Drilling AR500

[Steve300xcw]

But but you didnt step up every 1/16" with your drill bits.

 

[Firstram]

You forgot the pilot hole

Kick the power down feed out of gear if you’re not using it, no reason to wear the gears out unnecessarily!

 

[WaterH]

I don't want your money, but I just drilled through one of my 1/2 plates and videoed it for you. cheap Fastenal bit and a little Boelube. I'll upload it and post a link when its done. I have 10-12 plates of AR500 1/2'' thick I cut for long range targets.

The video is very interesting. It looks like you are turning at the same speed as me. Not sure about that lube, I’m using CRC cutting oil. It is a spray foam kind of oil. I don’t know what “cheap Fastenal bit” is made of. If you come down here and sharpen my bit any way you like and drill through my plate, I will be happy to give you a grand to watch.

Im sure hoping my cobalt bits I get tomorrow go like that.

 

[Steve300xcw]

He's running just a normal norseman drill bit

 

[WaterH]

He's running just a normal norseman drill bit

Just looked up that norseman drill bits. They sound pretty impressive. If you believe their press, they out preform cobalt. I do have a couple big drills from Fastenal. Certainly better than Lowe’s. It sucks, My local Fastenal closed. I still have money on account there. Now the closest one is an hour away.

 

[Steve300xcw]

They are a decent do everything drill bit. Thats what most shops use around here, because thats what both the bolt places are selling, and they have a big ol box of bits next to the cash register They are far from high end, super metal, fancy shit..

I like their drill/tap idexes. Spendy for what they are, but very handy

Our fastenal went from being pretty decent, to being that store you drive by while you go somewhere else

Just order a few up online, and dont try to sharpen them

 

[WaterH]

They are a decent do everything drill bit. Thats what most shops use around here, because thats what both the bolt places are selling, and they have a big ol box of bits next to the cash register They are far from high end, super metal, fancy shit..

I like their drill/tap idexes. Spendy for what they are, but very handy

Our fastenal went from being pretty decent, to being that store you drive by while you go somewhere else

Just order a few up online, and dont try to sharpen them

You must have a lot of choices. Here, it was Fastenal or Lowe’s. I guess Tractor supply has bits, I can’t say I’ve ever checked them out. McMaster usually gets me stuff next day, but they aren’t afraid to charge.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Its a pretty industrial area. Dont realize how much is around here until you go somewhere else

Mcmaster is great but they are spendy. I dont buy much from them, would rather shop around a lil and wait a day or four for stuff to get here

shop around

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[posford]

MSCDirect for tooling

Don't try sharpening carbide, you need a diamond wheel

Hand drilling AR500 sucks no matter how you slice it. Drill press, mill, or mag drill.

 

[RustyC]

I get the OCD on fitment. You still won't tell us what the plate is for. Belly Skid?, Sunvisor?

Plan B. Cut all the holes with a torch. Assembly the plate onto the thing or place it goes. Drop in a bushing > bolt. Weld bushing to plate. Finish with a grinder and a frosty beverage.

 

[WaterH]

I get the OCD on fitment. You still won't tell us what the plate is for. Belly Skid?, Sunvisor?

Plan B. Cut all the holes with a torch. Assembly the plate onto the thing or place it goes. Drop in a bushing > bolt. Weld bushing to plate. Finish with a grinder and a frosty beverage.

No one asked what it was for. It a skid plate. But I like the fold down sun visor in case the feds show up idea.

Anyways, I got the 1/2” cobalt bit and I just drilled the first hole with it. Goes just like Muleskinner’s video, only faster.

Next question, is a roughing end mill going to cut this stuff? I’m thinking for the big 2” hole if a hole saw won’t do it.

 

[posford]

No one asked what it was for. It a skid plate. But I like the fold down sun visor in case the feds show up idea.

Anyways, I got the 1/2” cobalt bit and I just drilled the first hole with it. Goes just like Muleskinner’s video, only faster.

Next question, is a roughing end mill going to cut this stuff? I’m thinking for the big 2” hole if a hole saw won’t do it.

Torch the hole

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

No one asked what it was for. It a skid plate. But I like the fold down sun visor in case the feds show up idea.

Anyways, I got the 1/2” cobalt bit and I just drilled the first hole with it. Goes just like Muleskinner’s video, only faster.

