Technical PISSED OFF Cutting Gauge Holes

Correct Speed and Correct Lube , must be used along with the remove the pilot bit and replace with a drill rod or turn the pilot bit over and allow the shank into the drilled pilot hole .

 

Depends on how you use them ....

 

I have found the ACE Hardware brand saws and arbors, made in the US, to be very good and very affordable.

 

I've had great results with MK Morse hole saws , I have some that are 30 years old...DeWalt aren't bad .... Milwaukee used to be good , can't speak for today since Black &Decker bought them.....

 

Had a similar experience using the cheapo hole saws, cutting out the breather holes on a set of M/T valve covers. First one went ok. By the second one, the hole saw was worn enough to wobble just enough to cut the hole too big. Used an o-ring and a thicker grommet to take up the extra space.

 

the trick to cutting SS with a saw is to reverse the direction of the sawcut and speed it up

 

Go to H Freight and buy the professional grade brand and report back.

 

Not here. Maybe elsewhere. Worth checking, I guess. Lowes, Menards, and Farm & Fleet here only had bi-metal.


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Most of my hole saw pilots, the drill is extra long, I just turn it around and use the non-cutting end.

 

What are the guys using that make the aircraft seats, frame rails with belled lightening holes etc.? I have not checked the speedway web site but seem to recall a metal fab shop using a two piece male female die with a center bolt & was just a matter of providing the required muscle to crank it , good for light duty I would suppose. If I recall correctly a model 'A' sun visor was the topic of punched & belled holes in the past.

 

Mittler Bros sell a hole punch with flanging die, Pricey for one time use- economical if you do a lot of holes
For alu or liteweight steel--- but not for heavy gauge steel frames

 

Did you see post #4?

 

Yeah; that would be the thing for sure

 

There must be 17 things to be switched on and off!

 

This is a bit long but I just cut a bunch of holes in stainless with no problems. My 3-3/8" hole saw is from Menards and my 2-1/8" is Lenox. Used water in a spray bottle to keep it cool. Ran my drill press at lowest speed (probably still too fast) and let it cut a few rounds then raised it and set it back in the cut. backed the stainless piece with plywood and my aluminum template was on top. Nothing fancy and you can't tell either hole saw has been used, teeth are still in great shape and went right through the stainless.

Decided this morning was the time to cut up some engine turned stainless steel and make the last part of my dash insert.

First step was finding center of all the gauge holes. Did that with my trim piece bolted squarely onto the aluminum template. Then by wrapping masking tape around the hole saws so they were a snug fit in the trim piece holes, I could use hole saws to find center. With the trim piece bolted to the aluminum template all I needed to do was drill each gauge hole to find center. Only drilled far enough for the 1/4” pilot bit to go through the aluminum template. Now the aluminum piece had the center of all the holes on it. I did this step with a hand held drill.

With that done I drilled the 8 perimeter holes that bolt the stainless panel to the surround. The aluminum template located all those holes for me. All the work from here on out would be done from the back side of the stainless panel. Only concern was keeping the 4 gauge holes that are the same size running parallel to the swirl pattern on the front of the stainless panel. Once I was sure the gauge holes ran down the swirls correctly I clamped it all together and drilled the perimeter holes.

Screwed my aluminum template through the stainless piece using the holes that will hold the stainless to the chrome surround and into a board. Plywood on the bottom, stainless sheet face down, and then my aluminum template. I drilled all the pilot holes for the 4 smaller idiot light/turn signal holes and center holes for all 5 gauges first, again, by hand. Then it was off to the drill press to drill the 5 gauge holes through the stainless panel.

Once the gauge holes were drilled I traced the perimeter of the aluminum template onto the stainless panel and trimmed it to size. Roughed it in with a cutoff wheel then got it closer with my hand held electric shears. Bolted the aluminum template back to the stainless and finished the outer edge with a 3" angle grinder and a 50 grit rol-lok disc. Little file work around the edges and the basic panel is done. Will still need to clean up the gauge holes but have to buy gauges first so they fit tight.

Nothing fancy, no special tools and nothing was burnt up in the process. Everything came out great.

SPark