Todays lesson - Here's how NOT to go about drilling (4) 1/2" holes.

You'd think this would start with a drill and a bit, but no. We start at the nuts and bolts store by telling the dink that works there that you need as big of bolts that you can buy, but you need them to fit through the biggest hole you can make with a bit that fits a 3/8" drill.

Him - a 3/8" drill will take up to a 1/2" bit. Do you need the bit too?
me - no, I have a brand new one, so I'll just take the bolts, etc.

So I get acrossed town to where I need to drill the holes and I have TWO 3/8" drills and my 1/2" bit. The bit is still brand new because it doesn't even come CLOSE to fitting. So after making several unkind remarks to myself about the salesman and his mother, I use a smaller bit and make a pilot hole, then start to use the biggest bit that WILL fit my drills. I make it through, but since I'm drilling aligned holes through tubular stock, my plan to hog them both out fails. The bottom hole acts as a pivot point and it's just not working. I figured this out after I'd broken 2 good sized bits. The hole drilling project has been going on to long and is getting frustrating, but it least it's gotten DARK out.

So then after I'm reloading a 3rd bit to also break, there's a guy who lives nearby and is great at offering bad suggestions and not leaving that keeps telling me to just go to Depot that's 1/2 mile up the street and get a reduced shank bit and be done with it. I'm cheap, broke, and not spending HIS money, so I insist that I'm not going to do that. Instead I decide to find a friend with a 1/2" drill that I can borrow so that I can use the 1/2" bit I already own. 3 friends later, I locate one 10 miles away at my man Flathead Pete's. He's even got a new 1/2" bit in there for me to use too - and I agree that if I break his, he can have my bit. I take down the ladder and roll up the extension cord and head out.

So about an hour later, I'm all set back up and drilling away with Pete's drill and bit. His bit breaks. DANGIT! I replace it with my bit as planned, but within a minute boom - MY bit breaks. Seriously, CRAP! This sucks, but at least it started RAINING TOO!

So it's now been over 2 hours, it's dark, it's raining and I still don't even have ONE friggin 1/2" hole drilled. Not only that, but I've burned through 20 miles of gas, broken my buddies bits, and my only choice is to now go to HD like the village idiot suggested - which is actually what pisses me off the MOST. $20 later I leave there with a reduced shank cryrogenically frozen, "fire and ice" bad boy bit that would have fit in my OWN friggin drill an hour+ before. So back I go, set everything back up - again - and go to BACK to drilling away. (Note: If you've not made any steel shards within the time it takes your muscles to start aching, make sure the drill is set to FORWARD)

Within 20 minutes, I'd not only made the 4 holes I needed - but I'd also fingered out that I also get to give away the brand new $20 drill bit that I'd bought - since I owe it to Pete for letting me use his drill that I didn't even really need.

Anyway, the lesson here is that the right tools make the job go much faster - and even a village idiot knows it.

And that's how you go about not drilling a set of 1/2 holes very efficiently, in the rain.

Thanks for listening,
John

Hey, at least you didn't get electrocuted.

Hey John,so you trying to say that everything went pretty much as planned.Was worried for a second that you might
actually accomplish something today without any complications.The typical days you seem to have are exactly what
cold beer and vicodin are made for.
Just kiddin or am I?
Be Careful Beer and Viccodin dont mix well at first and after a while who cares?
Jim Gordon aka Flasheroo

WE need a new section entitled;

"The Adventures of Ace Bewber"


Comedy or Tragedy... YOU decide!

sent your vote to 1-888-2BiteMe

What no pictures??? What a tease

drill slower next time,.

nick

The less endowed bits broke when I was trying to hog the holes out by working the walls. I must have been hogging a little too hard. Perhaps too fast too. Either way, they're all set for now. Lessons lernt.

The best bits to use are cobalt not cheap but they hold a edge better. If I drill heavy metal like a frame I usually use about 3 bits I start with a smaller bit and work up to the size I need drilled.