How to Drill a Galvanized Post for Tetherball

A galvanized post resists corrosion and will extend the life of your completed tetherball setup. The galvanized pipe requires a hole drilled near the top to accept an eyebolt that you then attach to the tetherball. The drilled hole must go through both walls of the galvanized post to allow you to mount the eyebolt so that the eyebolt can swivel while you are playing the game. You will need the eyebolt on hand to determine the size of the hole you will need in the post.

Things You'll Need

• Galvanized post, 2 3/8-inch
• Vise
• Tape measure
• Felt-tipped marker
• Center punch
• Safety glasses
• Hammer
• Drill motor
• Drill bit set
• Cutting and tapping fluid
• Half-round file

Instructions

1. Set the galvanized post into the vise; allow 6 inches of the post to extend beyond the edge of the vise.

2. Turn the handle of the vise clockwise to hold the galvanized post in place.

3. Measure down from the end of the galvanized pipe that rests six-inches past the edge of the vise and place a mark on the face of the pipe facing up with the felt-tipped marker at the location that you require the hole for the eyebolt.

4. Place the sharp point of the center punch on the mark you placed on the galvanized pipe with the felt tipped marker in step 3.

5. Wearing your safety glasses, hit the blunt end of the center punch with the hammer to leave a depression on the surface of the pipe. This depression will hold the tip of the drill bit while you are drilling the hole.

6. Secure a drill bit one size larger than the eyebolt you intend to install in the galvanized pipe. Put the bit into the chuck of the drill motor, and tighten. Coat the drill bit with cutting and tapping fluid.

7. Depress the trigger of the drill, with the point of the drill bit in the depression you made on the galvanized pipe in step 5. Make sure the drill bit is sitting perpendicular to the pipe.

8. Drill through the first wall of the galvanized pipe, pull the drill bit out of the hole, and apply additional cutting and tapping fluid to the drill bit.

9. Insert the tip of the drill bit into the hole that you drilled through the first outer wall of the galvanized pipe.

10. Depress the trigger of the drill to drill through the other wall of the galvanized pipe.

11. Run the file lightly around the edges of both holes to remove the burr created while drilling the galvanized pipe.