Show me your drills

[Fuzzbucket]

Talking of drilling holes and such like, I used these for the first time today - they were quite impressive.

Alpen Multicut bits:

[moonweasel]

It will take a special situation for me to ever go corded again.
My very well used Makitas. That rotary hammer 

[Vidar]

It will take a special situation for me to ever go corded again.

For me that depends on the nature of the work at hand. If the tools can stay put at a workstation and the work to be done passes by there then corded works great. And with less hassle with batteries. On the other hand if you need to bring the tools to the work then cordless is the winner.

[Zed]

A few of mine,Bosch,B&D and a few old hand drills 

[styx]

the grinder of stubs and nubs

[Zed]

the grinder of stubs and nubs

    

[Energie]

Small drill



Small holes (0,4 mm)

[Grant Lamontagne]

Nice drill!

I once had the good fortune to be standing near an engineer and a machinist arguing about ultra tiny holes.  They were making some kind of laser system for a helicopter and the engineer was specifying a hole that was extremely small, although I don't recall the exact sizing.  The machinist was trying to explain to the engineer that a hole that size was impossible to drill because the heat of the drilling would cause the metal to expand to the point where it was basically self-healing, and even if it didn't, any temperature change would probably close the hole or distort it to the point where the precise calculations were messed up anyway.  The engineer (as many do  ) was arguing that the specs said the hole had to be that size, and that was the end of it.

I wonder how much further that project got before it was canned after some "unknown failure?"   

Every time I see or hear about someone drilling small holes I think of that story and it always brings a smile to my face!

Def

[Marc_in_NS]

I agree with the engineer...
One should always agree with the engineer.

[Fuzzbucket]

I agree with the engineer...
One should always agree with the engineer.

Well... i'd expect just as much from a podgerphobe!!!

I on the other hand agree with the machinist.








 

[Marc_in_NS]

I agree with the engineer...
One should always agree with the engineer.

Well... i'd expect just as much from a podgerphobe!!!

I on the other hand agree with the machinist.


Podgering phobia!!!!
Is that becoming a thing?





 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I agree with the engineer...
One should always agree with the engineer.

I wish I could.... but I have had too many experiences with an engineer to believe they are the answer to everything they would have you believe.   

While dealing with wood pellets a few years ago I got into a discussion with the in house engineer, who insisted that I was not allowed to bring my flashlight into the facility because it was not classified as "intrinsically safe," a point he was absolutely correct on.  However, I upset him with a thing called logic when I pointed out that the flashlight was waterproof, and water molecules are both smaller and more pervasive than wood dust, and therefore it was safe for the environment we were working in.  "Intrinsically safe" is a term used for hazardous environments, which includes gases, but wood dust does not release dangerous gases, the dust particles themselves ignite and cause a very unhappy chain reaction- which, by the way, I have no interest in experiencing first hand.  And yet, I felt safe using this flashlight because the electrical source was well insulated from the outside, combustible particles.

He threw a fit and threatened to have me removed from the site, which would have been very disastrous for him as I represent the buyer... and getting rid of me also gets rid of a big expensive customer. 

Never use logic against an engineer- many of them missed the day they taught common sense in engineer school, but they obviously did not miss the day they taught ego.   

Not a shot against engineers- I know many that are much better than that, but I also know too many that don't let reality encroach on what a book and documented specs tell them.

Def

[Vidar]

The machinist was trying to explain to the engineer that a hole that size was impossible to drill because the heat of the drilling would cause the metal to expand to the point where it was basically self-healing, and even if it didn't, any temperature change would probably close the hole or distort it to the point where the precise calculations were messed up anyway. 

Traditional drilling runs into problems at a given size, high depth to diameter ratios, or just smurfing hard materials. Then other technologies like electro discharge machining (EDM) takes over.

Basically EDM works by emitting high voltage discharges where each discharge removing a tiny bit of material as it goes along. Because the work end never physically touches the material it is going through it can make tiny holes of great depth regardless of hardness. (Provided the material in question is conductive).

Ok, that was the weird diversion of the day

 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Absolutely, but when the hole is so small and is required to be a precise size, virtually any temperature variance will throw it out of calibration, which was the point.

Def

[Vidar]

Absolutely, but when the hole is so small and is required to be a precise size, virtually any temperature variance will throw it out of calibration, which was the point.

Def

EDM drilling uses a continous fluid flow at high pressure which emits at the very end of the drill pipe. That provides electrical insulation and removal of the disharged material, and to the extend necessary also cooling. (Making a tiny 0,08mm diameter hole in a big chuck of metal doesn't necessarily add that much heat to begin with).