Next question, is a roughing end mill going to cut this stuff? I’m thinking for the big 2” hole if a hole saw won’t do it.

Wtf man you special? A hole saw isn’t gonna cut that for shit. You gonna have more in consumables in that plate Get A regular piece of steel or have the ar cut via laser or plasma.

I cut thousands of pounds of ar plate every year to rebuild the crushers. Cnc cutting plasma or laser is the only way to effectively fuck with that shit.

Good god if you ask how to bend it next.

 

[WaterH]

Good god if you ask how to bend it next.

Ummm, we’ll I don’t need to bend this one, but I also need to make a skid for the T-case. The back edge is designed for the T-case skid to bolt on. I haven’t even really worked out that skid otherwise, but it will probably need to be bent. Is there any reason I can’t bend it with a torch?

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

Ummm, well I don’t need to bend this one, but I also need to make a skid for the T-case. The back edge is designed for the T-case skid to bolt on. I haven’t even really worked out that skid otherwise, but it will probably need to be bent. Is there any reason I can’t bend it with a torch?

Ar plate does not bend for shit. Even heated up it has a tendency to tear. Only piece I had success with is using the flame straightening techniques to roll a 5/8 or 3/4” x 60” plate for an excavator bucket bottom. That took a full day. It should be In my I break rocks thread a few winters back.

 

[bgaidan]

No one asked what it was for. It a skid plate. But I like the fold down sun visor in case the feds show up idea.

Anyways, I got the 1/2” cobalt bit and I just drilled the first hole with it. Goes just like Muleskinner’s video, only faster.

Next question, is a roughing end mill going to cut this stuff? I’m thinking for the big 2” hole if a hole saw won’t do it.

2" rotobroach, lots of of pressure and cutting oil.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Wtf man you special? A hole saw isn’t gonna cut that for shit.

You ruined it for all of us. This thread had real potential

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

 

[WaterH]

Ar plate does not bend for shit. Even heated up it has a tendency to tear. Only piece I had success with is using the flame straightening techniques to roll a 5/8 or 3/4” x 60” plate for an excavator bucket bottom. That took a full day. It should be In my I break rocks thread a few winters back.

I’m going to take your word for this. I think I will go lighter for the T-case skid. Maybe 3/16” or even 1/8”. (And it won’t be AR500)

Wtf man you special? A hole saw isn’t gonna cut that for shit.

You ruined it for all of us. This thread had real potential

Not quite.

It was actually pretty easy. (I did anneal that section)

 

[arse_sidewards]

i started with a drill doctor and hand sharpening etc. but i used to go thru so many bits doing the same stupid shit that i bought a drill bit cabinet and filled it. (remember i'm a fake it till you make it metal fab guy, i wasn't very good when i started) so i could have at least 10 brand new in every size up to 1/2". all brand new perfect bits. $$$$$. funny thing happened at that very same time, i learned from what i was doing wrong. can see when things are starting to fuck off before its a bigger problem. now drill bits last me so long I can't remember the last time i had to buy new to refill the cabinet.

There's probably a fair degree of "being reputable enough to get more gravy work and less shit jobs while also being able to afford betting drilling equipment" going on there too.

Going from a $50 benchtop drill press to a bridgeport will probably double the life of your drills just by itself.

hand sharpen a bit and think, wow, this drills great.... then notice only one flute is pulling chips... stop. if only one in pulling chips the other is rubbing and work hardening.

Or the flute cracked off a year ago.

I heard carbide mason drill also work in AR500 but no experience.

I do that on spring steel. Works fine. Masonry drills need to be at least mid tier quality, not the cheapest shit though.

Go back to this setup but use a center cutting endmill or even a 1/2" annular cutter.

Used carbide end mills with a chip somewhere on a side flute go cheap on Ebay, like $10 a pop and they will eat anything.

You gotta drill real slow with them though since there's so much less void for chips between the flute

Kick the power down feed out of gear if you’re not using it, no reason to wear the gears out unnecessarily!

Gears are not wearing much if at all if not under load.

 

[Firstram]

Gears are not wearing much if at all if not under load.

They are speed limited and running them at high speed will wear the bushings out, even unloaded. There’s no good way to keep them lubricated with out a fair amount of disassembly, I guess it doesn’t matter since you can just get another one for free. I’ll leave mine in neutral if it’s ok with you