Things You'll Need:
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Sterling silver, gold or base sheet metal
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Step 1
Select a drill bit that is large enough for the saw blade to slip through. Insert the drill bit into your drill.
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Step 2
Before beginning to drill, you will need to mark the sheet metal. You can use a scribe, punch, or automatic center punch to create this registration mark.
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Step 3
Drill bits come in different numbered sizes. Lower numbers are larger bits:
50--------------------------------------------------------80
Bigger-------------------------------------------------Smaller -
Step 4
Here the automatic center punch is being used to register marks where a series of holes are to be drilled. The advantage of an automatic center punch is that no hammer is required to create the registration mark (as is necessary using a standard punch).
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Step 5
Once the metal has been marked, a mechanical drill can be used to accurately create a hole. Marking the metal prior to drilling ensures that there is no slippage – a safety, as well as an aesthetic, concern
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Step 6
Dip the drill bit into paraffin wax, Gems Lube or Burr Life to lubricate and protect the bit before drilling. Insert the drill bit you selected and coated into the chuck and secure it. The metal should be placed on top of a wooden block that covers the table.
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Step 7
When you are drilling a hole to begin an interior design, it is very important to place the drill mark inside of the line you have drawn on your sheet metal to mark where the design will be sawed. If you drill on the line itself, then you will have an unsightly mark in your design which will require extra attention when sanding and filing.
