How To Drill Holes In Sheet Metal Without Burrs

Simply sandwich the sheet metal between two pieces of wood and clamp everything down on a table or workbench.

How to drill holes in sheet metal without burrs. When a hole is drilled a burr is usually generated. First the drill needs to be sharp. When drilling thin sheet metal clamp the metal over a piece of sacrificial plywood or other flat sheet good like mdf or particleboard to help prevent the bit from tearing up the hole. The drill bit turns into a screw like device.

Twist drills are great for small diameter holes drilling a hole in sheet metal with a twist drill is a rather straightforward operation. For smaller holes in thin sheet metal i like to use step bits as larger diameter spiral bits like to grab as they break through thin metal which can wrinkle the steel. Tap your hammer to leave an indentation on the sheet metal. 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.

This week we tackle those annoying burrs that often develop on the parts we are drilling. You start off by drilling a small diameter pilot. All images courtesy e z burr tool. Secondly you need to be sure the material is cooled as it breaks through to avoid that melted edge as the work gets really thin and can t dispensate the heat this helps to prevent that thin sharp lip burr.

Put several drops of lubricating oil into the depression you made with the center punch. For the cleanest hole clamp a second piece on top of the metal making a sacrificial sandwich. There are five levels of burrs plus one that goes beyond what is generally considered a burr. For clean precise holes in thin sheet metal make a wood sandwich.

Take a twist bit slightly larger in diameter than the hole you just drilled and gently hand twist it over the top of the hole. Whether it is improper feeds and. You can buy fancy deburring tools to smooth sharp edges but before spending money on one try this trick. Place your sheet metal on your steel block and position your centre punch at a central point in your cut out design.

Third you need to slow the feed rate down and ease through the back side to avoid the punch through which forms a big nub of a burr. First i drill a small 1 8 pilot hole which is easy to keep centered on your mark and easier to push and make that initial cut through the metal. Customers demand that parts be smooth to the touch aesthetically pleasing have holes that are without burrs and typically have a nice looking chamfer.