drilling different holes in SS pot in imperial - best approach?

[buckerooni]

thanks for the replies fellas - much appreciated!

$22 and $35 for the Q Max punches - I'll go that with! Pretty sure I've already got a carbide bur on my dremel to finish off the job.

 

[Mardoo]

You know Buckerooni, I'm 90% certain I have a 21mm punch you could use for your 20.9mm hole. Should you decide you want to give punches a go, it would mean you'd only have to buy the larger one. From what I've read about the pull-through fittings the extra 0.1mm wouldn't be an issue. I'm in Ferntree Gully, so It's a bit of a hike for you to pick up, but I'd be happy to post it to you as long as you promise to post it back to me. I'll double check to see whether it's the correct size.

OK, I have 21mm and 20mm. PM me if you want to use either of them.

 

[buckerooni]

You know Buckerooni, I'm 90% certain I have a 21mm punch you could use for your 20.9mm hole. Should you decide you want to give punches a go, it would mean you'd only have to buy the larger one. From what I've read about the pull-through fittings the extra 0.1mm wouldn't be an issue. I'm in Ferntree Gully, so It's a bit of a hike for you to pick up, but I'd be happy to post it to you as long as you promise to post it back to me. I'll double check to see whether it's the correct size.

Thanks Mardoo appreciate the kind offer. I should be right with the Q-Max punches, fingers crossed the pilot holes will be the same!

 

[Mardoo]

Q Max recommends a 12mm pilot hole for the 21mm punch, and a 14mm pilot hole for the 35mm-41mm punch.

As I recall the pilot hole for the 21mm was far larger than needed once I actually got the 12mm bit, rather than just eyeballing it, and looking at their charts (page 2) you should have no problem. BTW their charts don't mention SS, but I've never had trouble punching SS up to the thickness of modern 60L kegs. I'll have to let you know how they go on my old 18 gallon ones. Those are pretty effin' thick.

 

[scooterism]

Have you considered just going to a fabrication shop?

You only need 5 holes, you're willing to outlay $50 odd in tools w/ a chance of a ***** up.

So why not make it someone else's problem, heck, you may even be able to pay them in beer..

Wouldn't hurt to get a quote.

Service your local economy rather than a foreign one.

Just a thought..

 

[Maheel]

These work if you are careful and slow

i love the guard you are running on that beast.....

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Should never have banned them.

They turned boys into men..

Even if some of them lost the odd limb on the way

 

[spog]

i love the guard you are running on that beast.....

No guard ! , I had a 9 inch grinder let go on me years ago I still treat them very carefully indeed.
The ******* thing ripped the zip out of my jeans,tore open my jacket and shirt and left one thumb nail and two finger nails pointing up 90 degrees from my fingers,bloody hurt pushing them back into place so I didn't lose them.
My hand was useless for a week or so after, painful lesson learnt.
No guard. Don't use .

 

[Maheel]

i had one of those green scourer looking paint strip wheels explode 4 meters up on some trestles one morning and i was wearing only boxer shorts.

you know brew day or sand / paint house sat morning decision...

it caught me right in the balls at maybe 5000rpm and luckily i just leaned in and rested on the house

always always use a guard and some protection of some sort....

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

always always use a guard and some protection of some sort....

Its a lifestyle choice

 

[Dave70]

Two words.
Step drill. We use them all the time on G450 high tensile up to 3mm thick. You'll wonder how you ever got by without one.
Moderate speed and a few squirts of WD 40 as you go. A small pilot hole can be useful with tough ******* stainless also. Get em at a half decent hardware, or better still engineering shop. Not cheap, but unbeatable for drilling sheet.

 

[damoninja]

A small pilot hole can be useful with tough ******* stainless also.

 

[Mardoo]

Get em at a half decent hardware, or better still engineering shop. Not cheap, but unbeatable for drilling sheet.

Had a look at online engineer's sources, but most seem to only do bigger accounts. Any recommendations? I'm pretty sure my old 18 Gallon kegs will defeat my beloved punches, and I don't want to faff about with questionable step bits.

 

[Dave70]

Had a look at online engineer's sources, but most seem to only do bigger accounts. Any recommendations? I'm pretty sure my old 18 Gallon kegs will defeat my beloved punches, and I don't want to faff about with questionable step bits.

Bigger accounts? Arseholes..

Here's a couple of local guys we deal with who are happy to post them to you. If you can get an extra pair of hands to drip some cutting fluid (available at Bunnings) as you drill to keep things nice and cool, all the better.

http://www.buttsworth.com.au/contact-us/

http://www.metalandmore.com.au/

 

[sp0rk]

I made up some cutting fluid with a 50/50 mix of baby oil and organic coconut oil, both from Aldi
Cost maybe $12 and is going to last me years, you only need a few drops, works wonders on kegs
Only problem is with the minus temps here in winter, it goes solid
but I just opened the squirty sauce bottle I put it in and dug a little out with a screwdriver, then smeared it on the drillbit and working surface

 

[n87]

I have a set of relatively cheap step bits (3 pack for ~$30 IIRC), if you treat them well, they will do the job and last a fair time.
I have cut countless holes through stainless, mild steel, hard steel, gal, alu. Still going strong.
[before you ask, I do know the difference between a blunt and sharp bit. these are still sharp, albeit a bit less than new]

Keep it cool is the main thing.

 

[Mardoo]

If you can get an extra pair of hands to drip some cutting fluid (available at Bunnings) as you drill to keep things nice and cool, all the better.

I think I may have that sorted:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/index.php?/topic/77661-Show-us-your-Brew-Brat/page__view__findpost__p__1413800

Post 60

 

[Dave70]

Yep. Child labor, use it while you can.

 

[wynnum1]

Yep. Child labor, use it while you can.

They can fit in smaller places.

 

[pcqypcqy]

Had a look at online engineer's sources, but most seem to only do bigger accounts. Any recommendations? I'm pretty sure my old 18 Gallon kegs will defeat my beloved punches, and I don't want to faff about with questionable step bits.

I got mine from bunnings. There were cheaper Craftright ones for $30ish (from memory), or a better quality one for $50. I got the more expensive one. Drilled a dozen odd holes in kegs and pots for my new 3v system, worked fine with a generous squirt of inox or wd40 every so often.

Even managed to drill through a triclover end cap to fit a weldless fitting. Absolutely the wrong tool for the application, but it worked and the fitting seals and I now have a bottom draining keg HLT and MLT.

Could probably use a re-sharpen now, but that'd be the same with any good tool.