Return to the Metalworking Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Drilling hole in cast brass - how?
| | |
Posted by dilettante (My Page) on Wed, Oct 8, 08 at 13:29
| Hi --
I had a missing part custom-made of cast brass for an old chandelier, but I didn't realize until I had it hung that the replacement part needed to have a small hole for a glass prism. Is it possible for me to drill the hole myself with a standard corded drill? Do I need a special drill bit to drill cast brass? I'm sure the foundry that made the piece for me could handle this for me, but it's not very convenient for me to get to. I don't want to risk ruining the part, though, by messing with it myself.
Thanks! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Drilling hole in cast brass - how?
| | |
| Can you put the piece in a vice? Your problem is that brass is often soft, and the drill grabs and then breaks. Put it in a vice and go slow, light pressure. Should work out well. |
RE: Drilling hole in cast brass - how?
| | |
| Thanks. I'll try that. Do I need a special bit? |
RE: Drilling hole in cast brass - how?
| | |
| A drill with a positive rake will tend to grab in brass. There are special straight flute brass drills drills with no no positive rake on the cutting edge of the drill lip. MSC is one source of these drills. You also can regrind a normal dill to remove the positive rake. |
RE: Drilling hole in cast brass - how?
| | |
| How thick is the piece?? Start with a smaller bit as your pilot hole It shouldn't GRAB in cast brass...keep the drill straight, this will help No special bit needed, but a quality bit would help, as well as some cutting fluid |
|
|
|
|
