dingley
<the_construc...@freeukisp.co.uk> wrote:
> Is it best to use a cone drill or a step drill ?
IMHO, soft plastic gets a step drill every time. It's an easier cut
and you get accurately round and sized holes.
For sheet metal, it depends. The cone drill is easier, but has a
tendency to drill oval and size control is hard. It's very prone to
catching and digging a "snail shell" hole if used freehand. Sometimes
I start with a cone, but finish with a step. With a drill press, both
are much easier.
> When using a step drill, how is it able to go to next size hole etc
Just like a normal drill. You can't drill a huge hole in one bite, but
you can easily enlarge an existing hole by a couple of mm.
Andrew Gabriel
"js.b1" <js...@ntlworld.com> writes:
> On Feb 21, 11:20 am, "the_constructor"
> <the_construc...@freeukisp.co.uk> wrote:
>> I have some alluminium boxes that I want to drill holes into for specific
>> item, ie. Switches, fuse holders etc etc.
>> Is it best to use a cone drill or a step drill ?
> Cone drill will drill any size hole, with a slight slant.
You can reduce this by turning the material over and just
touching the hole from the other side (but note this makes
the hole slightly bigger). Usually it doesn't matter though.
I use them in a pillar drill/drill press. I would guess
they're harder to use freehand.
--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]
Bill
<and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk> writes
>I use them in a pillar drill/drill press. I would guess they're harder
>to use freehand.
>
I've always used and much preferred hand powered tapered reamers. Much
easier to make an accurate hole.
The ones I've used (from RS, I think) seem to have been "improved" so
that instead of fitting a brace and bit or having a cross piece of metal
rod to apply some welly, they now have a rather delicate handle.
--
Bill
Dave Plowman (News)
> Jim (very confused)
A step drill is best since it gives parallel sides to the hole. Assuming
you get one with the correct sizes. They come in both imperial and metric.
Each 'step' is preceded by a taper so you can easily go up from a smaller
to larger one.
--
*We waste time, so you don't have to *
Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
Steve Firth
> In article <hoidnUADVdAf1__Q...@brightview.co.uk>,
> the_constructor <the_con...@freeukisp.co.uk> wrote:
>> I have some alluminium boxes that I want to drill holes into for
>> specific item, ie. Switches, fuse holders etc etc.
>
>> Is it best to use a cone drill or a step drill ?
>
>> When using a step drill, how is it able to go to next size hole etc
>
>> Jim (very confused)
>
> A step drill is best since it gives parallel sides to the hole. Assuming
> you get one with the correct sizes. They come in both imperial and metric.
>
> Each 'step' is preceded by a taper so you can easily go up from a smaller
> to larger one.
It's worth mentioning that a step drill can be used from both sides of the
material if the thickness of the material is an issue.
Tabby
I dont use these bits on ali at all if I can help it. Its far less
work and less hole errors to use a punch. The downside of punches is
you need one for each size.
You can get cone & step bit sets from screwfix, toolsatan etc, but I
dont remember seeing punches there.
NT
Dave Plowman (News)
<149c1702-e31d-44cb...@b8g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>,
Tabby <meow...@care2.com> wrote:
> I dont use these bits on ali at all if I can help it. Its far less
> work and less hole errors to use a punch. The downside of punches is
> you need one for each size.
Depends on the thickness of the ally. On thin sheet, a Q-Max etc is best.
> You can get cone & step bit sets from screwfix, toolsatan etc, but I
> dont remember seeing punches there.
Trouble is they are very expensive. Stepped cutters - I got a set from
Lidl which are just fine - cheap. Got a set of imperial ones at my local
Sunday market too. For most things they're just fine and so much faster
than a Q-Max.
--
*I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart.
Tabby
wrote:
> In article
> <149c1702-e31d-44cb-a214-06122e10b...@b8g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>,
> Tabby <meow2...@care2.com> wrote:
>
> > I dont use these bits on ali at all if I can help it. Its far less
> > work and less hole errors to use a punch. The downside of punches is
> > you need one for each size.
>
> Depends on the thickness of the ally. On thin sheet, a Q-Max etc is best.
>
> > You can get cone & step bit sets from screwfix, toolsatan etc, but I
> > dont remember seeing punches there.
>
> Trouble is they are very expensive.
Good ones are a bit, long time since I acquired any so I'd forgotten.
Carbon steel sets are cheap though, and you dont need quality metal
for soft materials like ali & plastic, just dont use them on steel.
FWIW punches look quite diyable with a basic lathe.
NT
Dave Plowman (News)
<cf158aa7-b209-4e82...@t8g2000vbd.googlegroups.com>,
> Good ones are a bit, long time since I acquired any so I'd forgotten.
> Carbon steel sets are cheap though, and you dont need quality metal
> for soft materials like ali & plastic, just dont use them on steel.
You'd need to be a heavy user to keep one set for non ferrous and one for
steel. And I've never seen 'cheap' ones on sale - only Q-Max.
