Tony: thanks for the info as always.I should have saved my inquiry before on my email as I can no longer find it by search.Probably the reason I was still asking.Now I have bookmarked the sources for future reference and know the proper names for them.Apparently the site doesn't notify me of a response unless it is thru a PM .
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How do I drill square holes in a piece of stock?
- Thread starter Nelson
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 8,016
Glad to help, Jericho. Hope you find what you need.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2010
- Messages
- 1,172
Hi Guys
Sqaure holes eh?
I havnt done very many over the yrs, and have tried a few methods
1. drill the hole to major diameter, and file it out. This way works ok, but its hard to keep every thing sqaure. If its a blind hole, your out of luck.
2. This method seems to work on both blind, or through hole.
With a R/T with chuck mounted on the mill, I drill, or mill out the 4-corners first. Then take a drill, or end mill and cut out the centre. Once your this far you can take it a few ways. I usually take a small end mill and mill out the excess material left in the corners. It is a bit slow, but does a nice job. The down side? If it matters to you, your sqaure holes will have rounded corners. Other wise, does a good job.
3. Same as above, but when you want sqaured corners.
With a old end mill holder, I mount up a HSS lathe cutter, mounted in this manor, I use the quill to act as a hand shaper. It doesnt take very long to cut the corners nice and sqaure. If its a blind hole, set the spindle stop to depth, and have the shop vac handy to remove the chips as often as needed.
These methods are just the way Ive managed to cut sqaure holes over the years. Certainly there are better ways, but these methods have gotton me by, with whats allready in the shop. Personally, I rather use the second method. I dont mind having the rounded corners. The 3rd way does a great job for sqaure corners, but its hard on the arm, and elbow with all the hand cranking the quill up and down.
Paul
Sqaure holes eh?
I havnt done very many over the yrs, and have tried a few methods
1. drill the hole to major diameter, and file it out. This way works ok, but its hard to keep every thing sqaure. If its a blind hole, your out of luck.
2. This method seems to work on both blind, or through hole.
With a R/T with chuck mounted on the mill, I drill, or mill out the 4-corners first. Then take a drill, or end mill and cut out the centre. Once your this far you can take it a few ways. I usually take a small end mill and mill out the excess material left in the corners. It is a bit slow, but does a nice job. The down side? If it matters to you, your sqaure holes will have rounded corners. Other wise, does a good job.
3. Same as above, but when you want sqaured corners.
With a old end mill holder, I mount up a HSS lathe cutter, mounted in this manor, I use the quill to act as a hand shaper. It doesnt take very long to cut the corners nice and sqaure. If its a blind hole, set the spindle stop to depth, and have the shop vac handy to remove the chips as often as needed.
These methods are just the way Ive managed to cut sqaure holes over the years. Certainly there are better ways, but these methods have gotton me by, with whats allready in the shop. Personally, I rather use the second method. I dont mind having the rounded corners. The 3rd way does a great job for sqaure corners, but its hard on the arm, and elbow with all the hand cranking the quill up and down.
Paul
This may not be the answer you were expecting, but it might just be one that helps!! try DIY spark erosion
www.stockportsme.co.uk/.../img/spark_eroder/Spark%20Eroder.pdf
There are other less complex and many more complex examples of making an electrical discharge machining device to give it its correct title, and it doesn't have to be expensive particularly if you have a few electrical bits and pieces lying about. The one I played with many years ago came from an old back issue of an engineering magazine i found online and whilst I only tried it as abit of fun with sticks and rubber bands etc. it did work and should i ever need an unusual shaped hole or a snapped off tap removing I may well return to making a more accurate version.
www.stockportsme.co.uk/.../img/spark_eroder/Spark%20Eroder.pdf
There are other less complex and many more complex examples of making an electrical discharge machining device to give it its correct title, and it doesn't have to be expensive particularly if you have a few electrical bits and pieces lying about. The one I played with many years ago came from an old back issue of an engineering magazine i found online and whilst I only tried it as abit of fun with sticks and rubber bands etc. it did work and should i ever need an unusual shaped hole or a snapped off tap removing I may well return to making a more accurate version.
Apologies, I just tried that link and it failed. If you enter www.Stockportsme.co.uk and go onto members projects, you will see a picture and the details of the machine, also I just found a thread on www.homemodelenginemachinist.com dedicated to spark erosion. Might be helpful
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2012
- Messages
- 256
I once had a small booklet that actually explained how to drill I believe square, five sided and a couple other holes. It involved how the drill was sharpened. of coarse this was for a 3/8 or 1/2" drill bit approximately. I do believe the book/pamphlet was published in the 1920's. It was given or loaned to me by a foreman who was explaining drill bit sharpening. I guess the fellow (author) really made a study out of it but then the cherrying device came on and indexers so it never caught on. I'm sure you've found a drill cutting an odd shaped hole because of the uneven grind, That's how this worked. So now that my vision isn't what it use to be i find my self drilling odd shaped holes It's gonna be tough when I get old!