Is there a decent technique to drill holes in metal at an angle?

My "new" car has more empty space in the engine compartment, but it
has almost no "wall space". There are a couple spots big enough to
mount things, but nowhere near big enough to get an electric drill in
to drill the mounting holes, nor enough for one of those right angle
or flexible cable attachments. Not enough for a center punch and
hammer, although maybe enough for a hammerless center-punch (what do
you call those?)

But I could get a drill bit in at maybe a 45 degrees angle.

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.

On 2011-09-20, micky wrote:

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.

Not with a drill.

I would think you'd be better off looking for a solution with a high
speed rotory motor tool like a Dremel and some kinda burr/rasp bit.

http://www.duragrit.com/

nb

notbob wrote the following:
On 2011-09-20, micky wrote:

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.

Not with a drill.

I would think you'd be better off looking for a solution with a high
speed rotory motor tool like a Dremel and some kinda burr/rasp bit.

http://www.duragrit.com/

nb


Here, let me get that hook out of your mouth. :-)

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Right angle gadget for smaller spaces.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...uck-92188.html
On sale, ten bucks.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"micky" wrote in message
...
Is there a decent technique to drill holes in metal at an
angle?

My "new" car has more empty space in the engine compartment,
but it
has almost no "wall space". There are a couple spots big
enough to
mount things, but nowhere near big enough to get an electric
drill in
to drill the mounting holes, nor enough for one of those
right angle
or flexible cable attachments. Not enough for a center
punch and
hammer, although maybe enough for a hammerless center-punch
(what do
you call those?)

But I could get a drill bit in at maybe a 45 degrees angle.

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it
in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:48:23 -0400, micky
wrote:

Is there a decent technique to drill holes in metal at an angle?

My "new" car has more empty space in the engine compartment, but it
has almost no "wall space". There are a couple spots big enough to
mount things, but nowhere near big enough to get an electric drill in
to drill the mounting holes, nor enough for one of those right angle
or flexible cable attachments. Not enough for a center punch and
hammer, although maybe enough for a hammerless center-punch (what do
you call those?)

But I could get a drill bit in at maybe a 45 degrees angle.

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.


What are you going to mount in there, more cupholders?
No good reason to be drilling in an engine compartment.
Any aftermarket stuff you might put in there should come
with clamp-on attachments.
If you really want to drill holes in there, just take off the fenders
and any other part in the way.

--Vic

In article ,
micky wrote:
Is there a decent technique to drill holes in metal at an angle?

My "new" car has more empty space in the engine compartment, but it
has almost no "wall space". There are a couple spots big enough to
mount things, but nowhere near big enough to get an electric drill in
to drill the mounting holes, nor enough for one of those right angle
or flexible cable attachments. Not enough for a center punch and
hammer, although maybe enough for a hammerless center-punch (what do
you call those?)

But I could get a drill bit in at maybe a 45 degrees angle.

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.

9 millimeter full metal jacket? Seriously, could you use a right-angle drill
with a short bit like these?

http://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-232...ref=pd_cp_hi_0




--
There are no stupid questions, but there are lots of stupid answers.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org

Vic Smith wrote:

My "new" car has more empty space in the engine compartment,
but it has almost no "wall space". There are a couple
spots big enough to mount things, ...

What are you going to mount in there, more cupholders?

Yea, I thought that was the obvious question here. Nobody else caught
that one.

I wonder why "new" was in quotes.

No good reason to be drilling in an engine compartment.
Any aftermarket stuff you might put in there should come
with clamp-on attachments.

Not sure what surface he could be talking about. Radiator bulkhead?
Firewall?

On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:58:45 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Right angle gadget for smaller spaces.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...uck-92188.html
On sale, ten bucks.

Hey this is pretty good! Thanks. Will they give the web sale price
at the store? I have to go to the store anyhow!

Especially with Larry's stubby drills. Thanks Larry.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:21:58 -0400, Home Guy wrote:

Vic Smith wrote:

My "new" car has more empty space in the engine compartment,
but it has almost no "wall space". There are a couple
spots big enough to mount things, ...

What are you going to mount in there, more cupholders?

Yea, I thought that was the obvious question here. Nobody else caught
that one.

A siren. Right now the alarm just blows a couple horns. It's
feeble.

And a cupholder.

I wonder why "new" was in quotes.

Because it's only new to me. It's a 2000 Solara convertible, in
great shape, ;76,000 miles.

