Metal processing is carried out not only in industrial conditions. By doing repair work on a car, manufacturing structures for personal plot or carrying out home renovations, it is necessary to drill holes in the metal. At home, a hand drill is most often used.
This universal tool requires certain skills to work with solid products. You can purchase or make your own machine for drilling holes in metal, but this is not a cheap pleasure.
The technology of drilling holes in metal is to remove a thin layer of material due to simultaneous translational and rotational movement.
The main condition for high-quality and safe (for the tool) processing is keeping the chuck axis in a fixed position. Using the machine it is easy to maintain straightness, which cannot be said when working with hand tools.
If you are not confident in the steadiness of your hands (this is a normal situation for ordinary person), for drilling at right angles, mechanical assistants (conductors) are required.
Let us immediately make a reservation that additional conductors are required only in the case when the thickness of the metal exceeds the diameter of the drill.
If you are making a hole in a thin steel plate, straightness does not matter.
There are several types of guides for hand-held electric drills. Power-driven tools are not suitable for working with metal, especially when it comes to precision. 
- Drilling jig. It is made in the form of a housing that is easy to hold, inside which there are guide bushings for drills of various diameters.
- Guide for drill (manual). Supporting device in which the instrument is fixed by the neck
- Drill stand (semi-stationary). In fact, it is an inexpensive alternative to a drilling machine.
The material of the bushings is harder than the tool, so the holes do not wear out. By installing the jig exactly above the center of the intended hole, you don’t have to worry that the drill will “lead” away from the given direction.
This device is especially useful when drilling perpendicular holes in pipes. large diameter when the tip tries to slide off the cylindrical surface. 
The sole is placed on the workpiece, held by the handle with the second hand. The drill moves strictly vertically, preventing distortions and drifts of the drill.
The design can have a corner holder for small-diameter pipes, which makes the device more versatile.
In the presence of rotary mechanism, you also get a device for drilling holes at an angle. 
True, it will not be possible to drill metal in this way; lateral loads will quickly break the drill.
Drilling metal with a drill is somewhat more difficult than wood, brick or concrete. There are also some peculiarities.
For convenience, we have combined practical advice on this type of work into step-by-step instructions.
- You will need the following tools: drill, drill, coolant (preferably machine oil, but water can also be used), punch, hammer, safety glasses.
- When drilling metal on a horizontal surface, place it under the product wooden block and fix it as best we can. When working in a vertical position, rigid fixation is extremely important, since drilling must be strictly perpendicular.
- We make markings, then use a center punch and a hammer to mark the center of the future hole.
- Pour coolant into a small container.
- We put on safety glasses.
- Let's start drilling. Do not put strong pressure on the drill, because it works better at low speeds. If the drill is powerful, then the method of short-term activation is suitable until the tool has time to reach maximum speed.
- Don't forget to cool the drill as often as possible .
- When drilling occurs not strictly perpendicularly, but at an angle, there is a high probability that the drill will jam. If this happens, put the switch in the reverse position. This way you will avoid injury and will not break the drill.
- If everything was done correctly, then even in living conditions Using a low-power drill, you can drill a hole in metal up to 5 mm thick inclusive and with a diameter of up to 10-12 mm. Oh more complex tasks we'll tell you below.
Metal drilling work
It is possible, but this is in case of extreme necessity for shallow holes with a small diameter. Unprofitable.
It is better to use either standard metal drills with steel grade R6M5 or improved ones - R6M5K5.
The letter K in the marking indicates that this is an alloy with the addition of cobalt. On the market you can find a drill called “Cobalt”. We will not vouch for all manufacturers, we will only note that reviews on practical application in the overwhelming majority of cases - positive.
How to drill with a step drill in metal?
Step drills are universal - just one can make holes of different diameters (from 2 to 40 mm). They are most effective when working with thin metal, when you need to get a neat edge. They are better fixed in the cartridge, they are easier to sharpen, and therefore when correct operation They last longer, but also cost more than usual. The principles of working with them are the same, but it is easier to drill large-diameter holes than with conventional twist drills.
Is it possible to drill metal with a Pobedit drill?
The principle of operation of drills for metal is to cut, and with pobedite soldering, crush materials. Brick, concrete, and stone are better suited for this. Therefore, as mentioned above, you can, of course, drill metal with a concrete drill, but it will quickly become unusable and pobedit soldering will collapse.
