So you want to make a hole? There are few tips and tricks that will help that drill bit last a lot longer. In this article, I am going to show you those techniques and offer some helpful hints to go along with them.
Tightening That Chuck
For starters, here is something that a surprising number of people don’t know. When you tighten down a chuck on your drill with a chuck key, you should simply crank down hard on one hole that is in the most convenient position and call it quits. All of the jaws are geared together so no more action is necessary.
Here Is Some Bit-Buying Advice
When you buy bits, buy only high speed steel (HSS), cobalt or better quality bits that have a 135-degree split point.
First, the split point is more efficient because it has four cutting edges instead of two. It does not require a center punch mark to get started on flat surfaces.
Drill Slowly and Lubricate
When drilling metal, use a very low speed with an oil lubricant. This is the way that machinists do it in machine shops to drill several hundred holes with the same bit. Most people mistakenly drill on a high-speed setting with no lubricant on the metal. This ruins bits and tempers, both the drill bit and yours.
You to start a bit by first making an indentation in the curved metal with a punch. This eliminates the possibility of the bit wandering just before it starts its drilling operation. This will also slightly work-harden the area but not enough to cause any concern.
A major practice is to make a pilot hole by drilling a hole with a smaller diameter bit and then going back and re-drilling the hole with the correct size bit, this will make the drilling easier with less resistance in the hole.
Again, don’t forget the cutting lubricant and the slowest speed operation. By the way, consider buying a one half-inch drill as the motor and the gears will be more powerful and durable. In addition, you don’t have to buy reduced shank drill bits when you have a bit above three-eighths in diameter.
Using a Left-Handed Bit
There is another type of drill bit that you really need to know about and understand. It’s called a left-handed drill bit. Now, obviously, it is not for left-handed people. What it does is it drills in reverse, and there is an outstanding reason for this.
As you no doubt know, there are times when a bolt will break off and you have no protruding hex head with which to remove it. This is where the left-handed drill bit comes in. Generally, the left-handed drill bit will be marked by a red band on the shank.
By drilling counter clock-wise, you apply reverse pressure which will often grab the bolt and actually back it out. Even if it does not back it out, it tends to loosen the bolt as opposed to drilling with a conventional bit in the clockwise motion. A clockwise movement only serves to tighten the broken-off bolt in the hole.
Once loosened, you can use an “easyout” extractor or a spiral screw extractor. Irwin Tools has a set of reverse drill bits and extractors that you could consider. Go to their Web site, irwin.com, click on the tab “all products” and then click on the tab for “screw & bolt extractors.” They also have bolt extractors for when the head is rounded off and you can’t get a socket on it or the bolt is covered over with paint. This is very common with a soft Grade 2 bolt. In addition, they have a 48-piece set that will serve your needs for car, truck and boat applications that I highly recommend. It contains left-handed drill bits, spiral screw extractors, bolt extractors and stud extractors. Virtually any fastener failure can be handled with this set.
This article is the intellectual property of Simmons BOSS CREATIONS. Any reuse of the contents must include the following attribution:
Marcus Simmons, ASE Certified
Simmons BOSS CREATIONS
Phone: (248) 461-6977
Email: ceo@simmonsbosscreations.com
http://www.simmonsbosscreations.com