I am required to do so. My shop is 100' from the house so I often borrow tools from my wife's fully equipped toolbox... and she really hates greasy returned tools!
newish learnings for me.. I work a fair amount using aluminum and have found that my carbide tipped hole saws are wonderful for large(er) holes even in thicker stock. Use lubrication and keep the bit as square as possible. They're my go to after I exceed the diameter of a step drill. My 2 newer tools also fll into the category of: "wish I new that before". First up an older not too expensive used mill rather than a drill press... The mill even if used only as a drill press is FAR more accurate and even if it's only operated manually allows for many other operations. My second acquisition was a disk/belt sander... after clamping my 18" belt sander into my vice for several years I sure wish I'd bought the combo sander sooner - I bought the Jet. Rough cuts finish up and square up very quickly. Too soon old too late smart - that's me..
Here's a technique that I use when it's hard to see the holes to measure the distance between them by sighting a reading from the edge of onr hole to the corresponding edge of another. It involves a digital caliper, and allows the use of the jaws in the holes even if you can't see them well.
Set the caliper to zero with the jaws closed, then measure the hole with the inside jaws. Then set the caliper to zero again, and use the inside jaws to measure the distance between the outside edges of the holes. The measurement you get will be the distance between centers because the calipers subtracted one hole diameter (two radii) from the reading between the outside edges of the holes.
This same resetting to zero technique can work if you can't get an accurate reading because you can't read the caliper dial while it's in position. Square the caliper on the part and then zero it. Withdraw the caliper and close it. You will read the dimension of the part (you may see a minus sign on the reading).
By Chris Tropea
9/28/22 11:43 a.m.
If possible a punched hole is more accurate both in diameter & location
9/28/22 12:41 p.m.
An addition to Tip #3: Step drills are wonderful for this (if the material you're working with isn't too thick).
9/29/22 10:44 a.m.
Remember, a clean shop is a safe shop. One thing I TRY to do is always put tools back where they belong after every job or the end of the day.
9/29/22 1:23 p.m.
In reply to Kubotai :
Good advice. Thanks for commenting.
9/29/22 1:23 p.m.
In reply to BirkinGeorge :
I drive my team nuts by constantly putting stuff away.
1/2/23 7:31 p.m.
don't try going small hole to large with copper and brass as the drill will grab
3/20/23 2:15 p.m.
In reply to BirkinGeorge :
I am required to do so. My shop is 100' from the house so I often borrow tools from my wife's fully equipped toolbox... and she really hates greasy returned tools!
3/22/23 7:59 a.m.
mod bump
5/30/23 1:33 p.m.
newish learnings for me.. I work a fair amount using aluminum and have found that my carbide tipped hole saws are wonderful for large(er) holes even in thicker stock. Use lubrication and keep the bit as square as possible. They're my go to after I exceed the diameter of a step drill. My 2 newer tools also fll into the category of: "wish I new that before". First up an older not too expensive used mill rather than a drill press... The mill even if used only as a drill press is FAR more accurate and even if it's only operated manually allows for many other operations. My second acquisition was a disk/belt sander... after clamping my 18" belt sander into my vice for several years I sure wish I'd bought the combo sander sooner - I bought the Jet. Rough cuts finish up and square up very quickly. Too soon old too late smart - that's me..
11/16/24 6:07 p.m.
Here's a technique that I use when it's hard to see the holes to measure the distance between them by sighting a reading from the edge of onr hole to the corresponding edge of another. It involves a digital caliper, and allows the use of the jaws in the holes even if you can't see them well.
Set the caliper to zero with the jaws closed, then measure the hole with the inside jaws. Then set the caliper to zero again, and use the inside jaws to measure the distance between the outside edges of the holes. The measurement you get will be the distance between centers because the calipers subtracted one hole diameter (two radii) from the reading between the outside edges of the holes.
This same resetting to zero technique can work if you can't get an accurate reading because you can't read the caliper dial while it's in position. Square the caliper on the part and then zero it. Withdraw the caliper and close it. You will read the dimension of the part (you may see a minus sign on the reading).
Cheers, David
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