Revolutions
What is the larger hole diameter? the lower the speed should be. The greater the depth? Therefore, you gradually need to reduce the pressure on the drill. With a drill diameter of up to 5 mm, the torque should not be higher than 1200-1500 rpm. Accordingly, 10 mm in diameter - no more than 700 rpm, 15 mm - 400 rpm.
How to drill holes in large diameter metal?
As a rule, most drills for household use have a power from 500 to 800 W, which allows you to drill holes with a diameter of up to 10-12 mm.
How to properly drill metal thicker than 10 mm with an electric drill?
In metal up to 2 mm thick, using step drills you can make holes up to 40 mm. With a thickness of 3 mm, bimetallic crowns are better suited.
Bimetallic crown
When drilling deep holes with any tool, you may sometimes need a magnet to remove the chips.
Metal drilling process
Particular attention should be paid to safety precautions, be sure to protect your eyes from chips, and if there is distortion and jamming, immediately turn off the drill and change the torque to reverse movement.
In situations where there is no power or where the noise of the tool operating may disturb others ( read: when can you make repairs so as not to quarrel with your neighbors?)– ideal solution when drilling metal it will be manual mechanical drill, the so-called rotation. Low speed and pressure, no overheating, just what you need. Of course, there are also disadvantages - time-consuming and easy fatigue. In this simple “old-fashioned” way, you can drill holes with a diameter of up to 10 mm.
We hope our tips will be useful to you.
Additional Information in this video.
Coolant for metal cutting
Drilling of rolled metal: types and technology
The drilling procedure can safely be called one of critical technologies processing of metal products.
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The main purpose of drilling is to produce mounting and technical holes of various diameters, depths and shapes, thread cutting, counterbore and countersinking. This procedure is carried out on drilling machines of various sizes and configurations. The MTS Center company also produces stuffed oil seals.
Using the drilling method carried out on modern equipment, and using a special tool, various operations are performed, among which the following can be distinguished:
· Drilling holes cylindrical;
· Drilling holes with an oval or multifaceted configuration;
· Drilling, countersinking and even grinding existing holes.
Drilling technology assumes the possibility of obtaining both blind and through holes in metal structures of all sizes and shapes. At the same time, using special equipment equipped with CNC, it is possible to ensure high accuracy of holes and prepare a product, for example a sliding support, for subsequent assembly or further operations prescribed in the technological process.
This method is used for processing products or workpieces made from various types steels and cast iron. Naturally, for each material it is individually selected cutting tool(drill, countersink, reamer), as well as processing modes, lubrication and other parameters.
This type of metalworking such as drilling is indispensable in various fields industry, ranging from small enterprises engaged in small-scale production of components for equipment, and at large factories that have a full production cycle of a certain range of products. The processing accuracy, as well as the characteristics of the holes produced by drilling, directly depend on the machines, tools and technologies used.
Metal processing is one of the rather complex operations. Drilling may be required when performing renovations or own car, as well as manufacturing various designs on summer cottage. As with any other holes, we will need a hand drill, which can be supplemented with various additional devices. Although a drill is a very popular and in-demand tool, available in almost every home, it requires considerable experience in metal processing. In our article we will talk about metal drilling, drills and some of the features of this labor-intensive process.
Tools and drills - what we need for drilling
Drilling holes in metal is a special technology, which consists of removing a certain layer of material due to simultaneous rotational and forward motion drill. It is necessary to fix the drill in one position so that the drill does not move during operation. This is the main condition for the correct and safe performance of work. To ensure that the drill axis is in a fixed position, you can use one of the many devices, which will be discussed below.
We will need the following tools for working with metal:
- Hand or electric drill
- Twist drill
- Hammer
- Kerner
- Safety glasses and gloves
It will be impossible to achieve success in the planned event without the appropriate drill. The choice of this element is a very important point, because different drills are selected based on the properties of the metal, as well as the diameter of the future hole. Drill bits are usually made from high speed steel. The most common are products made from steel grade R6M5. In some cases, cobalt additives are used to increase the durability and wear resistance of the drill. In this case, the letter K appears in the product labeling. For very hard metals Drills equipped with a small solder on the tip are used, which ensures the required level of drilling of the material.
