This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy? What drill speed should I use? Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

-TC

TC wrote:

This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy?

A high speed steel drill bit should be fine. You can buy them one off at
most hardware stores.
What drill speed should I use?

According to the charts, 2000 RPM or less.
Should I use a
lubricant?

A little kerosene wouldn't hurt, but you sholud be able to drill without
it if you don't push it to hard.

How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.)

If you can't get a lot more than eight you're doing something wrong...

Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot?

Use a center punch to make a starting indentation where you're going to
be drilling.

How long can I expect each hole to
take?

About ten seconds of drilling once you get set up

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

That would be a major overkill.

-TC


Jeff (Who says that if you're around Red Sox Nation email me and I'll be
glad to drill them for you gratis.)

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

According to TC :
This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not.

Cast iron is probably easier to drill than almost any metal
other than aluminum -- unless it happens to be chilled cast iron, in
which case they would have had difficulty making the internal threads
which allow you to screw the caps onto the pipe.

You don't mention whether you are using a hand-held electric
drill or a drill press -- and whether you need to have the holes
parallel to the pipe's axis, or whether they can be at a slight angle.

With a hand-held electric drill, you should be able to drill
perpendicular to the surface of the crowned end at the point of drilling
without problems -- especially if you use a center punch to mark where
you want the drill bit to go. If you get a split point drill (you
probably can't find those in the typical homeowner hardware store, but
an industrial one should be able to provide what you want.

What kind of drill
bits should I buy?

Things would be a little easier to control with the split point
drills, but just about any quality drill bit should work. (Note that
cheap import bits can be of a very poor steel and can give problems with
even one hole.

What drill speed should I use?


For a 3/16" bit, for as few holes as you are considering,
probably whatever a 1/4" electric drill motor produces will be close
enough. However, going into _Machinery's Handbook_, for HSS (High Speed
Steel) bits in cast iron, the *maximum* speed should be (Assuming ASTM
class 30, 40, and 50 -- it is actually probably not as hard a cast
iron), the SFM (Surface Feet per Minute) is 80, which calculates out to
about 1630 RPM.

You can always run slower and get longer life from the bits.

Should I use a
lubricant?

Keep the speed down, and you probably don't need lubricant for
as few holes as you mention below -- especially since cast iron tends to
be self-lubricating anyway. But if you really feel like using
lubricant, try the high sulfur oil used for pipe threading (Rigid is
probably the brand you will find in your local hardware store.)

How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.)

I would expect over 100 holes with one bit -- if you are
careful. If you apply side stress, however, you can break the bit long
before it gets dull, so it would not hurt to have a couple of spares.
Watch the bit (and wear safety glasses). If the bit visibly bends, you
are applying too much force -- and too far off center. You are better
off applying the force to the handle directly behind the chuck. If you
move down the typical handle, you are more likely to bend the bits as
you drill.

Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot?

As I mentioned above -- it is easier if you can drill
perpendicular to the domed surface of the cap -- but if you have to
drill parallel to the pipe axis, be sure to use a center punch to mark
the center of the hole and to guide the bit.

How long can I expect each hole to
take?

Depending on speed and sharpness of the bit -- between fifteen
seconds and one minute.

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

Those are totally overkill for this job. Get a couple of extra
caps to experiment with and see how easy it is.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Yea. What the other guys said.
Sometimes pipe caps have raised crud on the end or even an initial or
something that sticks up. If so, you can flatten any humps off at a
grinding wheel of almost any sort.

Walmart sells "bullet point" drill bits. I don't remember the name on
the tag. These things are great for what you want to do. Still use the
center punch.

Pete Stanaitis

TC wrote:
This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy? What drill speed should I use? Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

-TC

TC wrote:

This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy? What drill speed should I use? Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

-TC

Buy a spare cap and a 3/16 drill from the hardware store and have at.


Try around 500 rpm. More or less. Don't worry if you cannot get it
exact, the cap won't tell. Center punch the start point, keep steady
pressure. Hold the work in a vise if you can, vise-grips, if no vise.

Don't worry about lube. It's 8 holes, not 8000.

I am sure that there are several EDM and laser shops that would be
GLAD to take your money. And they would laugh, and laugh, and laugh!

Cheers
Trevor Jones

On Jul 30, 9:39 pm, TC wrote:
Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

-TC

Any lubricant is better than none in my opinion. A little oil off the
dip stick of you car would work if you don't have any oil on hand. If
you are going to buy some oil the high sulfur stuff for threading pipe
is really good. Automatic transmission fluid is another useful oil.

Use a file on the surface if it is really rough and use a center
punch. If you have problems with the bit skating away from the spot
where you want the hole, use a short small drill to drill a pilot
hole. It will stay in the dent made by the center punch better than
the larger drill. By small I mean about a 1/16th diameter drill.

Dan

This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy? What drill speed should I use? Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

-TC

Buy a spare cap and a 3/16 drill from the hardware store and have at.


Try around 500 rpm. More or less. Don't worry if you cannot get it exact,
the cap won't tell. Center punch the start point, keep steady pressure.
Hold the work in a vise if you can, vise-grips, if no vise.

Don't worry about lube. It's 8 holes, not 8000.

I am sure that there are several EDM and laser shops that would be GLAD
to take your money. And they would laugh, and laugh, and laugh!


Most would laugh, but at a shop like the one I'm at, as long as you don't
demand it now or tight size or just being an ass aboutit, we'll likely just
whip it out for you and if we charged anything, it'd be a couple bucks.

Mike

wrote in message
ups.com...
snip--

Any lubricant is better than none in my opinion.

I'd agree if the material was anything but cast (gray) iron. It needs no
lubrication, and should be discouraged. It makes a horrible mess.

Harold

"Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote: (clip) It needs no lubrication, (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Right. What better lubricant is there than graphite? That's what
characterizes cast iron.

I think Ace has the Black and Decker bullet points as well. Right
now, they are down in the basement, so if you really need to know, I can
check them.

A good screw drill would work, wouldn't it?

spaco wrote:
Walmart sells "bullet point" drill bits. I don't remember the name on
the tag. These things are great for what you want to do. Still use the
center punch.

The Davenport's wrote:

This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy? What drill speed should I use? Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

-TC


Buy a spare cap and a 3/16 drill from the hardware store and have at.


Try around 500 rpm. More or less. Don't worry if you cannot get it exact,
the cap won't tell. Center punch the start point, keep steady pressure.
Hold the work in a vise if you can, vise-grips, if no vise.

Don't worry about lube. It's 8 holes, not 8000.

I am sure that there are several EDM and laser shops that would be GLAD
to take your money. And they would laugh, and laugh, and laugh!



Most would laugh, but at a shop like the one I'm at, as long as you don't
demand it now or tight size or just being an ass aboutit, we'll likely just
whip it out for you and if we charged anything, it'd be a couple bucks.

Mike


Yeah! Stuff like that comes in our front door a lot.

I usually make them stand there and wait while I bang it out, as it's
faster to do it, than the paperwork that would go with if we bothered.

Everything is easy when you know how!

Cheers
Trevor Jones

Hole...water pipe cap..... PIPE BOMB.... Oh my God!!! a terrorist!!!!!!



"TC" wrote in message
ps.com...
This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy? What drill speed should I use? Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

-TC

"Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote:

I'd agree if the material was anything but cast (gray) iron. It needs no
lubrication, and should be discouraged. It makes a horrible mess.

That sure is true. Our cnc's machine cast iron, aluminum, and steel. My
preference for repairing said machines is steel, aluminum, cast iron.

Cast iron with coolant is like carbon black mixed in water and honey. The
only good thing I can say is the chips don't cut my skin.

Aluminum in our processes tends to look a lot like chaff. With the coolant
it sticks to everything, gets through any gap and can give you a ton of
small cuts.

Steel really isn't too bad. Most of it goes down the chip conveyor, doesn't
seem to stick to the machine. Just have to be sure if you kneel down to
look under the machine and rest your hand on the floor there are no curlies
around or it can and will bite.


Wes

Cast iron cuts better with a bit that has had the hook taken off the
edge. A drill bit can be modified by grinding the cutting edge's flute
to a surface that's aligned with the bit's axis rather than having the
slope created by the helix. Such an edge won't snag and break the bit,
and cast iron (gray cast, anyway) cuts best when it's pushed a little
rather than scooped out as a normal drill will do. And a modified bit
has a thicker section through the cutting edge and doesn't heat so
quickly.
HSS lathe bits will cut cast well if there's a neutral rake on
them.

Dan

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:30:20 GMT, Trevor Jones
wrote:

The Davenport's wrote:

This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy? What drill speed should I use? Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

Browsing this group, I've seen mention of laser and EDM. Should I
consider finding a shop which can use one of those techniques for me?

-TC


Buy a spare cap and a 3/16 drill from the hardware store and have at.


Try around 500 rpm. More or less. Don't worry if you cannot get it exact,
the cap won't tell. Center punch the start point, keep steady pressure.
Hold the work in a vise if you can, vise-grips, if no vise.

Don't worry about lube. It's 8 holes, not 8000.

I am sure that there are several EDM and laser shops that would be GLAD
to take your money. And they would laugh, and laugh, and laugh!



Most would laugh, but at a shop like the one I'm at, as long as you don't
demand it now or tight size or just being an ass aboutit, we'll likely just
whip it out for you and if we charged anything, it'd be a couple bucks.

Mike


Yeah! Stuff like that comes in our front door a lot.

I usually make them stand there and wait while I bang it out, as it's
faster to do it, than the paperwork that would go with if we bothered.

Everything is easy when you know how!

Cheers
Trevor Jones

We used to have people stop in (two-way radio shop) with
simple little jobs that were smart/kind enough to bring
along a dozen dough nuts give-or-take (grin, burp! aah!)

They usually got good service and little in any paper work,
plus a cup of fresh coffee while they waited.

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:39:44 -0700, TC wrote:

This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than
wood, so I don't know if that's a big deal or not. What kind of drill
bits should I buy? What drill speed should I use? Should I use a
lubricant? How many holes can I make with each bit? (I need a total of
8.) Since the surface isn't flat, do I have to worry about the bit
bending away from my target spot? How long can I expect each hole to
take?

I just finished step-drilling a 3/8" hole through a 1/4" thick cast
iron table of an old table saw. Centerpunch, started with a 3/16"
good quality bit, finished with a 3/8" bit. All done with a cordless
hand drill. (couldn't hold it up properly on the drill press).

Caveat: if the hard surface layer from casting is still present, use
a file to knock it off. Drilling through that layer is likely to ruin
the bit.

Best -- Terry

wrote in message
ps.com...
snip---

HSS lathe bits will cut cast well if there's a neutral rake on
them.

Dan


Depends on the iron. If it's chilled in the least, or has sand included, a
C2 grade of carbide is in your best interest.

Harold

According to Steve Lusardi :

[ ... ]

"TC" wrote in message
ps.com...

This may be a dumb question, but is it easy to drill through iron?

I need to drill 2 x 3/16-inch holes through the cast iron cap of a 1-
inch black pipe. I've never drilled through anything tougher than

[ ... ]

Hole...water pipe cap..... PIPE BOMB.... Oh my God!!! a terrorist!!!!!!

Hmm ... why *two* holes then? I guess that you *could* set up
an electric fuse and run the two wires each through their own holes, but
that is stretching it a point. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.
--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---