Making a hole bigger

Off Topic Posts Welcome. Personal Attacks, Profanity or Obcenity will not be Tolerated.
Loner
Posts: 368
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2015 10:58 am
Location: Mariposa,CA

Re: Making a hole bigger

Post by Loner »

While your at it I think you could make some cooler gussets. I know I would. Like these. Maybe just do a little work to the ones you have.

Image

Matt
Image

User avatar
StPro
Posts: 381
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:44 pm
Location: Coon Rapids MN
Contact:

Re: Making a hole bigger

Post by StPro »

The only problem with a large drill bit in relatively thin metal is it will drill a 3 side hole if you don't have a strong drill press.
Only use the brakes to stop and get gas.
Projects
65 Comet 421Stroker
93 Mark VIII Supercharged w/Fogger
70 Torino GT

User avatar
poboyjo65
Moderator
Posts: 7037
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:40 pm
Location: Camden, Tenn.

Re: Making a hole bigger

Post by poboyjo65 »

StPro wrote:The only problem with a large drill bit in relatively thin metal is it will drill a 3 side hole if you don't have a strong drill press.
Not to mention all the meat you have to remove, (vs a hole saw.)
Image
Johno

lavron
Site Admin
Posts: 4710
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2003 9:17 am
Location: Missouri, Ozarks
Contact:

Re: Making a hole bigger

Post by lavron »

Ok so I cut bigger holes in my crossmember, I don't think it came out that bad but will post what I did and what I think would have made the job easier and if I had it do over what I would have done different.

First off I did drill out the two front holes, that took about 2 minutes to enlarge them from 1/2" to 5/8", no pictures of that but I think everyone knows how that would be done. :roll:

On the rear crossmember plate where I wanted the larger holes I found these nylon bushings at the lumber yard that are a 1/2" around, preference would have been aluminum or steel of some kind but this is what I could get.

Image

They fit right in the holes and made it so I could establish the center, so I clamped everything down and drilled pilot holes through the centers.

Image

Then I tried to cut the hole with a hole saw, didn't work, the hole saw wandered all over the place and I could not drill through the center of the nylon bushing with the hole saw pilot drill, it just spun the bushing. So I drilled out the center of the bushing one step at a time until it would slip over the drill bit.

Image

I had to tape the bit above the nylon part to keep in down far enough but I was able to cut the holes, here is the finished part.

Image

I think they are pretty close if not dead on where they need to be, however this way lacked a lot of precision and was far too difficult so what would I do different?

The easiest method would have been to have a drill press (it is on the list) clamp the part on the table and use the bushing to get everything aligned then just cut with the hole saw mounted in the drill press.

Lacking a drill press as I am, if I was to do it over I would have clamped the crossmember to something steel or aluminum and used it to hold my hole saw pilot bit, as it was I had wood under mine, not so great to keep it from walking around so I had to have bushing on the bit like I did.

As it stands I can't push the spacer through the hole, I think I could hammer it through but don't want to do that, I will probably dress the edges with a stone and slightly chamfer the opening, I think I have a large angled grinding stone around here someplace for a die grinder.

I figured out that the hole really needs to be a little larger so the front plate can locate it properly but maybe everything will line up already.

See Ya,
Mike
Mike's build thread
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13058
Image

Post Reply