You should know that not all drills are capable of making exactly the holes that you need. Thus, the manufacturer usually indicates the relevant information in the instruction manual. For example, drilling a large diameter hole with a drill whose power is 700 W will not work. After all, this equipment is designed to create a hole maximum size 13 mm in diameter.
Accessories for drills - how to make your life easier
Drilling metal causes difficulties for many people, even experienced craftsmen. One reason is the physical complexity of the process itself. After all, it is necessary to hold a heavy drill at a right angle in a clearly fixed position for a long time. However, you can always use additional accessories designed to make the whole process easier.
In hardware stores you can purchase the following mechanisms for perpendicular drilling of holes in metal products:
- 1. Drilling jigs
- 2. Drill guides
- 3. Drill stands
Conductors are extremely popular; it is with their help that specialists make holes in products. The mechanism itself is a kind of box, convenient to hold, in which guide bushings are located. Suitable for working with drills of various diameters. The bushings are made of very hard types of metal, much harder than the drill itself. Therefore, there is no need to worry that they will be damaged when working with a drill.
You just need to place the jig over the location of the future hole, previously marked with a center punch, and then turn on the drill. The drill will be firmly fixed by the bushings, so it will not move away from the given direction. The jig is considered especially useful when drilling cylindrical shapes, for example, pipes, since the tip of the drill constantly slides off the round shape of the pipe.
You can also purchase guides for hand drill- This is a useful support mechanism where the drill is fixed by the neck to achieve immobility during operation. Sole held free hand, is installed on the workpiece itself. In this state of affairs, the tool moves exclusively vertically, without the slightest deviation or distortion.
Today, universal designs are produced, equipped with a corner holder. Thanks to this, you can drill holes with a drill even at an angle. True, in the case of metal, drilling at an angle using guides is very difficult, since lateral overloads almost immediately break the drill. Therefore, you need to take care when purchasing a product made of solid metal.
Another device that simplifies the hole making process is called a stationary stand. At its core, this equipment is a somewhat simplified drilling machine, however, with less functionality, but also significantly lower cost. The drill moves along the rod using a lever. Clamps or a vice are used to secure the workpiece. In terms of drilling quality, this unit is an order of magnitude higher than its other competitors. However, its price is also higher compared to jigs or guides.
Deep holes - what makes them special
The process of drilling holes in metal products differs significantly depending on the thickness of the workpiece. Deep holes are much more difficult to make compared to regular ones. For such cases, specialists use lathes, and it is the workpiece that must rotate, and not the drill itself on the machine. An important point is the removal of waste and chips from the part, as well as cooling the drill.
Naturally, it is unlikely that you will be able to use a lathe at home. The only way out is to purchase drill guides, which were described above. Drill length is great importance, since the drill can only make holes two-thirds of its length. So you need to purchase a long drill, but strong enough that it will not break under the influence of enormous overloads.
If there are no guides, you can try to drill without this equipment if you are confident in your abilities. However, it is strictly forbidden to change the drilling angle, as this can completely damage both the drill and the workpiece.
In no case should we forget about cooling and chip removal. The easiest way is to use soapy water, in which you should first dip the tip of the drill. Some experts recommend coating the drill vegetable oil or lard. This will significantly reduce the friction of the product on the metal and, as a result, will have a very positive effect on the cooling of the drill.
If we talk about extracting chips, then this must be done with regular frequency, periodically removing drilling waste. The easiest way is to turn the workpiece over so that the chips, under the influence of gravity, free the hole. If the product is very heavy, then improvised devices are used, including hooks or magnets. Otherwise, the chips can clog the grooves on the drill, which will subsequently lead to blocking of rotation, as well as to breakage of the drill.
Large diameter holes are the most difficult operation
Drill big hole metal is even more difficult than making a hole great depth. There are several approaches: either use a conical drill to make a large-diameter hole in the metal in several approaches, or use a special crown. The cost of cone drills is very high, while the efficiency is lower than that of a crown.
That is why experts say that it is more correct to drill metal using a crown. In the central part there is a drill, while at the edges there is a cutting surface with sharply sharpened teeth. Thanks to the drill, the crown is fixed in one position and does not move during operation. Drilling is carried out at low speeds of the drill, and everything must be done very carefully and carefully so as not to damage the crown.