No good reason to be drilling in an engine compartment.
Any aftermarket stuff you might put in there should come
with clamp-on attachments.

Not sure what surface he could be talking about. Radiator bulkhead?
Firewall?

Radiator had no spots, firewall none I could get to and had enough
space, plus the firewall requires checking out what's on the other
side.

So far the most likely spot is the shock tower on the driver's side.
Yes, I could probably take the wheel off and drill from the other
side, but it would be hard to get the holes in just the right place.
There isn't much room. Like I say, there is almost no wall space.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:59:52 -0400, willshak
wrote:

notbob wrote the following:
On 2011-09-20, micky wrote:

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.

Not with a drill.

I would think you'd be better off looking for a solution with a high
speed rotory motor tool like a Dremel and some kinda burr/rasp bit.

http://www.duragrit.com/

No room for a dremel either, except sideways. I don't think I can
make a round hole that way.

nb


Here, let me get that hook out of your mouth. :-)

I was kidding about holding it in place with my finger, but everything
else was for real.

Thanks and thanks all.

They "should" have the sale price on the shelves. You can
also print off the web page, for proof.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"micky" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:58:45 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Right angle gadget for smaller spaces.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...uck-92188.html
On sale, ten bucks.

Hey this is pretty good! Thanks. Will they give the web
sale price
at the store? I have to go to the store anyhow!

Especially with Larry's stubby drills. Thanks Larry.

"micky" wrote in message
...
Is there a decent technique to drill holes in metal at an angle?

My "new" car has more empty space in the engine compartment, but it
has almost no "wall space". There are a couple spots big enough to
mount things, but nowhere near big enough to get an electric drill in
to drill the mounting holes, nor enough for one of those right angle
or flexible cable attachments. Not enough for a center punch and
hammer, although maybe enough for a hammerless center-punch (what do
you call those?)

But I could get a drill bit in at maybe a 45 degrees angle.

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.

How thick is the metal? If it is the sheet metal stuff, you MAY be able to
do it with a Dremel or Foredom with right angle attachment and carbide burr.
It may take a while if the metal has any thickness at all. Other than that,
a smoke wrench .......

Steve

micky wrote:
On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:58:45 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Right angle gadget for smaller spaces.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...uck-92188.html
On sale, ten bucks.

Hey this is pretty good! Thanks. Will they give the web sale price
at the store? I have to go to the store anyhow!

Yes, if you bring a printout of the web price. Lately I've been finding
that the store sale price is always the same as the online sale price, but
you might still want to call first to find out (and check stock).

Jon

Could make Dirlling metal at an angle much easier.


--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Jon Danniken" wrote
in message ...
micky wrote:
On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:58:45 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Right angle gadget for smaller spaces.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...uck-92188.html
On sale, ten bucks.

Hey this is pretty good! Thanks. Will they give the web
sale price
at the store? I have to go to the store anyhow!

Yes, if you bring a printout of the web price. Lately I've
been finding
that the store sale price is always the same as the online
sale price, but
you might still want to call first to find out (and check
stock).

Jon

On Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:54:27 -0700, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:

micky wrote:
On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:58:45 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Right angle gadget for smaller spaces.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...uck-92188.html
On sale, ten bucks.

Hey this is pretty good! Thanks. Will they give the web sale price
at the store? I have to go to the store anyhow!

Yes, if you bring a printout of the web price. Lately I've been finding
that the store sale price is always the same as the online sale price, but
you might still want to call first to find out (and check stock).

Jon

Okay, Jon, Chris, I will print it out. This is more effort than it
sounds like because the printer is now buried behind a bunch of things
and hard to get to, and I rarely use it, but I will.

Thanks.

On Sep 20, 6:48*pm, micky wrote:
Is there a decent technique to drill holes in metal at an angle?

My "new" car has more empty space in the engine compartment, but it
has almost no "wall space". * *There are a couple spots big enough to
mount things, but nowhere near big enough to get an electric drill in
to drill the mounting holes, nor enough for one of those right angle
or flexible cable attachments. * *Not enough for a center punch and
hammer, although maybe enough for a hammerless center-punch (what do
you call those?) *

But I could get a drill bit in at maybe a 45 degrees angle.

I thought maybe I could put my finger on the bit and hold it in place
while I dirilled, but maybe there's a better way.

What you need is something I have had in my toolbox for years, a right
angle aircraft drill. Mine is a SnapOn, but there are any others, a
little pricey for one use, but far more compact than the Harbor
Freight adapter suggested above. Google it to see some examples.

Joe