When you are using step drills - simply mark the step you want with a Sharpy - then you see when you have reached your depth.
Wipe the drill with thinners afterwards.
Wipe the drill with thinners afterwards.
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Tip: Step Drills
- Thread starter mike newall
- Start date
OK - we'll thread drift a little.
Some time ago, a buddy mentioned he had found some lightweight cotton gloves which were aimed at Mechanics and Engineers. They had a very thin coating of a rubberised coating on the front and fingers.
He gave me a pair to try - Oh Boy !
When you are working in a cold workshop, or doing site work at the airport, they are superb.
I thought - Nah, you won't be able to do detailed work but not so.
I have just been doing all the empennage riveting on the 8 - yep, -3 rivets
These are a UK product called Tornado Contour Avenger and are available at Costco, however, I am sure a look around Home Despot or Lowes would turn up something similar. They must be very thin try some on and take a couple of rivets, if you can 'feel' them OK, try them
Some time ago, a buddy mentioned he had found some lightweight cotton gloves which were aimed at Mechanics and Engineers. They had a very thin coating of a rubberised coating on the front and fingers.
He gave me a pair to try - Oh Boy !
When you are working in a cold workshop, or doing site work at the airport, they are superb.
I thought - Nah, you won't be able to do detailed work but not so.
I have just been doing all the empennage riveting on the 8 - yep, -3 rivets
These are a UK product called Tornado Contour Avenger and are available at Costco, however, I am sure a look around Home Despot or Lowes would turn up something similar. They must be very thin try some on and take a couple of rivets, if you can 'feel' them OK, try them
Back to the step drill thread, my good friend and invaluable construction assistant Roy Thelen gave me this tip when working with step drills. Because the step drill will drift a little (dynamics of the forces where the bit is cutting metal), Roy suggested to make a simple cross + with a sharpie over the center of the hole you are trying to make. Begin drilling, and stop every couple of steps to see if the hole is still centered. You can drift the hole back to the center with another couple of steps. If you are careful, the holes are perfectly centered every time!
longranger
Well Known Member
Be very careful with gloves around rotating machinery. NOT generally advisable.
Neal@F14
Well Known Member
Cannot be emphasized enough!
My nephew had to have his thumb and half his hand re-attached after a gloved hand + machine shop accident. He was (past tense) a guitar player before that too.
You can save that step if you mark the diameter you want with the sharpie, not the one above it. The cutting action will wipe the sharpie mark off the bit as you drill. It does require that you pay enough attention that you don't go any further after the marking has been removed, of course...