Metal drilling is one of the many operations that is often performed during metalworking. Drilling is performed for various dismountable/non-separable connections when a certain hole diameter is required for rivet, bolt or stud fasteners.
Metal itself is a highly durable material, so when working with it, regardless of whether you need to drill or cut through it, you use cutting tools that are much stronger than it. Drilling of metal parts can be done both in special industrial workshops and at home when carrying out various repair work, in a garage or small workshop. For home drilling, a hand-held electric drill is usually used.
Drilling holes in metal workpieces or parts is a specific technology for removing thin numerous layers of metal with a drill rotating around its axis. In this case, the main condition for drilling is to keep the drill, fixed in the drill chuck, clearly perpendicular to the workpiece being drilled.
This is especially important when drilling thick metal. If during operation the drill deviates relative to the axis of the hole being drilled, it will simply break. To prevent this from happening, the drill must be firmly fixed. For this purpose there are special devices, which you can buy at a tool store or make yourself.
Drilling modes
When working with a drill, it is important not only to secure it firmly, but also choose optimal mode its rotation. When processing metal important factor What remains is the number of revolutions made by the drill over a certain period of time and the force that is transmitted to it during this time to ensure penetration into the metal.
For working with metals of different hardness, drills designed for different modes work. The speed of rotation of the drill directly depends on the thickness and hardness of the metal, as well as the diameter of the drill itself. The stronger the material being processed and the larger the diameter of the drill, the slower the drilling mode should be. An indicator of a correctly selected mode is long, spiral-shaped chips.
Core marking, template and jig
You can drill through the metal according to the markings made with a core, use a template or a special jig.
A core is a sharply sharpened metal pin, made of heavy-duty steel. With its help, a small recess for the drill is made on the metal part prepared for drilling in the place where it is planned to drill a hole.
To do this, the core is placed with its sharp end at the intended drilling point, after which a strong blow is applied to it with a hammer. The tip of the drill is inserted into the recess left by the core and drilling begins, and at the beginning of work the drill will no longer be able to move away from the marked point.
To mark the center of a cylindrical workpiece, experienced mechanics often use a strip of tin bent at 90 degrees. In this case, one shoulder must correspond to the diameter of the workpiece; it is applied to the workpiece, after which a line is drawn with a pencil along its edge. The operation is carried out 2-3 times, and the point of intersection of the lines will indicate the center of the cylinder, where a core can be used to make a recess for the drill.
The template is made to mark blanks of the same type, on which several points for drilling are marked. It is very convenient when you need to work with several parts from sheet metal, which are stacked in a common stack and secured together with a clamp.
In cases where high accuracy and perpendicularity of the drilled channel is required or it is necessary to strictly maintain the distance between several holes, It is recommended to use a conductor. Also, a jig will be necessary when working with thin-walled pipes, when it will be impossible to make a hole for the drill using a core.
When deep drilling, special devices are used to firmly fix the drill in a perpendicular position to the workpiece.
Drilling accessories
Working with metal is quite labor-intensive process even for experienced professionals. Sometimes you need long time hold the drill in exactly the same position towards the workpiece. To make work easier and drill metal efficiently, a right-angle drilling device is used.
There are three types of such devices:
- Stand for holding the drill.
This device is in the form of a box with guide bushings installed inside, which are made of heavy-duty steel that is resistant to drills. The jig can be used for almost all drill diameters up to 20 mm. After installing this device above the center of the intended hole, the drill will no longer move away from its axis
The jig is convenient to use for working with pipes of small diameter, when it is impossible to use a core for marking.
Guide clamp for drill
This mechanism is designed to hold the drill stationary during operation. It consists of two posts, rigidly attached to the sole in the form of a large circle. Moves along the racks a mechanism into which a drill is inserted and fixed to it by the neck. There, on the racks, under the drill locking mechanism, there are return springs.
As the drill deepens into the metal, under the force of the master, they compress, but as soon as the force stops, the springs straighten, and the mechanism holding the drill rises along the racks to its original position.
Drill Holder
Essentially this is a simplified vertical machine for drilling work, but with minimal functions.
It consists of a massive flat sole (platform) and a rigid rod attached to it. The rod is fixed to the platform at a strictly right angle. It also contains a movable carriage with a mount for holding the drill, and a handle for controlling it.
