using a Dremel to make Pot/jack/holes?? can it be done

loss1234

I got my dremel and drill press attachment. BUT now i need to buy all new bits as most of my old ones were 1/4" shank.

SO can someone please recommend some sizes of bits for making holes for pots and jacks and toggles? I KNOW i can START the hole with anything, but how do you get a BIG hole using a dremel? (is there a ball bit or reamer or cutter bit or something that will take a small hole and make it big??)

Any help appreciated. i am in a bind here as i had to give back the drill i was borrowing so i really need to buy some bits right away.

thanks

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

The Dremel isn't really well suited for making holes as large as you are intending. The rotation is too fast for proper drilling of anything other than very small holes (such as those on PCB's). You would be much better off getting a regular sized hand drill (rechargeable?) and a step drill bit for making holes for pots and switches.

loss1234 · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:38 pm Post subject:

oh no

someone had said there was a way to do it on this list before....

now i am worried

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

Just because something can be done does not mean it SHOULD be done. There is a hand tightened drill chuck made for this that can take up to a 1/4" drill bit. I have one. It would NOT be a good idea to use this to drill holes big enough for pots/switches/jacks. A drill bit is in fact a cutting tool. The cutting is done at the tip of the bit. As bit size goes up, the optimum cutting or rotational speed for the bit goes DOWN. That is the bigger the bit, the slower it needs to go. If you go too fast, the tip of the bit overheats and goes dull. You then are no longer cutting, you are burning a hole by the vertical brute force method. Soon after this bit breakage occurs. This is dangerous! If you try to run a large bit a the speed of a Dremel (33,000 RPM) you will dull the bit. Good drill bits cost good money and are too expensive to abuse like that. After you buy a bunch of replacement bits or a drill bit sharpener you could have just bought a proper hand drill and bits and been better off.

I don't mean to lecture you. I only want to save you from going down the merry road of problems ending up where many people have already gone.

Get a decent rechargeable drill. one that is variable speed, at least 14 - 18VDC. Make sure it comes with at least one extra battery. Always store it with one battery fully charged. Recharge the batteries only when they are fully discharged. Buy good drill bits and don't overspeed them. Run them at a speed where the metal comes off the bit in nice long slivers. That's when the bit is cutting. Don't push on the bit, let it cut the hole at its own speed. Bits will last a lot longer then.

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

Another option is to get a small table top drill press from someplace like Harbor Freight or a similar place. They can be had on sale for around $50.00 or so, and would be suitable for a lot of faceplates you would ikely to be making. These usually have a 1/2" or 3/8" chuck depending on manufacturer, and are able to be adjusted for speed by changing the drive belt on the pulleys in the head.

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

As for what size holes to drill, go to a hardware store and buy a drill guage. They should only cost a few bucks. Then, take your switch, pot whatever and stick it through the holes in the guage until you frind the closest fit. It will then show you which bit to use.

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

Refer to the following link for a reference table on drill bit rpm in various materials.

http://www.raygirling.com/dpspeed.htm

blue hell · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject:

blue hell · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject:

The thing is to make the tool work for you. I remember that when I was like 6 my grand dad spoke such words when he saw me saw something like an idiot ... he was a carpenter. To make the tools do work requires some feeling. Took me some time to realize that, but easy on and proper tools is always a good thing Very Happy

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

I thought alchohol was used as a pre-lube before the actual drilling is begun...

blue hell · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject:

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

LOL true...but I was tongue in cheek refering to other matters.

blue hell · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:28 pm Post subject:

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

loss1234 · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:39 pm Post subject:

so i suppose now i have bought a drill press attachment for my dremel that is really only useful for drilling pcbs. i suppose i might have been better off just buying a drill press from harbor freight in the first place.

damn, there is always one more tool i need. thanks for the advice and links

blue hell · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:42 pm Post subject:

Pff ... while typing all this up there were two lesbian promo spams to kill ... and all anti virus stuff was turning red on it while .. "checking" Laughing

I'm going to need a separate electro-music PC one day Crying or Very sad

blue hell · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:43 pm Post subject:

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

The price of persistant policing. I appreciate your efforts in keeping the garbage put out.

Loss, no problem. Only wanted to keep you from travels down the wrong road. "More tools" is the mantra of the DIYer. Welcome to the club.

blue hell · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject:

I just hope people don't click on that stuff too much, virtual drilling brings virtual disease ...

Clack · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:40 am Post subject:

bugbrand · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:43 am Post subject:

Yup, horses for courses. Dremels are really useful for small things, but for bigger you've gotta have a bigger drill! Yes, its a slippery slope.....

loss1234 · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:17 am Post subject:

let me ask, if i get a drill press from harbor freight, will that be any more powerful than the black and decker hand drill i was using? if not, i might just go get another hand drill...i already have the stepped bit so..

thanks

bugbrand · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:26 am Post subject:

Ah, an electric hand drill is really useful too - but at times you'll find a drill press to be really useful too.. Its the horses again! Yep, you just identified that you want three (not two) drills to cover most of the building eventualities!!!!!

para · Joined: Oct 16, 2006 Posts: 276

having a drill press when doing large numbers is great. the downward pressure and the precision it allows makes a $50 harbor freight buy more then worth it. i have two dremels, two hand drills ( one cordless ) and a drill press and they all get used so don't think of your dremel press as a waste.

steven

Dave Kendall · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:44 am Post subject:

The dremel will always be useful for small stuff, pcbs and so on, but a regular drill press is a quick and easy way to get accurate results when drilling front panels. I paid around £25 ($50 U.S.) for a chinese one from the netto chain store, and it's worth its weight in gold. Smile

I clamp a hand drill in a vice, with a rough old countersunk bit for de-burring the holes when done.

cheers,
Dave