[TowerTalk] Grinding hole in thick steel plate?

Jim Lux jimlux at earthlink.net
Mon Sep 7 15:14:22 EDT 2015


On 9/7/15 11:33 AM, Rich Hallman - N7TR wrote:
> I had a ¾ inch steel plate made up that will be used to retrofit a HDX589 base foundation to a HDX572 base.   After giving both bases to the machine shop and asking them to make sure all of the holes are exactly the same location as the base, some of the holes are 1/8 to ¼ inch off.   I had a major issue with this machine shop so I will not take it back for now.
>
> I wanted to see what others have done to grind out holes in thick steel plate.
>
> I was looking at the Carbide Burr bits and getting a ¾ inch burr bit to see if that would grid enough from the hole so it would then fit the bases.
>
> The holes are pretty close....so I thought grinding them out would be the best solution for now.
>

A holesaw in a drill press? Clamping the work piece is going to be the key.
Reciprocating saw with the right blade?  3/4" is fairly thick, but you 
can probably cut a bunch of slots, and then clean it up with the die 
grinder.

Someone with a plasma cutter or torch or a punch?



The die grinder with the right burr is one way. Put on your hearing 
protection and goggles and spend a few hours. It's going to be slow going.

How big are the holes?
I'd get a grinder burr that's 1/3-1/2 the diameter of the hole.  If you 
get close to the size of the hole, it will tend to grab.


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