What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.


--
Chris Green

I think www.axminster.co.uk sell reduced shank drills, but for larger
holes in steel a drill press makes it far more do-able.

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:13:46 +0000, tinnews wrote:

What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a lump
of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could do
with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole and
then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a definitely
stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make some
20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't think of a
reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond 12mm
or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard 'hole
saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in steel, they're
what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional large
hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several minutes on one
hole doesn't really matter.

==================================
Blacksmith's drills:

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;js...ith%27s+drills


Cic.
--
===================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
===================================

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:13:46 +0000, tinnews wrote:

What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a lump
of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could do
with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole and
then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a definitely
stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make some
20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't think of a
reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond 12mm
or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard 'hole
saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in steel, they're
what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional large
hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several minutes on one
hole doesn't really matter.

==================================
If you don't like the cost of Blacksmith's drills you can experiment with
an old trick to make a small drill behave like a larger drill. You
re-grind a bit so that the point of the bit is offset to one
side. When you drill a hole with such a modified bit the hole produced
will be larger than the diameter of the drill because it is cutting
eccentrically. It does work but you need to take care with the grinding to
get the correct hole size.

Cic.

--
===================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
===================================

In article ,
scribeth thus
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.



A bench drill isn't that expensive these days and with some reduced
shank drills you should be able to do that without much trouble.

What makes a big difference is lubricant, 3 in 1 oil is fine for steel..
--
Tony Sayer

wrote:
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

Decent quality holesaws like these
http://www.starrett.co.uk/products/s...ING_HOLE_SAWS/
will cut steel easily. Start at 16mm.

Cheap holesaws, as you say, are only good for wood, plasterboard etc.

--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

wrote in message
...
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.


--
Chris Green

One of these in a slow pillar drill -
http://www.enuii.com/risley/training...ing_tool_s.jpg
keep your fingers away

brought next idea :
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?


So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.

An HSS hole saw used carefully and with cutting compound. A circle of
small holes can be made which almost join up, then knock the centre
out. If you are not too bothered about the finish and have a welder,
you can burn your way through by turning the current well up, then
finish off with a grinder.

--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

In message ,
writes
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/599982/how_to_make_thermite/

if you have a sense of adventure ...
--
geoff

geoff wrote:
In message ,
writes
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I
could do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/599982/how_to_make_thermite/

if you have a sense of adventure ...

Great! Much better than an angle grinder :-)


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

wrote in message
...
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

Electrician's hole saws, which are intended for cutting holes in steel
trucking for fitting conduit. For larger holes I use a fly cutter, but they
do need care.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert my surname here wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

Electrician's hole saws, which are intended for cutting holes in steel
trucking for fitting conduit. For larger holes I use a fly cutter, but
they do need care.

That should read steel trunking and this time I've disabled the spelling
correction.

Colin Bignell

nightjar nightjar@ wrote:

Electrician's hole saws, which are intended for cutting holes in steel
trucking for fitting conduit. For larger holes I use a fly cutter, but
they do need care.

That should read steel trunking and this time I've disabled the spelling
correction.

To be fair, they would probably work fine on trucking as well ;-)


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

wrote in message
...
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.


--
Chris Green

A decent hole saw will cut steel.

If you know someone with a lathe you can have the drill shanks turned down.

Don.

wrote in message
...
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.

Gas axe

In message ,
writes
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

[snip]

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.



Google for a "mag drill". I think 'cheap' ones start around 250+vat ish,
maybe you'll find a deal on ebay.

Saw one in action on 10mm plate, it was like a hot knife through butter.

Hth
Someone

tony sayer wrote:
In article ,
scribeth thus
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.



A bench drill isn't that expensive these days and with some reduced
shank drills you should be able to do that without much trouble.

What makes a big difference is lubricant, 3 in 1 oil is fine for steel..

I do actually have a bench drill, goes down to 500rpm or so. Maybe I
should invest in some reduced shank drills for it then. In most cases
I should be able to get the workpiece under the drill.

--
Chris Green

The Medway Handyman wrote:
wrote:
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

I drill lots of holes in the 2 to 6 mm range, dead easy.

I drill some holes in the 6 to 10 mm range, fairly easy though I could
do with a slower drill.

Then I'm stuck really. OK, up to 12mm 0.5" I can drill a 10mm hole
and then make it bigger by various dodgy means but above that I'm a
definitely stuck.

Recently it would have been very convenient to have been able to make
some 20mm (or thereabouts) holes in some angle but I really couldn't
think of a reasonable way to do it.

None of my drills (corded or cordless) has a chuck which goes beyond
12mm or so and anyway they're too fast. I don't think your standard
'hole saws' (those circular hacksaw things) would get very far in
steel, they're what I use on wood, plasterboard, etc. when I want big
holes.

Decent quality holesaws like these
http://www.starrett.co.uk/products/s...ING_HOLE_SAWS/
will cut steel easily. Start at 16mm.

They look good, thanks, probably only when I want to cut quite a few
holes of one particular size though as they're moderately expensive.

Cheap holesaws, as you say, are only good for wood, plasterboard etc.

Good for that though! :-)

--
Chris Green

Harry Bloomfield wrote:
brought next idea :
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?


So are there any reasonably cheap tools for making the occasional
large hole in steel? It doesn't have to be fast, taking several
minutes on one hole doesn't really matter.

An HSS hole saw used carefully and with cutting compound. A circle of
small holes can be made which almost join up, then knock the centre
out. If you are not too bothered about the finish and have a welder,
you can burn your way through by turning the current well up, then
finish off with a grinder.

Those are definitely the 'bodgier' end of the possible ways of doing
it! :-) I have used the 'ring of holes' method when desparate but
it is rather time consuming and the result is usually a bit messy.

I hadn't thought of using the welder, I do have one and I guess it
would be capable of burning a hole in 1/8" angle, the risk would be
overdoing it.

Thanks for the ideas so far everyone.

--
Chris Green

"nightjar" nightjar@ insert my surname here.uk.com wrote:

wrote in message
...
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

Electrician's hole saws, which are intended for cutting holes in steel
trucking for fitting conduit. For larger holes I use a fly cutter, but they
do need care.

Ah, now that looks like a good way to go, not exorbitantly expensive
and will probably be quite OK for the sort of number of holes I want
to cut. Thank you.

--
Chris Green

On Sep 20, 8:13 am, wrote:
What do others here do when they want to make a big[gish] hole in a
lump of steel?

Just pop it in the lathe
http://tinypic.com/11tboec.jpg