Drilling Lensboards

"Richard Knoppow" wrote in message
...

"Bandicoot" wrote in
message ...
Hi all,

looking for advice: I want to drill out a couple of
Graflex miniature
graphic lensboards to a larger size hole. Currently both
have a small hole
sixe that fits a Kodak Supermatic shutter, and I want to
drill them out to
take a Copal 0.

If I could find a cone drill that went as large as 35mm it
would be easy,
but so far I've only seen ones that go up to 30mm. So I
wondered about
clamping the board (they're aluminium, not very thick) to
a wooden block and
using a hole saw in a slow running drill press, then
deburring the hole with
a pipe deburrer. Does this sound like a way to go?

Also, is a 35mm hole going to be too sloppy a fit? I
doubt that I'll be
able to get a 34.6mm hole saw. Would it be better to try
to drill a 34mm
hole and file it slightly larger?

Thanks for any and all suggestions!


Peter

--

http://www.bard-hill.co.uk

I prefer a fly-cutter to a hole saw. It makes a smoother
cut without burrs. The technique is the same, clamp the
board to a block of wood and carefully find the center. Fly
cutters work on drill presses. Another advantage is that a
fly-cutter can be adjusted for an exact diameter, whith a
hole saw you are limited to the sizes the saws come in.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA

"Richard Knoppow" wrote in message
...

"Bandicoot" wrote in
message ...
Hi all,

looking for advice: I want to drill out a couple of
Graflex miniature
graphic lensboards to a larger size hole. Currently both
have a small hole
sixe that fits a Kodak Supermatic shutter, and I want to
drill them out to
take a Copal 0.

If I could find a cone drill that went as large as 35mm it
would be easy,
but so far I've only seen ones that go up to 30mm. So I
wondered about
clamping the board (they're aluminium, not very thick) to
a wooden block and
using a hole saw in a slow running drill press, then
deburring the hole with
a pipe deburrer. Does this sound like a way to go?

Also, is a 35mm hole going to be too sloppy a fit? I
doubt that I'll be
able to get a 34.6mm hole saw. Would it be better to try
to drill a 34mm
hole and file it slightly larger?

Thanks for any and all suggestions!


Peter

--

http://www.bard-hill.co.uk

I prefer a fly-cutter to a hole saw. It makes a smoother
cut without burrs. The technique is the same, clamp the
board to a block of wood and carefully find the center. Fly
cutters work on drill presses. Another advantage is that a
fly-cutter can be adjusted for an exact diameter, whith a
hole saw you are limited to the sizes the saws come in.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA

"Richard Knoppow" wrote in message
...

I prefer a fly-cutter to a hole saw. It makes a smoother
cut without burrs. [... snip good stuff ...]

True, but so far I have not found a fly-cutter that works with aluminum. Got
a source?

"Richard Knoppow" wrote in message
...

I prefer a fly-cutter to a hole saw. It makes a smoother
cut without burrs. [... snip good stuff ...]

True, but so far I have not found a fly-cutter that works with aluminum. Got
a source?

jjs wrote:
: "Richard Knoppow" wrote in message
: ...

: I prefer a fly-cutter to a hole saw. It makes a smoother
: cut without burrs. [... snip good stuff ...]

: True, but so far I have not found a fly-cutter that works with aluminum. Got
: a source?

You make an important point. It's important that when dealing with aluminum that
you make sure that the cutter is rated for aluminum and not skimp on cutting
oil. The fine chips will clog the saw teeth if they're not designed for working
with it. The cutting oil keeps the aluminum from melting at the cutting edge.
The aluminum then coats the cutting edge making a mess. I learned that the hard
way when I wrecked a milling bit (I think that's what it's called) in the metal
shop of a company I worked at. The oil tank was to low to pump oil and I was to
lazy to get more, after I only needed to remove a "little" material. After what
seemed like a few seconds the aluminum chips melted from the friction and coated
the bit ruining it. :-(

--




Keep working millions on welfare depend on you
-------------------

jjs wrote:
: "Richard Knoppow" wrote in message
: ...

: I prefer a fly-cutter to a hole saw. It makes a smoother
: cut without burrs. [... snip good stuff ...]

: True, but so far I have not found a fly-cutter that works with aluminum. Got
: a source?

You make an important point. It's important that when dealing with aluminum that
you make sure that the cutter is rated for aluminum and not skimp on cutting
oil. The fine chips will clog the saw teeth if they're not designed for working
with it. The cutting oil keeps the aluminum from melting at the cutting edge.
The aluminum then coats the cutting edge making a mess. I learned that the hard
way when I wrecked a milling bit (I think that's what it's called) in the metal
shop of a company I worked at. The oil tank was to low to pump oil and I was to
lazy to get more, after I only needed to remove a "little" material. After what
seemed like a few seconds the aluminum chips melted from the friction and coated
the bit ruining it. :-(

--




Keep working millions on welfare depend on you
-------------------

Bandicoot wrote:

Hi all,

looking for advice: I want to drill out a couple of Graflex miniature
graphic lensboards to a larger size hole. Currently both have a small
hole sixe that fits a Kodak Supermatic shutter, and I want to drill them
out to take a Copal 0.


Large round file.

--

Stacey

Bandicoot wrote:

Hi all,

looking for advice: I want to drill out a couple of Graflex miniature
graphic lensboards to a larger size hole. Currently both have a small
hole sixe that fits a Kodak Supermatic shutter, and I want to drill them
out to take a Copal 0.


Large round file.

--

Stacey

"jjs" wrote in message
...
"Bob Salomon" wrote in message
...

If you are after the proper and best results a hole in a metal lensboard
should be milled and not drilled. Drilling can create problems with the
board like not remaining critically flat that could effect results.

Bob brings up an important point, here. I forgot to mention that I fasten
the lens board to a clean, flat wooden board before drilling. Go slow, use
light pressure, the proper (white) hole saw, use oil to lubricate and cool
and all will be well. At least it has always worked for me. I use a
drill-press and in earlier years tried to do it with a hand-drill but....
I'm a klutz. Not a good idea.



The flat backing board was in my mind already, but since I was planning on
using a very low cutting speed the need for cutting oil hadn't ocurred to
me - but I have plenty in stock so will use it.

I don't have a metal-working lathe (and didn't want to try to fabricate a
tool holder to use my woodworking one) and had already decided that putting
a milling cutter in a jigged router was a bad idea. Hence my thinking 'hole
saw'.

I'm glad it seems that others have tried the same approach and made it work.

Thanks,



Peter

"Bandicoot" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

looking for advice: I want to drill out a couple of Graflex miniature
graphic lensboards to a larger size hole. Currently both have a small
hole
sixe that fits a Kodak Supermatic shutter, and I want to drill them out to
take a Copal 0.

If I could find a cone drill that went as large as 35mm it would be easy,
but so far I've only seen ones that go up to 30mm. So I wondered about
clamping the board (they're aluminium, not very thick) to a wooden block
and
using a hole saw in a slow running drill press, then deburring the hole
with
a pipe deburrer. Does this sound like a way to go?

Also, is a 35mm hole going to be too sloppy a fit? I doubt that I'll be
able to get a 34.6mm hole saw. Would it be better to try to drill a 34mm
hole and file it slightly larger?

Thanks for any and all suggestions!



Lots of helpful replies - very many thanks to all.


Peter