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Drilling aluminum

 
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donaldlynam(at)hotmail.co
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 2:17 pm    Post subject: Drilling aluminum Reply with quote
Hey Anyone,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
 
I know this is really a basic question, but I am constantly worrying about the shape of holes that I drill in the various aluminum structures and skin of my 601 with a hand-held drill. I have tried everything I can think of (4 different drills, new bits, backing up with wood block, different bit speeds) and I still get slightly oval holes about 50% of the time. Am I worrying about nothing, is this just SOP when hand drilling a soft metal?
 
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
 
Don Lynam
601 XL
[quote][b]

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Thruster87



Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 193
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 2:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Drilling aluminum Reply with quote
[quote="donaldlynam(at)hotmail.co"]Hey Anyone,<xml>
�
I know this is really a basic question, but I am constantly worrying about the shape of holes that I drill in the various aluminum structures and skin of my 601 with a hand-held drill. I have tried everything I can think of (4 different drills, new bits, backing up with wood block, different bit speeds) and I still get slightly oval holes about 50% of the time. Am I worrying about nothing, is this just SOP when hand drilling a soft metal?
�
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
�
Don Lynam
601 XL
Quote:
[b]
Don't get too concerned with the drilling process just de-burr everything.[Drilling is much more critical in pressurized aircraft which yours is not] Cheers [retired aircraft mech.]

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jaybannist(at)cs.com
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 2:42 pm    Post subject: Drilling aluminum Reply with quote
Don,

It has been known for a long time that you can't drill perfectly round holes in thin aluminum with common twist drill bits, but that is not a problem. Since designers have known this for so long, their calculations for rivet and bolt size and spacing take this into account. Most of the rivet and small bolts are used in compression and not in shear anyway and the Avex rivets we use do a good job of filling the holes once they are pulled. By the way, you should torque all those little AN3 bolts as they are very easily over-torqued. When drilling thicker aluminum for closer tolerance bolts, the only way to get a round hole is to drill it a little under sized and ream it to the proper size. Hope this helps.

Jay





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mhubel



Joined: 05 Sep 2009
Posts: 141
PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:19 pm    Post subject: Drilling aluminum Reply with quote
Don,
For small holes, generally having a good wood backing does the trick. For larger holes (1/4 inch and larger) a step drill works well in thin material (0.035 in and under). Irwin makes a number of different sizes, one is 3/16 to 7/8 in 1/16 steps for example.


On 06/29/2012 6:12 PM, Donald Lynam wrote:

[quote]
Hey Anyone,

I know this is really a basic question, but I am constantly worrying about the shape of holes that I drill in the various aluminum structures and skin of my 601 with a hand-held drill. I have tried everything I can think of (4 different drills, new bits, backing up with wood block, different bit speeds) and I still get slightly oval holes about 50% of the time. Am I worrying about nothing, is this just SOP when hand drilling a soft metal?

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Don Lynam
601 XL
Quote:

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Mark Hubelbank
NorthEast Monitoring
2 Clock Tower Place
Suite 555
Maynard, MA, 01754 - USA
mhubel(at)nemon.com (mhubel(at)nemon.com)
978-443-3955[b]

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