OH MY GOD

[Baldini]

...IIRC a 1/4" bit is real close. I'll see if I can find out exactly....

 

Recoil M6 kit uses 1/4" (6.3mm).

 

KB

[DeBenGuzzi]

pretty sure I have a 1/4" black and decker drill bit, probably not made for drilling out aluminum but then it was a cheap set so who cares if I ruin the bit anyway

[richard100t]

pretty sure I have a 1/4" black and decker drill bit, probably not made for drilling out aluminum but then it was a cheap set so who cares if I ruin the bit anyway

Dont use a dull bit Ben :!: Cheap may be ok but if its dull you could be looking at a much more expensive problem.

[DeBenGuzzi]

Dont use a dull bit Ben :!: Cheap may be ok but if its dull you could be looking at a much more expensive problem.

oh its not been used, so not dull, just will dull quickly.

[Ryland3210]

oh its not been used, so not dull, just will dull quickly.

 

Drilling aluminum with a new steel drill should not cause it to dull with just this one job, or fifty more like it.

 

However, if too many chips accumulate on the drill bit without escaping, it might clog and make a mess of the hole. Be careful to keep a firm grip on the drill in case to avoid it snagging and driving itself in like a screw. Better to back the drill out every so often to clear the chips, rather than trying to drill all the way in one attempt.

 

When you use a tap in aluminum, once you get it started, turn it clockwise one turn at a time and counterclockwise 1/2 to 3/4 turn to break the chips before continuing. If it becomes difficult to break the chips, back the tap all the way out and clean it. If you keep going ahead clockwise too far, the chips can jam. Then, when you try to take the tap out, it can get stuck good enough to break the tap. When I first tapped aluminum years ago, I broke a few into aluminum before I wised up.

 

Apologies if you already know all this.

[badmotogoozer]

Using a light oil or even WD40 will help keep the tap from binding.

 

WRT an earlier note, I left some red Loctite out overnight and although it did set a bit, no where near what I remembered. Certainly not chip-able...

 

Leaves me wondering what the heck that red stuff was we were using by the gallon... But then that was eight years ago and I don't remember last week real well...

 

good luck Ben!

 

Rj

[Guest Nogbad]

Funny - when I've used red and green, I've always had to chip away the hardened excess. Guess I was dreaming. I've used literally litres of the stuff professionally.

 

Theoretically it shouldn't harden - but it does. Try it.

 

**edit** by no means am I saying not to wash it out with cleaner. A good way is to spray it on a Q-tip and muck out the hole. Makes less mess...

 

Rj

 

Well, I have tried it with both thin and thick Loctites, and with Devcon high strength retainer, and in my experience it takes ages to harden at normal temperatures. The ones I have used sit around as a liquid for some considerable time, and I just wanted to obviate the danger of sticking a brand new helicoil to its bolt.

 

If air can get to it, it really doesn't harden in any reasonable timescale IMHO and therefore you would be risking it not to clean the excess off after the listed cure time.

[badmotogoozer]

Yup -you are right Nogs - see post just above (tried it last night).

 

The stuff we used to use at the hospital sealing up brass fittings (non compression) in anaesthetic gas machines and the hyperbaric unit was a clearer liquid. Within an hour it would be hard enough to chip away - looked like thick red candy coating. I remember calling it Loctite... but then it was a long time ago... I've killed many, many brain cells since.

 

Rj