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RonW
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« on: January 29, 2012, 10:57:32 PM » |
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Anybody has experience with enlarging a recessed hole in billet aluminum (graphic below). It's not a through hole but a recess with a flat bottom. I'm using a cylindrical grinding stone .... the kind on a drill bit. But not getting anywhere fast. What's the best tool to do something like this?  |
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2000 Valkyrie Tourer
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MarkT
Member
Posts: 5196
VRCC #437 "Form follows Function"
Colorado Front Range - elevation 2.005 km
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« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2012, 11:07:18 PM » |
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Appropriate shaped mill bit chucked in a mill or a router. Barring that, a carbide burr would be second best. Keep the cutter cooled with a water spray. You could mix a little dawn in with the water, the resulting foam sticks around the bit better than just water.
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« Last Edit: January 29, 2012, 11:09:34 PM by MarkT »
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RonW
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« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2012, 12:08:21 AM » |
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yes, the carbide burr would be faster. Just looked at the grinding stone on the bit that I was using and it's too fine a grit to be nearly agressive enough. Cloggs up fast too. More suited for final smoothing.
[edit] Oh, I don't own a drill press either. Just using an hand held drill.
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« Last Edit: January 30, 2012, 12:10:05 AM by RONW »
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2000 Valkyrie Tourer
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BF
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« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2012, 05:42:15 AM » |
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If your doing it by hand, a Dremel Tool is your friend.  |
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I can't help about the shape I'm in I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin But don't ask me what I think of you I might not give the answer that you want me to  |
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RonW
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« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2012, 07:17:04 AM » |
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unfortunately I don't own a dremel. I just expected aluminun to be like grinding through butter. Billet aluminum but still. Gonna try as suggested a tungsten grinding bit. It's just another one of those 20-minute jobs that'll take 2 days running back and forth to the hardware store, but I will get it done by.
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2000 Valkyrie Tourer
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Ricky-D
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« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2012, 07:26:01 AM » |
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If you're just trying to get some clearance, there shouldn't be a problem, but I wouldn't expect to get anything better using a hand held tool. A router with a carbide tip tool will get you better results and a template guide will also improve the outcome.
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2000_Valkyrie_Interstate
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old2soon
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« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2012, 11:12:10 AM » |
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Have you got a good machine shop available?  Might just be saving yourself some hassel by going to a good machine shop. Just my .02 cents and thats about what its worth.  RIDE SAFE. |
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Today is the tommorow you worried about yesterday. If at first you don't succeed screw it-save it for nite check. 1964 1968 U S Navy. Two cruises off Nam.
VRCCDS0240 2012 GL1800 Gold Wing Motor Trike conversion
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da prez
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« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2012, 12:20:52 PM » |
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This is the voice of experience. If you have a drill press, chuck the piece and set it to where the carbide burr will just take off a little at a time from the side of the piece and try to set the depth stop before you do this. As the work is going on. tap or move the piece to continue the cut. Take your time. This is a lot safer and neater than freehand.
da prez
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RonW
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« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2012, 08:43:10 PM » |
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thanks above for the responses. I just posted the problem here since perhaps somebody else will have to deal with grinding down billet aluminum in the future on whatever the aftermarket part. For example, MarkT's suggestion ".... You could mix a little dawn in with the water, the resulting foam sticks around the bit better than just water," is something that I wasn't aware of. If I was retrofitting stainless steel stock I would expect I'm into a huge amount of work, if not impossible, but 'aluminum,' what's up with this. At any rate, the enlargement, actually elongating, won't show so the grinding doesn't have to be pristine. I have a router and may use it with the workpiece well bolted down in the interest of safety with a template to guide the router, the router's base with this setup. [ Here, a spinning bit or saw blade for that matter should only be moved *against* its rotation in the absence of a jig or template otherwise you're flaunting kickback much faster than your reflexes. There's been some terrible accidents.] There are good machine shops here but on an island in the middle of the pacific ocean their rates are uncharitable if I was to go that route.
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2000 Valkyrie Tourer
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