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  #1  
Old 09-11-2011, 01:17 PM
Tharpo Tharpo is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Hernando, Ms.
Posts: 39
Default Drilling tailwheel spring

I knew this thing was hard B/4 I started...(didn't know the half of it.)What did you guys use on it ....solid carbide maybe?
Thanks
Tharpo
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  #2  
Old 09-11-2011, 01:20 PM
rvaitor87 rvaitor87 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bartow, Florida
Posts: 204
Default solid carbide.......

....is what I used..Use lots of cutting fluid, and work slow.
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  #3  
Old 09-15-2011, 05:52 AM
Mark Bolton Mark Bolton is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 97
Default Work Slow

The thing I was concerned about is "work hardening". Let the drill turn without cutting and it "works" the metal making it much harder and very difficult to break through the hardened zone.

Using plenty of cutting fluid.

Just the right amount of pressure. Backing it off, the bit stops cutting and just spins on the substrate causing works hardening.

I cant remember what the exact details of the bits I used for this and the landing gear but they came from Aircraft Spruce and were amazing. One of those drill bits drilled all 4 holes and was still sharp. The drills I bought here in Australia might as well have been made of licorice.
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  #4  
Old 09-15-2011, 09:32 AM
Richard@Langair Richard@Langair is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Scappoose
Posts: 119
Default

Unless you have a very nice drill press or even a mill, I would avoid using Carbide. It is very hard and cuts the gear legs very well, but it is also brittle.

If you bend a carbide drill even a little, or if it gets caught on the bottom of the hole when breaking through, it will break. If you think the hole is hard to drill, it is MUCH worse when there is pieces of broken carbide in there!!

You should use a Cobalt drill. MSC has them at reasonable prices. I usually drill the hole either 1/64 or 1/32 under size and then ream to size with a cobalt reamer also.

Always use cutting fluid and don't spin the drill too fast. Most holes can be made quite nicely at 300- 500 RPM.
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