drilling through aluminum

[iskim86]

hello

I'm planning on drilling some holes for an aluminum project enclosure like these:

http://pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/merchant....=CTGY&Store_Code=PPP&Category_Code=ENC

it's for my guitar effects pedal project. it seems the ones that came with my Dremel kit cannot handle it...

so what do I use? any specific bits I can use?

thanks

 

[iluvtruenos]

High Speed Steel (HSS), carbide bits, or anything made for non-ferrous metals. Make sure you use some sort of lubrication and that you don't gum up the bit, otherwise you're going to be going nowhere and have a chance of snapping the bit.

GL.

 

[iskim86]

uh....... do they work with any drilling tool?

 

[iluvtruenos]

What do you mean?

A dremel can at most accomodate a 1/8 inch bit.

I would just get a cheap drill from Harbor Freight or something.

If you're sticking with a Dremel, then get some quality 1/8 endmills. With those you can cut on the x, y, and z axes, unlike regular drill bits which can only cut on the z axis.

 

[Ornery]

Dremel, the tool that's not right for any job... other than modeling.

Time to start buying the right tools for the job from now on. Any $20.00 electric drill will do that job for ya.

 

[Eli]

Aluminum should be realitivly easy to drill.

 

[iskim86]

the thing is, the holes have to about 1/4"...

would any hardware stores drill holes for me?

 

[drinkmorejava]

lol, at school, when we're lazy and need to get a frame up for something, we'll use wood bits sometimes. Definitely not the best thing, but hey, it works.

 

[Ornery]

3/8in Drill $19.95 and a set of bits for $10.00... sheesh, tool up, man!

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Cutting oil. It does wonders. And actually, for Al, you can use beeswax.

 

[OdiN]

Buy a drill press. That will surely get the job done.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Dremel, the tool that's not right for any job... other than modeling.

Time to start buying the right tools for the job from now on. Any $20.00 electric drill will do that job for ya.

There are some times when a dremel might work better than a drill...drilling a hole in a space where a normal drill can't fit comes to mind...

That being said...I do most of my drilling with this.

 

[drinkmorejava]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Ornery
Dremel, the tool that's not right for any job... other than modeling.

Time to start buying the right tools for the job from now on. Any $20.00 electric drill will do that job for ya.

There are some times when a dremel might work better than a drill...drilling a hole in a space where a normal drill can't fit comes to mind...

That being said...I do most of my drilling with this.

What's the thing on the left, I'm debating between a hedge trimmer, a heat gun of some type, or an ill conceived reciprocating saw.

 

[AaronB]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Ornery
Dremel, the tool that's not right for any job... other than modeling.

Time to start buying the right tools for the job from now on. Any $20.00 electric drill will do that job for ya.

There are some times when a dremel might work better than a drill...drilling a hole in a space where a normal drill can't fit comes to mind...

That being said...I do most of my drilling with this.

What's the thing on the left, I'm debating between a hedge trimmer, a heat gun of some type, or an ill conceived reciprocating saw.

It's a light.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava
What's the thing on the left, I'm debating between a hedge trimmer, a heat gun of some type, or an ill conceived reciprocating saw.

Light, impact, and driver/drill...

 

[JinLien]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Ornery
Dremel, the tool that's not right for any job... other than modeling.

Time to start buying the right tools for the job from now on. Any $20.00 electric drill will do that job for ya.

There are some times when a dremel might work better than a drill...drilling a hole in a space where a normal drill can't fit comes to mind...

That being said...I do most of my drilling with this.

What's the thing on the left, I'm debating between a hedge trimmer, a heat gun of some type, or an ill conceived reciprocating saw.

far left = light
center left = impact driver
center right = drill
far right = battery charger

Any cheap corded drill with the right bit will do the job. Use lubricant, and the larger the bit the slower the rpm or eles the bit will burn/dull or break.

 

[Ornery]

My wondrous Dremel sits idle... for months and years at a time. I'm beginning to wonder why I bought the silly thing. Hell, I can't even remember where I put it!

It's about time the OP bought a power tool or two. He'll own them for a LONG time, and they'll certainly come in handy sooner or later.

 

[JinLien]

Originally posted by: Ornery
My wondrous Dremel sits idle... for months and years at a time. I'm beginning to wonder why I bought the silly thing. Hell, I can't even remember where I put it!

It's about time the OP bought a power tool or two. He'll own them for a LONG time, and they'll certainly come in handy sooner or later.

I find dremel are good for cutting receptical box/windows in dry wall/tiles.

 

[Squisher]

If don't want to spend any money you could probably keep drilling incrementally with bigger and bigger drills until you get to a 1/4". You'll have to use very light pressure because the drills will want to grab or better yet grind little flats on the cutting edges so vertical walls of the cutting edges are perpendicular to the cutting surface (negative rake).

If you had some small burrs, you could drill what you can then open up the holes to the size you need with the burrs.

 

[Muse]

Aluminum is very easy to drill through. It's softer than steel.

 

[Ornery]

I find dremel are good for cutting receptical box/windows in dry wall/tiles.

That's what Rotary Cutters and tile saws are for. The right tools for the job. Dremels are the Swiss Army Knife of tools, and I'm NOT a believer.

 

[JinLien]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I find dremel are good for cutting receptical box/windows in dry wall/tiles.

That's what Rotary Cutters and tile saws are for. The right tools for the job. Dremels are the Swiss Army Knife of tools, and I'm NOT a believer.

I have both devices that you mentioned. Dremel is not good for much thing except for the ocational light duties that I mention above. The rotary tool is the tool that I use for cutting out square/round holes in dry wall/tiles. Most of the the round holes that less than 3" I prefer a tille hole saw or diamond tip tile drill bit. I prefer the score & snap tile cutter over the wet tile saw because it is much quicker & is more accurate. The only time my wet tile saw see some action is the occational curve cuts that I can't do with other tools.

 

[radioouman]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I find dremel are good for cutting receptical box/windows in dry wall/tiles.

That's what Rotary Cutters and tile saws are for. The right tools for the job. Dremels are the Swiss Army Knife of tools, and I'm NOT a believer.

I used my Dremel today. I needed to cut through a bolt, and it was the right tool for the job.

I've cut my exhaust with it, I've cut drywall for networking/electrical, I've cut PVC and various other plastics, I even cut a u-joint out of a yoke that I couldn't press out with the arbor press! The Dremel is an incredible tool (not the battery powered one).

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I find dremel are good for cutting receptical box/windows in dry wall/tiles.

That's what Rotary Cutters and tile saws are for. The right tools for the job. Dremels are the Swiss Army Knife of tools, and I'm NOT a believer.

my dad has done woodworking, stainless steel, steel, iron and aluminum projects of all sorts over the years

has a dremel

never gets it out. ever.

im sure its good for some small, particular jobs, but hes usually got full-sized tools very nearby and uses those.

i would, however, expect it to handle aluminum fine, unless its particularly thick stuff and you havent much experience drilling it. it really shouldnt be that much of a problem.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Dremel, the tool that's not right for any job... other than modeling.

Time to start buying the right tools for the job from now on. Any $20.00 electric drill will do that job for ya.

I've used my Dremel for drilling holes using the saw bit and it worked.... not that well, but it worked. I'm in college and living in an apartment. I'm not gonna buy a set of power tools!