diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?

stryped wrote:
By the way, if a person needed to drill about 12 holes about 3/8-5/8
in

diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?

Borrow a mag drill.

By the way, if a person needed to drill about 12 holes about 3/8-5/8
in

diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?

Borrow a mag drill.

On Apr 16, 12:58 pm, Grant Erwin <gr...@NOSPAMkirkland.net> wrote:

stryped wrote:

By the way, if a person needed to drill about 12 holes about 3/8-5/8
in

diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?

Borrow a mag drill.


WHat is a mag drill?

stryped wrote:
On Apr 16, 12:58 pm, Grant Erwin <gr...@NOSPAMkirkland.net> wrote:

stryped wrote:

By the way, if a person needed to drill about 12 holes about 3/8-5/8
in

diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?

Borrow a mag drill.

WHat is a mag drill?

It's a small light but powerful drill press mounted on a magnetic base.

To drill a hole in your 3x3" square tube, start by laying out the hole and
centerpunching it. With the magnet off, slide the drill into position until
the tit on the end of the cutter locates in your centerpunch, then click on
the magnet. Then apply coolant and drill the hole. To eject the slug,
fully retract the spindle.

There are several excellent brands of mag drills. I like Ernie's Jancy Slugger
No. 101; it's very light. I also like Hougen drills - they are very well
designed. I own a Steelmax mag drill, which I bought because it was cheap, but
it works well and has a 2MT tapered spindle and comes with a Weldon shank
adapter. If I want to use a drill bit (as opposed to a rotabroach-type cutter) I
can just pop in a drill chuck with a 2MT shank. I think Milwaukee mag drills are
too heavy.

Grant Erwin
Tinyisland Forge
Kirkland, Washington

On Apr 16, 4:36 pm, Grant Erwin <gr...@NOSPAMkirkland.net> wrote:
stryped wrote:
On Apr 16, 12:58 pm, Grant Erwin <gr...@NOSPAMkirkland.net> wrote:
stryped wrote:
By the way, if a person needed to drill about 12 holes about 3/8-5/8
in
diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?
Borrow a mag drill.
WHat is a mag drill?
It's a small light but powerful drill press mounted on a magnetic base.

To drill a hole in your 3x3" square tube, start by laying out the hole and
centerpunching it. With the magnet off, slide the drill into position until
the tit on the end of the cutter locates in your centerpunch, then click on
the magnet. Then apply coolant and drill the hole. To eject the slug,
fully retract the spindle.

There are several excellent brands of mag drills. I like Ernie's Jancy Slugger
No. 101; it's very light. I also like Hougen drills - they are very well
designed. I own a Steelmax mag drill, which I bought because it was cheap, but
it works well and has a 2MT tapered spindle and comes with a Weldon shank
adapter. If I want to use a drill bit (as opposed to a rotabroach-type cutter) I
can just pop in a drill chuck with a 2MT shank. I think Milwaukee mag drills are
too heavy.

Grant Erwin
Tinyisland Forge
Kirkland, Washington

How much are they?

By the way, if a person needed to drill about 12 holes about 3/8-5/8
in
diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?

By the way, if a person needed to drill about 12 holes about 3/8-5/8
in diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?

By the way, if a person needed to drill about 12 holes about 3/8-5/8
in diameter in 3x3 square tubing, what would be the best way without
investing too much?

Buy a $50 cheap chinese benchtop drill press (or get a real drill
press off of eBay or craigslist, if you can afford to wait for a good
deal). If you can't get the metal to the workbench, try c-clamping
the drill press base or table to the metal instead.

You don't say anything about needed accuracy. If you don't need a lot
of precision, you could also use a good hand drill (I'd recommend a
1/2" drill, which will probably still cost you about $50) and step
drill these holes. Start off with something small, like 3/16 or so,
then drill with the size you need. Ease up on the pressure when
you're almost through, or the drill will catch, and the 1/2" electric
drills can throw you around a bit (use two hands). I've done holes
like this with a 3/8" drill, but it gets messy fast, since you have to
go up drill sizes in smaller increments and the drills don't cut as
cleanly when you do that--the holes can end up out of round or out of
position fairly easily. This will go faster if you use cutting oil,
but is still possible without. If you don't already have the
necessary twist drill bits new ones in the larger sizes can get pricy
fast, it may actually be cheaper to buy a good hole saw.

And last but not least, you could try eBay for a "cole drill". This
is a non-motorized hand powered drill which clamps onto the metal
being drilled, and has a nut that you turn as it drills to keep drill
pressure on the bit as you turn the crank. It probably won't take
much longer than using a 1/2" electric drill (though I wouldn't use it
with a hole saw).
--Glenn Lyford