19/64" drill bushing source? why so dang expensive?

dsergison · Jan 17, 2017

I want to make my high school robotics club a drill guide. We put a lot of 10-32 rivnut holes in aluminum tube, on 1" centers.

I want show the kids how to put 48 drill bushings in a 4' piece of angle that can be clamped to whatever tube so this can be drill press work, not mill work, and with no chance of misplacement errors.

How is part like a drill bushing $7-10 a piece? where can I find them much much cheaper?

powerglider · Jan 17, 2017

dsergison said:
I want to make my high school robotics club a drill guide. We put a lot of 10-32 rivnut holes in aluminum tube, on 1" centers.

I want show the kids how to put 48 drill bushings in a 4' piece of angle that can be clamped to whatever tube so this can be drill press work, not mill work, and with no chance of misplacement errors.

How is part like a drill bushing $7-10 a piece? where can I find them much much cheaper?

I'll check and see what I have. I think I bought a lot of these when I used them 7-8 years ago. I should have a lot left. how many do you need? Are the simple ones that look like a sleeve and are press fit in OK? Or do you need the ones that have the lip with the holding screw?

dsergison · Jan 17, 2017

any style would be fine. I will press / locktite them in no matter what.
48 would be awesome. our robot chassis are never longer than 48" and longer would be unwieldy. the shorter the body the better.

any # helps.
thank you.

dgfoster · Jan 17, 2017

If it came down to needing to buy a bunch of bushings at 7-10 bucks a pop, an alternative that might be instructive could be to make bushings from O-1 tool steel to be hardened and tempered. Seeing how tool steel can be drilled, reamed, and hardened to Rc60, by itself, might be instructive if not already covered.

Denis

jscpm · Jan 17, 2017

Precision ground hardened tool steel.

You vill pay. Und you vill like paying. :bowdown:

powerglider · Jan 17, 2017

didn't find the right size. I have 80 #10, and over 100 1/4". But in the 19/64" just a few I found and they are mostly different from one another so pain in the ass to use in your intended jig. I must have used them, lost them or scrapped them by mistake.

Yan Wo · Jan 17, 2017

For this application, wouldn't just holes in the angle iron be sufficient?

michiganbuck · Jan 17, 2017

Expensive because they are considered special because nobody wants to stock every size..

Quick might be to turn them of drill rod because of easy heat treat..possible made of CRS might do if number of holes is not so great.

We used to buy special bushing by the thousands and they were as low priced as standards in high numbers.

dsergison · Jan 17, 2017

They do around a thousand holes per year.

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edwin dirnbeck · Jan 17, 2017

Guy on ebay has 2 lots of 10 for 25 each, total 50 dollars for 20.Edwin

Monarchist · Jan 17, 2017

dgfoster said:
If it came down to needing to buy a bunch of bushings at 7-10 bucks a pop, an alternative that might be instructive could be to make bushings from O-1 tool steel to be hardened and tempered. Seeing how tool steel can be drilled, reamed, and hardened to Rc60, by itself, might be instructive if not already covered.

Denis

Seconded. Doubly so. VERY useful training.

Nearly always purchased them when for Day Job jigs and fixtures.

NEVER bought for my own use.

Do no fewer than five at a go, harden, don't waste time drawing to temper, just pitch any that have warped or shatter later, drop in a spare, and carry on.

Drill as uses these is still not (quite) a jig-bore, so no need to over-think 'em.

Bill

TDegenhart · Jan 17, 2017

What OD and length do you want? 50 pcs or so isn't a killer. You want them shouldered?

Tom

dsergison · Jan 18, 2017

shouldered would be nice, not necessary. 1/4" under shoulder thickness would be nice.

I'd like to install them in an aluminum 1.5"x1.5"x0.25" angle or similar. happy to glue them.

super precision not necessary. I don't even care if they are finish ground. I would think turned and hardened would do?

I've looked on ebay. I don't see that size cheap?

dgfoster · Jan 18, 2017

Dsergison,

If you made a drawing including tolerances so that there was standardization, this job could be divied up. I'd do ten or 15 and drop them in a small USPS FRB.

Denis

TDegenhart · Jan 18, 2017

Easy peasy for me, I have a turret lathe and heat treating equipment.

Tom

traditional-tools · Jan 18, 2017

You can try Somma, but my guess is they will be very similar in price.

Drill Holder Bushings | Somma Tool Company

TDegenhart · Jan 18, 2017

I will use dimensions of this MSC part. OK?

MSC Part #: 07219801

Tom

dgfoster · Jan 18, 2017

michiganbuck said:
Biggest difficulty is spending $20 (or so) bucks for a reamer.

Since these bushing are to (roughly) locate holes for rivnuts, high precision is not really needed. Just durability so that the guide hole doesn't get egg-shaped from students and their not so skilled drilling attempts. At least that is what I gather.

So, if it were me, to make the bushings I'd just drill a centered hole in the bushing material that was 1/64 undersize and then use a drill to drill the hole on size. I would expect that doing it that way the finished hole would be close (enough) to onsize and not much worse than a reamed hole. I don't think I'd spend the money on a reamer in this case.

Denis

in2glamisgirl · Jan 18, 2017

You could make a shorter drill jig of 5 - 10 bushings and daisy chain along your robot chassis as needed.
Last hole drilled would locate the jig for the next set ho holes.

Frank Ford · Jan 18, 2017

IF there's time you could expand the project to show them how to make a lot of drill bushings out of mild steel rod and build the fixture. Even without hardening, it would be good for quite a number of times, and the exercise could be repeated in future classes.

I make lots of drill jigs and bushings that get only occasional use - no need for hardness.

19/64" drill bushing source? why so dang expensive?

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