The workpiece is secured to the platform using clamps or a vice. The master lowers the carriage with the drill down by the handle and holds it during the entire drilling process.
Types of holes and methods for drilling them
Drilled holes in metal can be:
- Completely end-to-end.
- Muffled.
- Deep.
- With a large diameter.
Through holes: pierce the workpiece completely through. The peculiarity of this process is to protect the surface of the workbench on which the workpiece is located from damage when the drill leaves the part. This may damage the cutting tool itself. To prevent this from happening, you can use:
- Workbenches with holes.
- Place a thick wooden spacer under the workpiece.
- Place the part on two metal or wooden beams.
- At the final stage of drilling, reduce the force on the drill and reduce its rotation speed.
The latter method should usually be used when drilling on site so that nearby parts are not damaged.
Blind holes: This type of drilling is not performed using the through method, but only to a set depth. The drilling depth limitation is set in the following ways:
- Using a bushing stop.
- Chuck adjusting stop.
- A ruler attached to a machine or drill.
- Other ways of combining in the form of various gaskets between the drill and the workpiece.
Modern machines are equipped automatic feeding drill to a given depth, after which the work stops.
: This is usually used for lathe. Moreover, if a cylindrical part is processed, it is not the drill that rotates, but the workpiece itself. During operation, the drill must be constantly cooled, and chips must be forcibly removed from the pass being processed.
For this purpose, special grooves are located on the surface of the deep drill. If they are missing, it must be periodically removed from the body of the part and cleaned of metal shavings. Ordinary water can be used as a coolant. When deep-depth drilling at home, it is necessary to firmly secure the drill, otherwise, after the drill breaks, part of it will remain in the body of the workpiece, which can be considered damaged.
How to drill a large diameter hole in metal
This procedure is much more complicated than deep drilling. This procedure is not large thickness metal is performed with a special crown, or ordinary metal drills in several passes.
Crown
It consists of a kit that includes a regular drill that evenly punches a channel in the workpiece and the crown itself of a certain diameter. The working process is carried out at low speeds of the drill, while forced cooling of the cutting edges of the drill and bit is carried out.
Multi-stage drilling
If the part is thick, it is necessary to have a certain supply of drills, the difference in diameter should be within 25% of each other. Work should begin as soon as possible thin drill. As soon as a through channel is drilled, the drill is replaced with a diameter larger than the previous one. Thus, gradually, the drills are changed to the diameter of the given size.
Step cone drill
This is a set of cone-shaped drills of various diameters located on one common axis. Enough handy tool for working with steel sheet metal. The operating principle is practically indistinguishable from conventional drilling.
A step-cone drill is driven deep into the workpiece until it reaches right size drilled hole.
Punching holes
The technology of punching holes in metal alloys is quite common. It is used when working with sheet metal. The advantages of the technology are that the holes are punched exactly in given point with a clear diameter and virtually no loss of specific time. For this purpose, specialized pressing machines are used.
For punching thin sheet metal a manual punch can be used. This tool for punching holes in metal is made from a steel pipe. Pipes of various diameters can be used for the punch. To punch a hole, the punch is placed at the marked point, after which several strong blows are applied to it with a hammer. The result is a neatly punched hole.
When working with any power tools, you must always follow safety precautions and protect the tool from premature wear. To do this, it is recommended to take into account a few simple tips:
To improve the basic characteristics of the metal, it is often hardened. This technology involves increasing the hardness of the product due to strong heating of the metal and its rapid cooling. In some cases, after heat treatment you have to do some drilling. By increasing this characteristic, drilling hardened metal becomes more difficult. Let's take a closer look at all the features of drilling hardened steel.
Drilling a hole in hardened steel
Spreading the question of how to drill hardened steel can be associated with the fact that when using conventional technology the tool quickly becomes dull and becomes unusable. That is why you need to pay attention to the features of drilling hardened alloy. Among the features of the technology, we note the following points:
- It is necessary to properly prepare the hardened workpiece.
- In some cases, a special tool is required.
- Coolant is being used.
If necessary, you can make a drill for hardened steel with your own hands, which requires certain equipment and skills. However, in most cases, a purchased version is used, since it will cope better with the task when cutting hardened steel.
