Can't find any small workshops in London with a pillar drill

[TigerUK]

I've been to plumbing supplies, car mechanics and rang up a few engineering firms and none seem to be able to help me.

Engineering firms are SME+ and I can't really get access to the workshop or owner to get this job done for me.

My usal mechanic who I take my car to all the time told me he could try, but he doesn't have a pillar drill and cannot guarantee he's able to make the mods accurately in line.

Basically, here's what I need doing.

I'm a supply manager for a very small company, and we have some stands that need a Kensington lock slit cut into. Basically requires a pillar drill to make 4x4mm holes side by side and then a file to remove the excess and form a slit. The material is 4mm thick stainless steel pictured here: http://www.ubookrental.com/ipad-stand-hire/

It's pretty beefy and cannot be done by hand drill.

Firstly I'm out of ideas on what sort of places I can contact who can do this job. I'm getting a bit desperate that I'm thinking of buying a cheap silverline pillar drill for £60 and doing the work myself. I've fairly competent with DIY and I think with a cheap metal file, good quality drill bit and some g clamps (and a punch) I can make the slit.

how quality drill bit £18
pillar drill £60
file £10
punch £10

total £98

[Hitch]

Why cant you drill it with a pistol drill?

You don't really need a pillar drill to drill a 4mm hole through stainless, surely?

All you need is a good quality drill bit.

[Wes]

If you've got a grill, you could just buy a mount http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRILL-PRESS-S ... 4897.l4276 . Although, you'll need a nice low speed on the drill and some lubrication, otherwise you'll burn through you drill bits.

Agree with Hitch though, you'll easily drill that by hand...Just go slow, steady and hold the drill firmly (and use lube - I know Hitch, you've heard it a million times ). I lodge my drill in my arm pit to anchor it well and help stop snagging..

P.S. Floor covering wholesalers often have pillar drills they use to drill threshold plates. Also, I can't believe a small engineering workshop doesn't have a pillar drill

[Hitch]

Even without a variable speed drill its quite possible, just pull the trigger in and out as you drill to reduce the speed.

If you want to ship the job out, you'd be better getting it put on a milling machine, using a 4mm slot drill. Hardest bit would be clamping the stand to the machine....

A Precision engineering firm should sort you out. Chances are, most think it sounds more hassle than its worth, and just can't be bothered.

[TigerUK]

I spoke to the mechanic and he told me he would hjave done it for aluminium but not stainless steel. Not without a pillar drill as stainless slips a lot and he would not be able to put 4 holes side by side in a straight line.

But he doesn't need to be accurate for his line of work at all.

[TigerUK]

If you've got a grill, you could just buy a mount http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRILL-PRESS-S ... 4897.l4276 . Although, you'll need a nice low speed on the drill and some lubrication, otherwise you'll burn through you drill bits.

Agree with Hitch though, you'll easily drill that by hand...Just go slow, steady and hold the drill firmly (and use lube - I know Hitch, you've heard it a million times ). I lodge my drill in my arm pit to anchor it well and help stop snagging..

P.S. Floor covering wholesalers often have pillar drills they use to drill threshold plates. Also, I can't believe a small engineering workshop doesn't have a pillar drill

that device only has 1 brace, I'm not sure if is sufficient enough to hold the drill exactly in place.

[Wes]

Fair enough..

[ayjay]

Have you tried searching (maybe Google) for *metal fabricators* instead of engineers?

I'm struggling to believe that there's no-one in London can do this.

If I had to do it myself I'd clamp a metal guide on either side of the slot position, about 4.1mm apart, centre punch the 4 holes and just drill it by hand.

[Inky Pete]

Drill a hole in a block of wood, clamp that to the stainless steel and use it as a guide to keep the drill stable.

[Agile]

First stainless steel is very hard and can only be drilled using special tungsten carbide tipped drills. I have a lot of them.

But producing a slot is better done with a milling cutter although I doubt the standard HSS ones will work.

I did not look at the link but a punch may be a better method if its not too thick.

I do actually have many of those kind of things but not set up in a workshop and mostly in the Midlands.

Tony

[Hitch]

First stainless steel is very hard and can only be drilled using special tungsten carbide tipped drills. I have a lot of them.

But producing a slot is better done with a milling cutter although I doubt the standard HSS ones will work.

I did not look at the link but a punch may be a better method if its not too thick.

I do actually have many of those kind of things but not set up in a workshop and mostly in the Midlands.

Tony

[dewaltdisney]

I have one similar to the Silverline and it has never let me down, well worth the money.

See http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-2622 ... lar+drills

DWD

[Grumps]

See if you have any Model Engineering Clubs near you. If you can find one I'm sure someone would do it for a 'contribution'.

Outside of London, I'd have suggested trying those 'sad puppies' that restore Heritage Railway stock.

Speaking of which, we have three pillar drills in our workshop and I've got another at home.

But not much help to you.

[wrinx]

First stainless steel is very hard and can only be drilled using special tungsten carbide tipped drills. I have a lot of them.

But producing a slot is better done with a milling cutter although I doubt the standard HSS ones will work.

I did not look at the link but a punch may be a better method if its not too thick.

I do actually have many of those kind of things but not set up in a workshop and mostly in the Midlands.

Tony

wot ee said...

Normal HSS drills will do it easily, but they need to be in good condition.

wrinx

[TigerUK]

I dunno guys, when I spoke to my mechanic he said the same as well. He would be happy to give it a go if it was aluminium. but trying to drill 4mm holes into 5mm thick hard stainless steel is no easy feat. So I am erring with what tony said above.

Hand drills are out of the question I would have thought, if you hold the drill even a tiny bit at an angle it will break the drill bit. Also don't forget I will need to drill 4 hole accurate nice to each other in one line. Stainless steel is slipper and you cannot create a guide indentation into the sheet like you can with aluminium.

When I spoke to the fence builder they told me it's not even worth drilling, I need to see someone with "punching" equipment who can punch holes into the metal for best results.