handheld drilling torque

When hand drilling overhead beams off a ladder I a use a drill with an extended side handle. I put a large C-clamp on the beam adjacent to the hole and rotate the drill until the side handle is against it. The clamp will take the torque of a stuck bit. I use a 1/2 inch AC drill that turns 500 rpm. That beast is just about unstoppable so I always use a round shanked bit (vs bit w/3 flats) so that the bit will slip in the chuck if it sticks and give me a chance to release the trigger.
 
I have been using a Milwaukee 5380-21 to dry drill 1 1/2" core holes in CMU / 4600 psi grouted walls, I run the drill in low ( 1500 ) speed hammer off. Every once in a while the core drill virbrates really bad when a slug pops loose and wedges inside the the core bit ( the core bits are 14 inches long ). I usually keep on the trigger and back the drill out to remove the fine powder cement dust and remove the core before going back in as it's too risky for me to try to core in one shot ( the cores are 8" deep ) and chance that it mighty get stuck. I use the short side extension handle that came with it and it helps when it does catch from time to time. It also helps if i am directly over the unit where i can make sure my arm can counter anything when it does catch to minimize torque spin. If the drill was a slower rpm ( like 850 ) it would take too long to drill out the holes and the torque would be scary if it did catch. The drill was never design to be a portable coring rig, but I managed to find 1/2 to 5/8" threaded adapters for the coring bits I am using, and I have always managed to make tools work in the capacity that they were never designed to be used for. If I was drill metal with the same bit , I would be using step bits to the size I need ( I have them to 1 1/4" ), the step bits work ok if the metal is 1/8" or less, never tried it on anything thicker, when they tend to catch I back off pressure on the bit, or stop the drill, switch to reverse, give it a tap in reverse, then switch back to forward. This tends to smooth out the lip a bit and remove any bur that will catch. I also use a bit of oil to cool the step bit a I drill.

- Al
 
SE18 said:
-stern, you're doing a press with I beams too. coincidence.

-Walt, since it's an I beam I don't have access from the back side, btw

-Richard, pictures will be great of the rig and flattened drill top (flatten angle? not sure what you mean)

-I've had terrible experience, terrible, terrible, terrible with cordless tools, drills, brush cutters and so on. Batteries are more costly or nearly as much as a new tool and they seem to go out after just a year or two if that. I've now got a dewalt corded and B&D corded. I'm using the B&D for the holes b/c it can take the thicker shank. I'm done now with all 16 holes but advice so far will help in the future. Sometimes it's the innocent tools that can hurt you most. Fortunately I'm flexible and my arm could take a couple of spins
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Cool, post some pics of your project as I love to see steel come together to make something :) Since I have always wanted a press I finally have a reason to build one, but since I need the inside distance to be 4 feet I have to use an I-Beam to keep it from bending. Im going to end up making a brake and sheer attachments (from dissected bits of the crappy HF 3-in-one unit that sucks) that will sit on the press so I can bend and cut 4' wide stuff, as well as use the press for broaching and pressing. Still need to make a couple of trips to the scrap yard for the large top I-Beam lol.

As for cordless tools, have had many and chucked many in the bin. Now I only buy Milwaukee as they are the only ones that can stand up to the workload I dish out on them.
 
SE18 said:
some background: Yesterday finally got the holes made in the frame of my shoppress but my little drillpress was too small for the 3/16" galvanized I beams. Guess I could have used a lathe or maybe made an extension tube for the drill press. So I did use the drillpress to make smallish holes, but the bigger bits required the use of my hand drill so I used 3/4" silver & deming bit.

the torque: I noticed getting thru the holes sometimes the bit would catch and the drill goes flying out of your hand despite slow speed. Thought I'd break my wrist, but was careful in the way I held the drill.

anyone else ever notice the torquee on these hand-held drills?

btw, I dulled the bit and had to sharpen it a few times using the techniques shown in a video by someone on this forum
Click to expand...

Yes I had power drills rip out of my hands. You need to borrow a bigger drill motor with a handle to handle it or a magnetic base drill press. Be careful and Good Luck
 
icore3user said:
I have been using a Milwaukee 5380-21 to dry drill 1 1/2" core holes in CMU / 4600 psi grouted walls, I run the drill in low ( 1500 ) speed hammer off. Every once in a while the core drill virbrates really bad when a slug pops loose and wedges inside the the core bit ( the core bits are 14 inches long ). I usually keep on the trigger and back the drill out to remove the fine powder cement dust and remove the core before going back in as it's too risky for me to try to core in one shot ( the cores are 8" deep ) and chance that it mighty get stuck. I use the short side extension handle that came with it and it helps when it does catch from time to time. It also helps if i am directly over the unit where i can make sure my arm can counter anything when it does catch to minimize torque spin. If the drill was a slower rpm ( like 850 ) it would take too long to drill out the holes and the torque would be scary if it did catch. The drill was never design to be a portable coring rig, but I managed to find 1/2 to 5/8" threaded adapters for the coring bits I am using, and I have always managed to make tools work in the capacity that they were never designed to be used for. If I was drill metal with the same bit , I would be using step bits to the size I need ( I have them to 1 1/4" ), the step bits work ok if the metal is 1/8" or less, never tried it on anything thicker, when they tend to catch I back off pressure on the bit, or stop the drill, switch to reverse, give it a tap in reverse, then switch back to forward. This tends to smooth out the lip a bit and remove any bur that will catch. I also use a bit of oil to cool the step bit a I drill.

- Al
Click to expand...

al, the step bit idea is something I haven't thought of. I'll try to file it in memory. Thx
 
Jono said:
One problem at least is the ergonomics of most cordless drills. Corded drills are designed to be held on the back,by your palm, with the trigger pulled by the ring finger, which results in a near pure torque reaction, Hold any drill like a pistol and it'll leap out of your hand and/or break the bit the first time it hangs up.Sorry if I'm stating the obvious but I've had to show a lot of people over the years, I think because using the index finger is more intuitive, though wrong.
Click to expand...

This is the first I've heard that. Looks like I've been using my drills wrong for over 50 years. Every picture I have ever seen shows the trigger being pulled with the index finger. Why is it called a pistol grip? I would love to see you use your ring finger to operate the 1850 Milwaukee.

Evidently this is wrong???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5hj8EHQmPU

"Billy G"
 
Please post a picture of you using the drill your way. Thanks in advance.

"Billy G"
 
I use a very old Milwaukee Magnum corded drill for the large holes in thick material. The thing has enough torque to hurt a man. The first time I used it on 3/8" steel I was stupid and it broke my thumb. Lesson learned. Now such holes are drilled through with smaller bits, stepping up in size, and the last couple of bits get flattened a little. Good advice above.

Tom
 
SE18 said:
stern,

Here are some of the parts & the drill / bit I made the holes with

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/17251-started-20-ton-shop-press?p=143107#post143107

the pressing rod holder will have a set screw for different size pressing rods

the 2 I beams sitting on 1/4" plate will be welded together, forming the top portion of the frame
Click to expand...

COOL PICS :) I have all my steel now except the I-Beam, which hopefully Im picking up this week (unless work messes it up). Going to use a 6" one about 4' long. Looks like the same bit im using, but opted for the cordless as its "kinder" on the hand as the clutch slips before my hand gets wrenched (that why Im not using the huge Hilti TE-72 to drill it). Keep the pics coming as Im hoping to pick your brain a bit, as mine seems to be loosing a lot of sectors LOL need a new SATA drive installed in my head.
 
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