Trick to drilling biggish holes in sheet metal with regular bits

[e9999]

Interesting. Never tried myself. Does this indeed work? Explanations?

 

[gregnash]

My skepticism is with the fact that the second piece is larger and thus the first moved in the press causing it to egg out. Also there is no verification that they are the exact same pieces of metal. Plausibly, I don't know how a thin piece of cloth would help, especially since there is not explanation as to specific size needed, if its based on the whole size, etc. I have a step bit for this stuff though.

 

[e9999]

I have indeed seen misshapen drilled holes in thinnish sheet metal with regular spiral bits

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

if you're brave, you use a drill bushing over the end of the twist drill, and with your work clamped down, you simply push the bit using the bushing in a gloved hand; or a holding tool of some type if someone is looking.....

 

[bobm]

What they didn't tell you is, it's stainless steel. You can get the same result using a piece of scrap on your work piece.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Pretty cool, but how about this instead. Works for me, new technology.

| Canadian Tire

 

[e9999]

sure, there are better tools to drill a hole in sheet metal. Hardly the point (ah!), though. Me, I'm curious how this could possibly work, if it does that is.

 

[BMThiker]

My guess is that the cloth somehow manages the debris better as it is being cut away to prevent it from accumulating in the hole. I was advised long ago to just step up your hole size incrementally instead of going straight from 1/8" pilot hole to 1/2" finish hole.