Nuances when drilling
The technology in question has a fairly large number of features that need to be taken into account. Drilling of hardened metal is carried out taking into account the following points:
- Before carrying out work, pay attention to the hardness of the surface. This parameter is used to select the most suitable drill. Hardness can be determined using a variety of technologies.
- During drilling, a large amount of heat is generated. This is why rapid wear of the cutting edge occurs. In this regard, in many cases, cooling liquid is supplied to the cutting zone.
- When cutting difficult-to-cut material, it is necessary to sharpen the cutting edge from time to time. For this purpose the usual sharpening machine or a special tool. Only diamond-coated wheels are suitable as an abrasive.
There are the most various methods cutting hardened steel. Some of them significantly simplify the processing. Only by taking into account all the nuances can the quality of the resulting hole be improved.
Useful drilling techniques
For working with hardened steel, the most various technologies. The most common technologies are characterized by the following features:
- Surface treatment with acid. This technology is characterized by long-term use, since it takes quite a lot of time to reduce the surface hardness. Sulfuric, perchloric or other acid can be used for etching. The procedure involves creating a lip that will contain the substance used in the cutting zone. After prolonged exposure, the metal becomes softer, it will be possible to drill when using the usual version execution.
- Can be used welding machine to achieve the set goal. When exposed high temperature the metal becomes softer, which greatly simplifies the procedure.
- Most often, a special drill is used. There are versions on sale that can be used for processing hardened steel. In their manufacture, metal with increased resistance to wear and high temperatures is used. However, the complexity of manufacturing and some other points determine that the cost of a special tool is quite high.
In addition, to achieve this goal, a punch is often purchased. It can be used to make a small hole, which will simplify further drilling.
Use of lubricants
When drilling through hardened steel, serious friction occurs. That is why it is recommended to purchase and use various lubricants. Among the features similar method processing, we note the following points:
- First, the drilling area is processed. A small amount of lubricant is applied to the surface where the hole will be located.
- Oil is added to the cutting edge. To process hardened steel, a small amount of the substance is required, but it must be added from time to time, since it scatters when the tool rotates.
- During work, it is recommended to take breaks to cool the cutting surface and the surface being processed.
Special oil not only simplifies drilling, but also increases the service life of the tool used.
This is because oil can reduce the temperature of the cutting edge.
Drill selection
Twist drills, which are represented by a vertical rod with two grooves, have become quite widespread. Due to the specific arrangement of the grooves, a cutting edge is formed. Among the features of the choice, we note the following points:
- The pobedite drill bit has become quite widespread. It can be used to work with various hardened alloys. However, a surface with too high hardness cannot be processed with such a tool.
- The choice is also made based on diameter. It is worth considering that it is quite difficult to obtain a large diameter hole. The larger diameter option is much more expensive due to the application large quantity material during its manufacture.
- Attention is also paid to the sharpening angle, the purpose of the product and the type of material used in manufacturing. For example, cobalt versions are characterized by more high stability to exposure to high temperatures.
- It is recommended to pay attention exclusively to products famous manufacturers. This is due to the fact that Chinese options designs are manufactured using low-quality materials. However, such an offer is much cheaper and can be used for short-term or one-time work.
- When choosing a drill, you can be guided by the markings. It can be used to determine which materials were used in production. The diameter of the hole that can be obtained when using the tool is also indicated.
In a specialized store you can find almost everything you need to carry out the work. However, enough high price products and some other points determine that some decide to make a drill themselves from scrap materials. Similar work can be done if you have the required tools.
Making a homemade drill
If necessary, a drill can be made from hardened steel. Among the main recommendations for conducting similar work note:
- Rods are selected that are made from tungsten and cobalt alloys. People call this metal victorious. Compared to a conventional drill, this version is characterized by increased wear resistance.
- To process the workpiece, you need to secure it in a small vice. Otherwise, the work will be quite difficult.
- To sharpen such a surface, a diamond stone is required. The usual one will not withstand long-term work.
- The end surface is sharpened in such a way as to obtain a surface resembling flat screwdriver. After that cutting edges sharpened to obtain a sharp tip.
In order to reduce the degree of surface machinability, oil is added. This ensures long-term processing due to reduced friction and lower temperature.
In conclusion, we note that processing of hardened steel should be carried out exclusively when using special tools. The work requires a drilling machine, since a manual one will not allow you to get the required hole.