Drilling Box Section

[dawooya]

Hi All,

I have hundreds of holes 25mm dia in one side of 50x50x2mm box section to do. I was wandering if there is a tool that can do this quickly? I can get them laser cut but its costly. I have only got to put 2x holes in from each end of a 600mm bit of box section but i have over a hundred to do.

Hope you can help.

 

[English Steve]

Mag-base drill (Rotabroach) with a 25 dia cutter? Could be a bit awkward to set accurately for that quantity of holes though.
Failing that, a pillar drill.

 

[wyn]

As steve says... a rotabroach cutter in either a mag drill or use an adaptor to fit it to a pillar drill.

If possible also knock up some sort of jig to make positioning quick and easy.

 

[storm monkey]

I'd agree. Unfortunatly a jigg'd pillar drill is probably the best option. Not going to be a fun job, but not really any cost effective alternatives.

Phil

 

[Pete.]

When you do them make sure you jig 'em from the same end for both holes or any tolerances in the length will be transposed to the hole pitches.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I'd say most definitely a mag drill job. 25mm in a single pass vs pilot drilling then maybe stepping up twice, no comparison .

 

[snowcat]

Radial arm (or decent pillar) with a fixture made for jigging would soon make short work, 1" I would not even bother to pilot....

 

[scarecrow]

yes mag drill I did over 100 holes in a couple of hours through 8 &10mm plate they are the business some benchdrill can take the broachcutter with an adapter it would be a cheaper alternative to buying a mag drill

 

[snowcat]

In all honesty chaps, a mag drill would be far better than a Mickey mouse pillar, but a decent geared head set up is miles quicker than a mag, with a bit of thought on the fixture, you can slide the box up and just keep drilling, often I never even need to shut the drill down, quill feed even better I must have drilled and jigged thousends of holes this way...... Mags are slow in comparison because you have to move em round, and only worth the effort If the material (normally beams) is too large to work coftably.... I'm talking a decent drill setup here tho.......

 

[Hitch]

Broaching cutter in a pillar drill, use a stop for positioning.


I fancy a 25mm twist drill may make a mess of 2mm walled box if you power feed it through in one pass

 

[Welderpaul]

Yeah, Jig.
I pre-drill the vent holes in box section vertical infills for gates and that, so the vent hole can be on the side, and not the face.
flat piece of plate with three bits of bar tacked to it so the box section can just be pushed into it and is held. Accurately set the first one and you are away.
Agree with hitch, buy the attachment that lets you use mag drills in a pillar drill. - good luck

 

[snowcat]

Broaching cutter in a pillar drill, use a stop for positioning.


I fancy a 25mm twist drill may make a mess of 2mm walled box if you power feed it through in one pass

Oh 2mm, is it, do they make material in those thickness then.......next your be telling me people weld this kinda stuff