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Drill methods and bits for structural beams
- Thread starter Ezmetal71
- Start date
- Replies 14
- Views 1,764
atomarc
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2009
- Location
- Eureka, CA
When I did that chore I used a mag base drill with annular cutters..worked very well.
Stuart
Stuart
I wish. Prints specifically call for drilled holes. This customer does not accept punching and thermal cutting
Spruewell
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2015
- Location
- Northern California
I saw this a couple years ago.
How to Sharpen Drill Bits for Structural Steel - Ocean Rejuvenator Ocean Penetrator - YouTube
It looks a bit like a brad point drill
How to Sharpen Drill Bits for Structural Steel - Ocean Rejuvenator Ocean Penetrator - YouTube
It looks a bit like a brad point drill
Then have the supplier drill them instead on their beam line. Ours has no problem doing that, if yours can't drill them, find a new one.
Scruffy887
Titanium
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Location
- Se Ma USA
TILAN COBALT .5" drill with just air blowing on it. I got about 1000 holes with 1 bit when I made my cantilever stock racks. Drilled in my VMC. Bit was still good when I was done. I used a mag drill when I built my bridge crane system. Splice plates had a fussy hole pattern and I made a .75" steel template to drill through. Twist drill bits in mag drills tend to drift away from the base because of the play in the smaller machines. Template kept the hole pattern spot on.
mjr6550
Aluminum
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2012
- Location
- Lansdale, PA
What Atomarc said. Annular cutters in a mag drill are made for that work. No need to reinvent the wheel.
I have used them in for many holes. They work fast and cut nice round holes.
I have used them in for many holes. They work fast and cut nice round holes.
There is a significant hit to fatigue properties with thermal cutting. If you want to punch the holes, the usual routine is to subpunch and ream.
For drilling, either annular cutters or have someone with a beam line do it.
ernieflash
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2012
- Location
- Space Coast
if the customer does not allow punched holes better check they may not allow saw cut ,may require mill cutting of ends .Most Heavy columns (14x 500)require mill ends for load bearing.
just my two cents
just my two cents
Milland
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2006
- Location
- Hillsboro, New Hampshire
Be careful with cheaper mag drills - they frequently don't have good "Z" slide control (sloppy fit), if you do heavy cuts they may shift the hole even with a strong magnet.
Phil in Montana
Stainless
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2007
- Location
- Missoula Mt
I make a drill pattern from 1/2 plate and clamp it on to the beam, check twice and use a mag drill and hhs bit...Phil
memphisjed
Titanium
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2019
- Location
- Memphis
allied makes inserts for structural shapes. They run a slower rpm and feed than the ones for milling machines. Beams are not rigid. Sounds like hole quality is issue, so allied thin wall structural inserts are the way to go. Clean hole, a little slow (compared to helix gen3 or even spade gen 2 inserts.
Our drill line limits out at 1500 rpm, and rarely do I need to detune speeds to accommodate their recommendations. Gen 3 carbides are detuned from 13/16 and under for rpm limits of our machine.
Mag drill with hougans is for forgotten or changed holes, back in the dark ages this is how all beams were done. Then we got punch lines, drill lines, and moved to coping (plasma) lines. Little secret, you can drill a hole faster than you can burn a hole 9 out of 10 times- even before clean up times.
never heard of milled beam ends, ever.
Our drill line limits out at 1500 rpm, and rarely do I need to detune speeds to accommodate their recommendations. Gen 3 carbides are detuned from 13/16 and under for rpm limits of our machine.
Mag drill with hougans is for forgotten or changed holes, back in the dark ages this is how all beams were done. Then we got punch lines, drill lines, and moved to coping (plasma) lines. Little secret, you can drill a hole faster than you can burn a hole 9 out of 10 times- even before clean up times.
never heard of milled beam ends, ever.
