Gunner Asch wrote:

Frankly Jon..you would be better served if you made up templates to
mark your holes, center punch them..and then use a 1/2" drill motor.

Heya Gunner, good to see ya, mate! Hope everything is well in Gunnerville.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I just don't have the precision with a hand
motor to get anywhere near straight. I have seen the little holders for
hand motors, but I don't know how precise I could be with one of those.

While you could perhaps(not likely) drill them with a 1/4hp drill
press..you will have to work very slowly, and probably increasingly
bigger holes first.

Okay, now that brings up a question I have. If you had an adequately rated
drill press, and needed to drill a number of one inch diameter holes in 1/8"
mild steel, would you use a hole saw or a twist bit? What would you
consider to be the minimum horsepower for either type of bit?

Also, would you consider a S/D bit suitable for a one inch hole if your
chuck was only 1/2"?

Thanks Gunner,

Jon