Handling a large drill

[Whiskeymike]

Today I was drilling 1/2” holes in 3/16” mild steel. Was using a cordless drill and it wasn’t keeping up, so I switched to the Bosch monster hammer drill with hammer off. I drilled a pilot, kept it lubed, but it caught on getting through the hole, grabbed, spun 90-120 degrees and nearly broke my wrist. I was dumb enough to do this for four holes and all four was the same result. This was with the left hand handle for both hands on the drill.

Is there a safe way to hold a drill like this?

FWIW, I tried setting this up on the drill press and just couldn’t get the 4x2’ piece positioned in a way it was secure.

 

[txvwnut]

When running a large corded drill I try to rest the main handle against my body whenever I can. This way when it grabs and tries to torque it’s against the bulk of my body and won’t twist a wrist or an arm.

 

[kctyphoon]

Watch this .. goto about the 2 minute mark

 

[Packard V8]

Was the workpiece horizontal or vertical?

Sometimes, bending over to drill into a horizontal workpiece, you're at an awkward angle.

Put the same workpiece vertical, so you are holding the drill at waist level, pushing/feeding with a hip and holding both handles, you may have more leverage.

jack vines

 

[metaldad]

good video.
i think, however, i'll forget

 

[MadMechMaster]

You can expect the last chip to grab a large drill bit. Back off the feed pressure when you are getting close.

I sometimes stop, pull the bit back, and stab back with a higher speed. You gotta have a good grip for that.

 

[PhysicsDude]

Sometimes putting the drill on the highest clutch setting can work pretty well.

Most newer rotary hammer drills have some sort of clutch mechanism which also prevents the drill twisting your hands up, but it can also be a PITA to get the drill bit "unstuck" when it bites, and the clutch gets engaged.

 

[tarbellb]

Does it have a secondary handle?

I always try to use the perpendicular handles provided on high torque drills... cuz ive also nearly broken my wrist. Even my 1/2" Fuel drill has one I use for steel plate applications.

 

[Kaizen]

Had the same issue in 1/8 steel I used for my rotisserie. Went to harbor freight and bought their unibit set. Ate through it like butter and no kickback. I will never drill with a big bit again in metal with hand held.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WittHay]

Drill all the time with Silver +Deming drill bits in 1/2" to 3/4 plate with a spade drill. You brace the drill against your body. Have a light trigger finger and try to release it before it twists out of your hands. If it binds, reverse the drill and apply pressure to clear the chips. The Makita and other drills with the rocker forward and reverse switch work the best.

 

[Tallpilot]

Watch this .. goto about the 2 minute mark

Thanks. I don't use drills much but I know at least one guy who broke his wrist drilling. I'd rather avoid it if I can.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Watch this .. goto about the 2 minute mark

Appreciate the video, I was using incorrect hand and drill placement. Should take a pole I would bet easily 80% of people using the bigger drills incorrectly.

 

[norson]

I have a HUGE drill motor with a 3/4 inch chuck that was given to me because the guy had been thrown off a ladder, broke an arm and never wanted to be tempted using it again. I don't do ladders.

 

[frank001]

I have an old Porter Cable 1/2" that could easily break your wrist if your not careful. Great drill, but impossible to keep the drill from turning if the bit gets stuck. Doesn't happen easily in wood, but with metal you really have to watch it.

 

[cvairwerks]

Best thing I’ve found is having some sacrificial material tightly butted up where the bit is going to break thru. Clamped in place if you can.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

flipping the work piece before you get through can help sometimes.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I also generally try to brace the drill against my body somehow while drilling. The hardest drill to keep ahold of for me is my 1/2 in ingersoll air drill (80's vintage i believe but will still snap your wrist like nothing) i have no foregrip for it as i bought it used when i was 18-19. I will often brace the handle against my leg or hip when drilling a horizontal surface, and this seems to work well. When finishing a hole through a plate i will usually back off pressure on the bit, make sure to brace myself and try to with light pressure and higher speed finish the hole. Of course making sure you have a good hold on the tool when doing so. I still also use a snap on cdr6850 at work and even this old ni-cad drill will hurt you lol. I was drilling a vertical plate in a vise once, not holding the drill properly. The 9/16 bit i was using caught as it almost made it through, the drill spun and the battery came around and hit me in the jaw. It was like getting punched in the face! It was then i realized how mean that drill is. The 9/16 bit was also bent during the accident lol. Since then i learned to as i said, try to brace the tool in such a way that it cant easily hurt you. This becomes much more difficult when your workpiece is still in a vehicle or machine.

 

[MShaw]

Years ago I worked for a garage that installed dump hoists on platform trucks. They would put a chain around the frame and put a crowbar thru the rear handle of the drill and into the chain for leverage and control. They had several drills with the D handle sheared off. That approach did not work real well!!!

 

[Farmerjonathan]

My dad owned a Mobil gas station and we used to drill the center hole of the rear bumper for towing a trailer (man that was a long time ago!). If you weren't careful it would slam your hand against the tailgate and pin you there. My maternal grandfather taught me to hold the cord in the hand with the long handle and stand on the extension cord so that as soon as it pulled/turned, it unplugged itself.