How To Drill A 2 Inch Hole In Sheet Metal

In case you need to drill a hole and thread it for a screw or bolt.

How to drill a 2 inch hole in sheet metal.

Since this is a small hole a normal drill bit will work well in the sheet metal without extra precautions. Click here to get free fast bids from local handymen in your town to drill your. I m a field metal worker and these are my tips for drilling with limited supplies w. 1 4 3 8 then 1 2.

The wooden bread layers of the sandwich keep the sheet metal flat and prevent the drill bit from wandering as it bores through the sheet metal. Now it s time to use that center punch. Simply sandwich the sheet metal between two pieces of wood and clamp everything down on a table or workbench. Start with a 1 8 inch hole and then next use a 1 4 inch bit to enlarge the hole.

Tap your hammer to leave an indentation on the sheet metal. Use your center punch to strike at the center of the hole. Hey guys i shot this video to show you my trick to drill stainless steel. Depending on the tools you have you ll now need to punch or drill a hole where the indentation has been made to produce an accurate hole in your sheet metal.

The pilot hole will help you positioning the drill bit and than just drill as usual. If you re drilling a large diameter hole say 3 8 inch or larger you ll want to drill smaller pilot holes first in the metal. Now drill the final hole at the desired diameter with the corresponding twisted drill bit but put a cloth between the bit and the metal. Put your ink to the use and mark the hole center.

At first locate the center of the whole. Drill bit size inch. Sheet metal screw to drill bit size table screw size drill bit size 2 3 32in 4 1 8in 6 5 32in 8 3 16in 10 13 64in. For clean precise holes in thin sheet metal make a wood sandwich.

You can make bigger jumps in some metals but if you don t see the bit cutting into the edge of the hole the bit is too big. The punch is then. Place the die over the draw stud before inserting the stud through the pilot hole. Tap and drill size chart standard tap size.

To setup the punch first drill a pilot hole into a piece of sheet metal with a step drill bit. For example if you need a 1 2 inch hole use a 1 8 inch bit to start then step up 1 8 inch at a time. Finish the hole with a 3 8 inch bit.