" Frank" x wrote in
:


wrote in message
.
..
I have a 1/8th thick aluminum bar 36 inches long and 2 inches wide
that I want to drill some 5/16 inch holes into and bend to 90
degrees. Could a hand held drill be used to drill the holes or would
I be better off taking it to a machine shop. If a hand held would do
it what specifications would the drill have to have to do it?

Thanks.


Almost any drill should do the job. Maybe cleaner with a hole punch -
don't know if it comes this small, my smallest hole punch is something
like 1/2". Don't expect problem bending it to 90 degrees, but with
aluminum, you never know until you've tried it.






those step drills make a nice *round*,clean hole,but 1/8" thick AL is right
at their limit.Maybe the smaller step drill can do 5/16" hole in thicker,I
don't know for sure.
I HAVE used the bigger step drill to drill 1/8" AL,though.
Using a cordless 9.6V Makita drill.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net