Drilling Metal

For simple Halloween projects, wood and PVC pipe can be used for framing, but as we learned with Mad Monk 2, sometimes you need something stronger, like metal. Suddenly, all the operations that were easy to do, like cutting, drilling, and fastening, become much harder.

This page discusses drilling holes in metal.

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Basics

Basics

Remember that the drill is supposed to cut through the metal while drilling.

Use good-quality drill bits
- that are clearly labeled "high speed steel"
- that are sharp
- a golden titanium nitride finish on the bit is OK, but is mostly cosmetic - it only does any real good at the cutting edge
Use cutting oil.
Mark the location of the hole carefully, and then start with a ding in the metal (e.g. from an automatic center punch, or a punch and a hammer).
A pilot hole is a good idea for larger holes.
Drill straight down into the metal, at a 90-degree angle.
- If you drill at an angle, you are more likely to break your drill bit - especially with the smaller sizes.
- A drill press is helpful here!
Use firm downward pressure.
- Too little pressure and you will just spin around without cutting.
- A drill press is helpful here!
If the metal or drill-bit starts to discolor, it is overheating - Stop!
If it takes too long, it's probably not working - Stop!

If you are just not making progress, the metal might be too hard. Worse, your continued efforts to drill the metal might be making it harder! (This is called "work-hardening".) Consider Annealing To Soften Metal.

You might also consider buying drill bits in bulk, such as thhese packages from Harbor Freight Tools:
[photo] Each pack contains 10 identical bits. They are available for several comkmonly-used drill bit sizes.

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