--
*Young at heart -- slightly older in other places
Tabby
wrote:
> In article
> <cf158aa7-b209-4e82-81c8-b876fb5f6...@t8g2000vbd.googlegroups.com>,
> Tabby <meow2...@care2.com> wrote:
re metal hole punches
> > > Trouble is they are very expensive.
> > Good ones are a bit, long time since I acquired any so I'd forgotten.
> > Carbon steel sets are cheap though, and you dont need quality metal
> > for soft materials like ali & plastic, just dont use them on steel.
>
> You'd need to be a heavy user to keep one set for non ferrous and one for
> steel.
The op wants to cut ali, why would he want to buy a 2nd highly priced
set.
NT
Nightjar
> On Feb 21, 5:10 pm, "Dave Plowman (News)"<d...@davenoise.co.uk>
> wrote:
>> In article
>> <149c1702-e31d-44cb-a214-06122e10b...@b8g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>,
>> Tabby<meow2...@care2.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I dont use these bits on ali at all if I can help it. Its far less
>>> work and less hole errors to use a punch. The downside of punches is
>>> you need one for each size.
>>
>> Depends on the thickness of the ally. On thin sheet, a Q-Max etc is best.
>>
>>> dont remember seeing punches there.
>>
>> Trouble is they are very expensive.
>
> Good ones are a bit, long time since I acquired any so I'd forgotten.
> Carbon steel sets are cheap though, and you dont need quality metal
>
> FWIW punches look quite diyable with a basic lathe.
They are not difficult, if you have the right tool steel and know how to
harden them.
Colin Bignell
Dave Plowman (News)
<d4a891ac-cd65-4f5b...@a11g2000pro.googlegroups.com>,
Tabby <meow...@care2.com> wrote:
> > > > Trouble is they are very expensive.
> > > Good ones are a bit, long time since I acquired any so I'd forgotten.
> > > Carbon steel sets are cheap though, and you dont need quality metal
> > > for soft materials like ali & plastic, just dont use them on steel.
> >
> > You'd need to be a heavy user to keep one set for non ferrous and one
> > for steel.
> The op wants to cut ali, why would he want to buy a 2nd highly priced
> set.
You clipped the bit about not being able to buy 'cheap' ones easily. Most
decent toolshops stock Q-max. And like any tool, does it make sense to buy
a light duty version anyway? Unless you're going to throw it away after
use.
--
*Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular?*
Tabby
wrote:
> In article
> <d4a891ac-cd65-4f5b-a481-09fa000e9...@a11g2000pro.googlegroups.com>,
> Tabby <meow2...@care2.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > Trouble is they are very expensive.
> > > > Good ones are a bit, long time since I acquired any so I'd forgotten.
> > > > Carbon steel sets are cheap though, and you dont need quality metal
> > > > for soft materials like ali & plastic, just dont use them on steel.
>
> > > You'd need to be a heavy user to keep one set for non ferrous and one
> > > for steel.
> > The op wants to cut ali, why would he want to buy a 2nd highly priced
> > set.
>
> You clipped the bit about not being able to buy 'cheap' ones easily. Most
I found cheap carbon steel ones by googling, but couldnt remember the
price
> decent toolshops stock Q-max. And like any tool, does it make sense to buy
> a light duty version anyway? Unless you're going to throw it away after
> use.
on soft non-ferrous metals, a carbon steel tool should last ages.
NT
Dave Plowman (News)
<0a2f8e29-be57-467e...@r12g2000vbd.googlegroups.com>,
Tabby <meow...@care2.com> wrote:
> > decent toolshops stock Q-max. And like any tool, does it make sense to
> > buy a light duty version anyway? Unless you're going to throw it away
> > after use.
> on soft non-ferrous metals, a carbon steel tool should last ages.
I got most of my Q-Max cutters from autojumbles. Wouldn't be without them.
But for other than very thin sheet normally use a stepped cutter as it's
quicker and good enough. ;-)
--
*Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
Skipweasel
<\"cpb\"@" <"insertmysurnamehere> says...
> > FWIW punches look quite diyable with a basic lathe.
>
> They are not difficult, if you have the right tool steel and know how to
> harden them.
>
Unless you want one for a D-type connector!
--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.
Nightjar
> In article<gqqdnTLg8vcNi_7Q...@giganews.com>, "Nightjar
> <\"cpb\"@"<"insertmysurnamehere> says...
>>> FWIW punches look quite diyable with a basic lathe.
>>
>> They are not difficult, if you have the right tool steel and know how to
>> harden them.
>>
>
> Unless you want one for a D-type connector!
>
That is fairly simple, compared to some I've made, but you certainly
couldn't make it on a basic lathe.
Colin Bignell
the_constructor
"Nightjar <"cpb"@" <"insertmysurnamehere> wrote in message
news:gqqdnTLg8vcNi_7Q...@giganews.com...
Well thank you to all who took part in this thread. I am much wiser now. A
step drill it will be. The alli box is less than an 1/8 probably about 3/32
thick so should be ok.
Cheers everyone.
Jim