Tips and Tricks

[mackzknife]

Considering the wide range of knowledge on here I thought this would be an interesting topic.
Post your tips and tricks here, tool tips and techniques.

 

[puff4]

I can stand up from the Lotus position without using my hands. Does that count?

 

[mackzknife]

I can stand up from the Lotus position without using my hands. Does that count?

Only if you share the technique with everyone else.

 

[Nickodell]

To control the depth of the bit when drilling narrow holes (up to 3/16" or so), cut a piece off a plastic Bic (or similar) pen barrel and slip it over the bit. The length of the piece of pen will be the amount of drill bit protruding from the chuck minus the depth you want to drill. E.g., if there is 2" of drill protruding, and you want to drill 1/4" and no more, cut a 1 3/4" piece of Bic barrel. (If the drill is too wide to slip the plastic over it, just place the whole pen barrel in your vice and drill down the length of the piece you will need, and then another 1/4" before you cut it off).

This especially useful when you are drilling a blind hole in a casting and don't want to go too far in and possibly break through into an oil gallery of water passage. It saves having to keep taking the drill bit out and measuring the depth of the hole you've made. It also works really well when drilling sheet metal (such as body metal) as it stops the drill suddenly breaking through, making a hole in goodness knows what underneath, and the chuck bottoming and ruining the finish. Good for drilling out pop rivets, too.

For wider bits, use your imagination to find some platic doodah wider than a pen.

 

[puff4]

Good trick, Nick. I usually take the simple way on that and just rip off a bit of masking tape and make a 'flag' on the drill at the stopping point - when the tape begins to brush against the drilled material, I'm to the proper depth.

 

[Series6]

I wrapped the whole length of the handle of my floor jack with water pipe insulation. Now it it "accidently" bumps anything with paint and sheetmetal, it doesn't dent it...

 

[Nickodell]

Good trick, Nick. I usually take the simple way on that and just rip off a bit of masking tape and make a 'flag' on the drill at the stopping point - when the tape begins to brush against the drilled material, I'm to the proper depth.

Tried that, but it doesn't work on thin material. It breaks through and the whole bit goes in before you can react (unless you have reaction times of < 0.01 seconds). Also, the plastic bits can be used over and over for the same depth with the same drill.

 

[slippery_biscuit]

I like that idea. Will modify the floor jack tomorrow!