Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 26
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Mornington Peninsula
    Posts
    97

    Default Drilling Aluminium Question

    Hi All,

    I want to drill an aluminium plate 5mm thick for a router plate insert.

    The diameter of the central hole is to be circa 30-35mm and all I have is a drillpress and basic Sutton drill bits to 13mm diameter. Apart from multiple smaller holes in a circular pattern, is there an easier way to do this?

    If necessary, I could sacrifice a cheap timber hole saw, but I am not sure if that would be effective for this application.

    Any help appreciated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,541

    Default

    A hole saw will work but you will need to peck at it so the saw does not clog and use something like WD40 or kerosene as a lubricant to discourage the aluminium from sticking to your saw.

    Michael

  3. #3
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    7,183

    Default

    A Forstner bit will also work and leave a much cleaner edge than a hole saw.
    Use small (3mm) pilot hole, low speed, high steady pressure and lots of lube
    If you use meths as a lube there's no clean up afterwards.
    I have a set of liquid spray bottles recycled from kitchen/bathroom cleaning spray bottles and meths is one

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Hinchinbrook
    Posts
    112

    Default

    Yep. A bi-metal holesaw will do the job simply, cleanly and quickly. You will need to buy an arbor as well but they last forever.

    Cheers Phil

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Adelaide
    Age
    68
    Posts
    1,373

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael G View Post
    A hole saw will work but you will need to peck at it so the saw does not clog and use something like WD40 or kerosene as a lubricant to discourage the aluminium from sticking to your saw.

    Michael
    I have found that if you start the cut with the hole saw and then, once the kerf is established, drill small holes through the plate within the kerf and then continue with the hole saw then the teeth do not get clogged up and most of the swarf exits via the through holes. This is using kero as the lubricant.
    Last edited by Gavin Newman; 19th Feb 2017 at 05:54 AM. Reason: Clarification re continuing the cut

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Mornington Peninsula
    Posts
    97

    Default

    What speed (RPM) should I use for the holesaw?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    139

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by cava View Post
    What speed (RPM) should I use for the holesaw?
    I recently had to cut a hole in a thick aluminium plate (38mm) to accept a router insert plate (Incra). For the corners of the hole I initially tried a hole saw. It was hopeless. The teeth immediately clogged as there was no way it could discharge the metal. I was using kerosene as the lubricant. I don't think I was able to drill even to 1mm deep by this method.

    You could score the circle this way and then drill many small holes, but there would be a lot of filing to make good. You are a little restricted in that your machinery is limited. If you went down the drilling track you could cut out the perforated hole with a jig saw. A router with a straight bit and a ply or mdf template would work very well, but clearly you would have to borrow or invest in some new tools.

    Incidentally a cheap hole saw doesn't really work in anything let alone aluminium. I ended up using a Super Drill (a fly cutter) for the holes, which as it happens were similar to the size you are contemplating. You can see a little about it on this thread.

    Aluminium Router Table

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    139

    Default

    I have re-read Gavin Newman's thread and realised he said to continue after drilling the circumference holes with the hole saw. That might work as the plate is only 5mm thick.

    Is this plate to hold a router as if so it might be a little thin? Or is it small plate to close up the hole around the bit?

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    149

    Default

    The teeth immediately clogged as there was no way it could discharge the metal.”
    That makes me think you were using 5005 sheet material, which is horrible, almost impossible to machine .
    Use 5083 plate, works great, the difference is like chalk and chewing gum!
    Neil

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    5,080

    Default

    Aluminium varies a lot according to the alloy, so if all you have is a hole saw, it's worth a try, use metho or something similar as lubricant. If it clogs and doesn't work, then at least you will have a circular channel to use as a guide to go around it with series of small holes and finish to size with a file using the outer edge of the channel as a guide.

    I have used a wood router ( actually it was a makita laminate trimmer ) on aluminium sheet in the past, but if you are only doing one hole the time to set up guides is hardly worth the trouble.

    If you do go down the laminate trimmer path then make sure it's all clamped up solid, and climb cut and only taking a mm or so each pass.

  11. #11
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    7,183

    Default

    One of the best low mess lubes for a router is hard wax, rub it along the line of the cut on the side that the cutter is pulling on and it will melt and pull the wax into itself.

    If using a hole saw there's no need to drill lots of small holes, instead drill 4-6 1/4" (or bigger) holes around the circle so the sides of these holes just touch the inside edge of the bigger hole . Combined with a meths lube the small holes will help drag the swarf off the teeth.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Mornington Peninsula
    Posts
    97

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bushmiller View Post

    Is this plate to hold a router as if so it might be a little thin? Or is it small plate to close up the hole around the bit?
    The plate is/was going to be the actual insert in a budget router table. The plate (I don't have it in front of me) from memory is circa 220 mm diameter.

    The router to be used is the baby Triton 1 1/2 HP model, so the weight should (hopefully) not be a problem.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    139

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Neil317 View Post
    The teeth immediately clogged as there was no way it could discharge the metal.”
    That makes me think you were using 5005 sheet material, which is horrible, almost impossible to machine .
    Use 5083 plate, works great, the difference is like chalk and chewing gum!
    Neil
    Neil

    I have no idea what the grade of material was as it is a recycled plate. In fact was able to machine a rebate into the recess with a wood router. You can see how I did this if you follow the link in post #7.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    139

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by cava View Post
    The plate is/was going to be the actual insert in a budget router table. The plate (I don't have it in front of me) from memory is circa 220 mm diameter.

    The router to be used is the baby Triton 1 1/2 HP model, so the weight should (hopefully) not be a problem.
    Cava

    The suggestions by RayG, BobL and Gavin Newman may be your easiest way out as their principle is all the same.

    Because you have a router you could easily use that to make the hole. I would drill a starter hole and then cut out the bulk of the hole with a jig saw. Then using a template you can cut the remaining waste with a straight bit and a template guide (and a template of course in mdf or plywood) or a template with a flush trimming bit. One with a top bearing would be easiest. I think the main issue you will have is clamping the plate down as at 220mm there is not much material to hold and run the router over the top.

    However all these methods involve a little expenditure. I don't think there is a way out of that.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,541

    Default

    Of course, you could just fit the plate to the router and then plunge through with your largest cutter.
    (Put in a starter hole if you can)

    Michael

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Milling Aluminium - A Question
    By Anorak Bob in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 9th Jun 2016, 08:34 PM
  2. Stoopid question time - Aluminium welding
    By czzer in forum WELDING
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 4th Dec 2014, 07:37 PM
  3. aluminium tig question
    By kelack in forum WELDING
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 14th Oct 2014, 09:49 PM
  4. Drilling hubs question ?
    By Gristle in forum TRAILERS & OTHER FABRICATED STUFF
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 31st Oct 2011, 01:13 PM
  5. welding gas for aluminium question
    By northerncat in forum WELDING
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 14th May 2009, 02:00 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •