I need to make several 1-3/8" holes in some stainless steel drums. Did I frick up by buying this ($179) over a step bit or holesaw?
I need to make several 1-3/8" holes in some stainless steel drums.
I need to make several 1-3/8" holes in some stainless steel drums. Did I frick up by buying this ($179) over a step bit or holesaw?
and what size bit do i need to drill the pilot hole for the bolt?
A high end hole saw would probably work just fine for a fraction the price Those punches are typically used in electrical boxes where they can't be spitting metal chips all over the place.
Should I just ask my local machinist to do it, and can I make sure it’s not a bomb before bringing it to him?
Yeah just tell him multiple times that its not a bomb and that even though you are very upset with specific groups of people you would never actually cause them any harm. Then tell him how you would actually go about making a bomb so he knows that the device you are building is in fact not actually a bomb. Might be helpful to show him pictures of what they actually look like off your phone too.
I'd just stop by with drum in hand. That makes life much easier.
>Should I just ask my local machinist to do it, and can I make sure it’s not a bomb before bringing it to him?
Yes, as he probably has a plasma cutter. Washing out the drums would be wise and make sure to ask him how he wants them done. For multiple cuts a machinist would be my choice had I not finally bought a mill, but even machinists know when to outsource and do it often.
A machinist can plasma cut the hole or even do cool shit like swing the ram of a knee mill behind the mill to work on the keg while it's strapped to a cart etc then holesaw or mill the hole with a facing cutter etc.
Plasma cutters are good for free handing cuts or using a template to cut out specific shapes. If OP already has the hole puncher then the hardest part will be drilling the center holes which shouldn't be hard at all if he uses a center punch and a decent step drill.
You're going to have a hell of a time using that on stainless steel. I would've probaby used a cutting torch to open the holes up since drilling is gonna be a b***h too.
You are going to hate life if you have very many holes to do. Return it and get a step-drill if they go up to 1.375, otherwise get a hole saw
>stainless steel drums
What thickness are we talking? That sounds miserable. Do you care about the edges that a hole saw would leave?
I've posted this before, but make sure there is no residual flammable material in the drum when you drill the hole, especially if it is closed head. People blow out their eardrums or worse all the time when a tiny bit of gasoline or solvent is left over in the drum and they drill into it and make a spark.
Sorry, I don't know about your choice of tool, just don't want to see someone go deaf over this.
I would have got a nice hole saw, or look for a used mag drill+cheap annular cutter.
If the drums are thin a holesaw would have done fine.
He’s really reasonable, last time I asked him to drill a 1.5” hole through 1/4” stainless it was only $12, but it was just a tiny little tri clamp cap, a drum would be harder to deal with I’m sure
2.5mm is the absolute max even a hydraulic punch can do in 316l before the punch kills itself.
i imagine a round drum will not be kind on the cutter either
Anon, I've been a paid shill for greenlee for a long ass time and unfortunately they shit the bed.
People I shill to get mad at me now, and I have to stop because it's not nice to shill for bad things.
Return it.