You're the guy to ask! I have to climb up on the roof of our ex U-Haul to drill through some really tough aluminium sheeting for solar panel feet thingies. I've tried to drill through this before and ended up using glue. But solar panels need bolts. What have you found to be the best of the best drill bits? The harbour Freight titanium ones are a joke.
aluminium is pretty soft, you should be able to get away with standard titanium bits, BUT if you really want to be successful you'll want to use some cobalt bits plus some drilling lube. I've had good luck with bosch Cobalt bits: amzn.to/3LNo8U7 Similar results with the dewalt cobalt bits (the ones from germany). Hard to find them these days. The whole set can get a bit pricey so if you know the size you need you can pick up just that size. Just make sure it's "industrial cobalt" and most of these bits are german made. You can use any drilling lube, but i like the spyder ones bc it's more goo instead of oil. www.lowes.com/pd/Spyder/5013817257 Anyways. secret is to drill low speed, cool the bit by adding lube, then low speed again. hope this helps! If you unsure on size, use a small cobalt bit, then get a step bit to make the proper size. www.lowes.com/pd/Spyder/5013506509 Some pros will only drill metal with this method bc the step bits will use it's own cutting edge at each size.
Thank you for this! For a soft metal the aluminium on this ex U-Haul we're converting is tough as nail! Being a girly, my first wrong was thinking high speed and leaning on the impact drill would soften up the metal and make the bit go through. 😑 I went searching and bought Milwaukee red helix bits, one in a pack, and they sent me two in a pack, which makes me wonder, given the reviews. With the info you kindly gave me, I think now we can re do our ceiling. We went pro on the solar installation and the mechanic used a step bit to cut the wire hole, but doing the ceiling is going to be 'fun'. Thank you again, you're very kind to teach us amateurs all this.
You need 18 or 24 teeth per inch to cut this type of steel or high TPI Carbide teeth. These blades are intended for mild steel only. Do you know what BiMetal means by the way??
LUBRICATE Dude. The key is keeping the blade as cool as possible.
thank you brother! Awesome video.
You're the guy to ask! I have to climb up on the roof of our ex U-Haul to drill through some really tough aluminium sheeting for solar panel feet thingies. I've tried to drill through this before and ended up using glue. But solar panels need bolts. What have you found to be the best of the best drill bits? The harbour Freight titanium ones are a joke.
aluminium is pretty soft, you should be able to get away with standard titanium bits, BUT if you really want to be successful you'll want to use some cobalt bits plus some drilling lube.
I've had good luck with bosch Cobalt bits:
amzn.to/3LNo8U7
Similar results with the dewalt cobalt bits (the ones from germany). Hard to find them these days. The whole set can get a bit pricey so if you know the size you need you can pick up just that size. Just make sure it's "industrial cobalt" and most of these bits are german made.
You can use any drilling lube, but i like the spyder ones bc it's more goo instead of oil. www.lowes.com/pd/Spyder/5013817257
Anyways. secret is to drill low speed, cool the bit by adding lube, then low speed again. hope this helps!
If you unsure on size, use a small cobalt bit, then get a step bit to make the proper size.
www.lowes.com/pd/Spyder/5013506509
Some pros will only drill metal with this method bc the step bits will use it's own cutting edge at each size.
Thank you for this! For a soft metal the aluminium on this ex U-Haul we're converting is tough as nail! Being a girly, my first wrong was thinking high speed and leaning on the impact drill would soften up the metal and make the bit go through. 😑 I went searching and bought Milwaukee red helix bits, one in a pack, and they sent me two in a pack, which makes me wonder, given the reviews. With the info you kindly gave me, I think now we can re do our ceiling.
We went pro on the solar installation and the mechanic used a step bit to cut the wire hole, but doing the ceiling is going to be 'fun'. Thank you again, you're very kind to teach us amateurs all this.
You need 18 or 24 teeth per inch to cut this type of steel or high TPI Carbide teeth. These blades are intended for mild steel only. Do you know what BiMetal means by the way??