How To Drill Aluminum? Aluminum composite back panels are effortless to drill, and metal drills use when drilling aluminum. You get the best result with drills for stainless steel.
It is advantageous to place the panel on another board made of wood, plastic, or polystyrene styrofoam.
In this way, avoid vibrations, and the drill hole also gets a clean end edge on the exit side. When drilling aluminum, select high speed.
We show you which drill you need and what you must pay attention to when drilling.
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Drill Aluminum – The right drill to drilling aluminum
You can find a selection of aluminum drills in DIY stores and on the Internet. They are perfectly adapted to the conditions of aluminum but not relatively cheap.
If you want to save and keep a few dollars, you can work with a standard metal drill with titanium coating.
If you also use a relatively large drill, it usually has a crosscutting edge from a size of 10 mm.
In this case, you should pre-drill with a minor drill bit, preventing damage to the expensive drill. For pre-drilling, a drill bit with a size that is about three times smaller is suitable.
Tip: It is more important to use the correct drilling technique. If drill holes are in a size where the drill already has a crosscutting edge, it is necessary to pre-drill with a smaller drill.
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We should select a drill bit with the same width as the crosscutting edge for pre-drilling. Usually, pre-drilling works quite well, with a third of the desired final size.
- Secure fastening for aluminum drilling – The workpiece must securely be getting clamped in any case. A seizing of the drill is frequent, which can tear the hand’s workpiece and cause nasty cuts. A drill stand should also be getting used if possible.
- The flap trick for aluminum drilling – A fourfold folded cotton cloth fixed over the drilling point prevents the drill’s seizing effectively and a lateral distortion. Center-punching is usually not sufficient to keep the drill on a straight path.
- Drilling the coolant for aluminum – When hitting aluminum, the drill must always be continuously getting cooled with suitable oil. Special drilling oil is ideal, but you can use Petroleum; motor oil WD 40 is also possible.
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Correct aluminum drilling
Often aluminum is thick to drill; work with a drill stand. If you do not have a drill stand at your disposal, it is also possible without one.
Clamp the piece of aluminum firmly in any case. If the necessary tools are missing, hold the part firmly with gloves, preferably in pairs. The aluminum plate must always remain taut while you drill through it.
Classic drilling oil is suitable for cooling the drill, and we can also use petroleum or WD-40 for cooling.
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Drilling holes in aluminum – This is how it works.
- Pre-drilling, if necessary, when drilling aluminum – Pre-drill with a smaller drill without crosscut if necessary. Otherwise, the required drill size can be getting used directly.
- Drill aluminum – Drill slowly. Use very low speeds. Do not apply pressure to the drill, but let the drill do the work. Use very slow feed.
- Relax more often when drilling aluminum. It’s getting done by releasing pressure again and again during drilling. It prevents the formation of larger chips.
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Attention: Never and under no circumstances hold workpieces made of aluminum in your hand when drilling. Not even in exceptional cases, and it can lead to severe injuries.
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Conclusion
Drills made of high-performance, high-speed steel are usually used for non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminum, brass, zinc, iron, and unalloyed steel. More expensive cobalt-alloyed or titanium-coated steel drills are suitable for stainless steel.
Mark the drill point with a hammer blow on a pointed, hardened metal pin, preventing the drill from tumbling on the smooth metal surface. The drill tip has sufficient guidance from the first turns on, and precise drilling is possible.
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There are special drills for drilling through thin sheets of metal, the ground at the tip like a wood drill. They cut circular metal plates from the sheet metal, and it works best at low speeds and with a cordless drill.
The sharp center point on this type of drill can easily get pressed into the sheet metal, making center-punching superfluous.
The drills will last longer if cooled with a few oil drops and ventilated more often when drilling deeper holes.
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Last Updated on 21/03/2022 by Buzz This Viral