Similarly traditional drills for machining centers can be had with through drill flow for cooling and chip removal. (Example http://s3.cnccookbook.com/img/CNCCookbook/tsc-drill-bit.jpg). If really precise calibrated holes are needed then twisted drills are usually not precise enough anyway, and so need to be followed by other methods like reaming or boring.

A third option for minimizing heat using traditional drills is too simply go very slow but still with the correct pressure and cutting depth per rotation. I once saw a weird machine for doing exactly that. I have no idea what that was actually used for. (Well, doh, making holes..  ).

I have seen an old advert from around 1900 for a very portable mechanical contraption that did the same slow drilling. I'd actually like to have that one - would be a great portable solution for making controlled holes in stuff.

Talking about heat another offbeat drill method exploits exactly that. Flowdrilling will basically rotate and heat the material until it deforms into a hole with a suitable collar formed by the moved leftover material. Typically used for making threaded bolt connections in sheet metal.

I think the point I was trying to make was that there are often alternative technologies out there for many common problems, but which are rarely encountered or well known in the public.

[Marc_in_NS]

There are just as many “types” of engineers as there types of personalities...

[Marc_in_NS]

Some you should listen to, others you can ignore...YOU best pick the right one. And don’t assume they are all alike. Lol

[Marc_in_NS]

Laser drilling...how about that.

[Fuzzbucket]

Hyperthetically... if you had a steel object that had, for example, an exact 0.1mm diameter hole in it and it was exposed to "day to day" temp flux would that hole remain constantly 0.1mm in dia? Just curious.

[Marc_in_NS]

Hyperthetically... if you had a steel object that had, for example, an exact 0.1mm diameter hole in it and it was exposed to "day to day" temp flux would that hole remain constantly 0.1mm in dia? Just curious.

It would depend entirely on the type of steel...but what do I know? Hehe

[Marc_in_NS]

Some alloys are recognized for their ability to remain somewhat stable under a wide range of temps...for example.

Anymore information about this topic will cost you. Oops my engineering background is creeping out.

[Fuzzbucket]

Hyperthetically... if you had a steel object that had, for example, an exact 0.1mm diameter hole in it and it was exposed to "day to day" temp flux would that hole remain constantly 0.1mm in dia? Just curious.

It would depend entirely on the type of steel...but what do I know? Hehe

Yeah, ya dirty podgerphobe!!!   ...(Just kidding!).

[Marc_in_NS]

Hyperthetically... if you had a steel object that had, for example, an exact 0.1mm diameter hole in it and it was exposed to "day to day" temp flux would that hole remain constantly 0.1mm in dia? Just curious.

It would depend entirely on the type of steel...but what do I know? Hehe

Yeah, ya dirty podgerphobe!!!   ...(Just kidding!).

I know Steve...me too...most of the time

[Fuzzbucket]

Some alloys are recognized for their ability to remain somewhat stable under a wide range of temps...for example.

Anymore information about this topic will cost you. Oops my engineering background is creeping out.

Your not a structural engineer by any chance? 

[Marc_in_NS]

Some alloys are recognized for their ability to remain somewhat stable under a wide range of temps...for example.

Anymore information about this topic will cost you. Oops my engineering background is creeping out.

Your not a structural engineer by any chance? 

No, quite the opposite actually... I was combat systems engineering for a stretch. RCN

[Fuzzbucket]

Some alloys are recognized for their ability to remain somewhat stable under a wide range of temps...for example.

Anymore information about this topic will cost you. Oops my engineering background is creeping out.

Your not a structural engineer by any chance? 

No, quite the opposite actually... I was combat systems engineering for a stretch. RCN

[Marc_in_NS]

 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Marc, you are absolutely correct that many engineers are not experts in rectal spelunking.  The great thing about engineers though, is that it is almost immediately obvious which ones should be listened to, and which ones are going to be fun to play with.  There's not a lot of middle ground! 

Def

[Marc_in_NS]

Marc, you are absolutely correct that many engineers are not experts in rectal spelunking.  The great thing about engineers though, is that it is almost immediately obvious which ones should be listened to, and which ones are going to be fun to play with.  There's not a lot of middle ground! 

Def

So correct and, I suppose, one could say that about every trade/profession. “ the suit does not make the man”

[Grant Lamontagne]

Absolutely. 

I was talking to a marine engineer a few years ago, and I swear when he produced a diagram he actually said (and I'm not making this up, although I wish I was) "Here, I drawed you a picture."

I've met some good ones too, just there are no good stories to tell about someone being competent! 

Def