How do you guys go about putting holes in cutting edges? Always wondered how other people do this, never did ask. I have had no luck drilling , annular cutters don't even scratch them. So out comes the torch, which is a pain. Never had much problem blowing holes through thick mild steel but I think it's where the cutting edges work harden is why it's so tough to torch or drill. Have not tried either on new edges as they usually have holes punched in them already. Just wondered if there was a better way than torching, or not. Thanks!
There are drill bits that will work on the through-hardened steel used in cutting edges. Can't for the life of me remember what they're called now. A plasma cutter works well.........
I've used the straight flute carbide tipped drills to go through welded on edges so I could install a bolt on one. Slow going and a mag base drill is required. Ed
I don't know if it's the right way or not but we usually just heat a dot where you want the hole and When it cools its soft enough to put a sharp rota broach through with a mag drill.
Lf you happen to think of what those bits are, let me know. I tried heating a spot then letting it cool and my annular cutters wouldn't even scratch it... maybe I need to more heat.....
Artu bits? Supposed to be able to drill a bearing race? Gonna buy some and see. :beatsme
An old fabricator friend died and left me a neat tool. He told me about it before he went, said it would drill thru leaf springs like nobodys business. Its called a "cole drill" And its like a drill press and a screw type house jack combined. Puts thousands of pounds of tip pressure down. Someday I'll have to try it out.
Yes Mitch, Artu bits. Rayf clued me in about them. I bought a set on Ebay for a really decent price. Here is a link to the discussion where I found out about them. HeavyEquipmentForums I would think one of them could drill a cutting edge. There is a Youtube video showing a man drilling a bearing race with an Artu bit.
I have 2 one is forsale. It is supriseing how fast you can drill a hole at slowspeed because of the relentless pressure. You can drill a hole in hard steel with a regular bit with one.
Yep, that's exactly how I heard about them. I looked at them on ebay, I just hadn't gotten around to ordering them.
Depend how big a hole you want to drill. I normally m42 grade mag base cutters fine and price a cutter into the job, or do use TC cutters on real tough hole. On drill bearing races can do this normal masonry bits just have to change cutting angle a bit. As have been coming across bearing and bushes of late that have not been drill at factory, from a we'll know manufacture.
Have drilled holes in cat DH2 cutting edges just by heating up the spot where you want to drill, to cherry red, let it cool off and can these drill it with ordinary drill bits. drilled a 5/8 hole in a old piece of D6 cutting edge doing just this 6 months ago.
I usually just get out the torch and blow holes In them