Cheap Tool For cutting a small circle

jolly_dodger · 1 Dec 2006 at 17:04

Need a cheap 1 use tool for cutting a 50mm circular aperture into aluminium, i need (want) to cut a hole into the hard drive cage in my and 5Nhalf inch bay for routing cables in my Thermaltake Mozart TX, Any old cheap 1 use tool will do finishing does not have to be perfect as itll be out of site and i will smooth the edges off myself if needed.

Anyone any ideas?

mauron · 1 Dec 2006 at 17:32

If you can get to it & can borrow a jigsaw just buy a blade that cuts metal

Messiah Khan · 1 Dec 2006 at 18:10

Do you have a decent cordless drill or corded drill? If so you could simply get a holesaw attachement for it. I recon a hole that small would be hard to do with a jigsaw.

CHUDS · 1 Dec 2006 at 18:41

drill i assume, have a look about for big ass drill bit

Messiah Khan · 1 Dec 2006 at 18:43

CHUDS said:
drill i assume, have a look about for big ass drill bit

a 50mm drill bit? Thats one bigass drill!

CHUDS · 1 Dec 2006 at 19:06

well not a drill bit but some sort of drill attachment

Messiah Khan · 1 Dec 2006 at 19:08

CHUDS said:
well not a drill bit but some sort of drill attachment

messiah khan said:
holesaw attachement

ReeceKB · 1 Dec 2006 at 19:31

something like this.

DELETED_36704 · 1 Dec 2006 at 19:48

rkb442 said:
something like this.

Thats called a bi-metal holesaw i think.

jolly_dodger · 1 Dec 2006 at 20:04

Aww shucks, thanks guys, My step dad is a joiner so he has loads of drill hangin around, just that all his tools cut wood... so i think i can manage finding a bit.

Once again, Thank you guys

squiffy · 1 Dec 2006 at 20:06

Don't even consider using a electric drill with a hole saw bit, use a bench drill, with your work clamped down.

DaveMac · 1 Dec 2006 at 20:45

jolly_dodger said:
Aww shucks, thanks guys, My step dad is a joiner so he has loads of drill hangin around, just that all his tools cut wood... so i think i can manage finding a bit.

Once again, Thank you guys

Decent quality wood tools will work on aluminium as it's a soft metal, actually cuts easier than some hardwoods.

jolly_dodger · 1 Dec 2006 at 21:03

squiffy said:
Don't even consider using a electric drill with a hole saw bit, use a bench drill, with your work clamped down.

Dont have a bench drill but i can clamp it to a bench, like i said it doesnt have to be neat, but my step dad is a beast ill ask him later but im sure he can make it neat.

squiffy · 1 Dec 2006 at 21:12

jolly_dodger said:
Dont have a bench drill but i can clamp it to a bench, like i said it doesnt have to be neat, but my step dad is a beast ill ask him later but im sure he can make it neat.

You can buy a bench drill for £20-£40, and it's a good bench tool to have around. Better to use one of them, than doing it by hand with a hand drill and messing it up.

CHUDS · 1 Dec 2006 at 21:17

very true tbh

FrostedNipple · 1 Dec 2006 at 21:45

electric drill wont work

ive cut an 80mm or 90mm hole in the top of an old steel case

the electric drill got reeeeeeeeealy hot and broke LOL

so i use a hand drill, one of those things that you hold in one hand and then there is a big turny thing that you turn and the hole cutting drill bit and the bottom spins, lol

cutting tht hole by hand was HARD, but the quality was surprisingly ok

, just had to file of the edges and voila

, i would post a nic pic of it but its currently being recycled lol, binned it when i got my lian li

gr1mey · 2 Dec 2006 at 08:13

a good quality cordless drill will have no problems what so ever with cutting a hole that size with a holesaw, dont know what you lot are on about tbh. lol.

DELETED_36704 · 2 Dec 2006 at 09:30

gr1mey said:
a good quality cordless drill will have no problems what so ever with cutting a hole that size with a holesaw, dont know what you lot are on about tbh. lol.

Yep i used my 12v Bosch the other day and had no problems, alu is very soft. A cordless will cut 50mm into aluminium easy.

Just make sure the drill is powerful enough for the job.

Mark A · 2 Dec 2006 at 17:54

gr1mey said:
a good quality cordless drill will have no problems what so ever with cutting a hole that size with a holesaw, dont know what you lot are on about tbh. lol.

I think most of these guys must be using cheapo DIY tools tbh, my 14.4v Makita cordless drill has cut hundreds of holes with a hole saw no problem. But it was £170 so probably a bit expensive for diy case modding. One thing i will say, the hole saw pictured in this thread looks a bit coarse for thin aluminum, you can buy ones designed for metal with fine teeth, these would be much better suited. A good tip is to clamp a block of wood behind the Alu and of coarse cover the top with masking tape, go slow but use a fast speed drill and the result will be perfect.

collisster · 2 Dec 2006 at 18:41

Mark A said:
I think most of these guys must be using cheapo DIY tools tbh, my 14.4v Makita cordless drill has cut hundreds of holes with a hole saw no problem. But it was £170 so probably a bit expensive for diy case modding. One thing i will say, the hole saw pictured in this thread looks a bit coarse for thin aluminum, you can buy ones designed for metal with fine teeth, these would be much better suited. A good tip is to clamp a block of wood behind the Alu and of coarse cover the top with masking tape, go slow but use a fast speed drill and the result will be perfect.

+1 I've got a makita cordless drill and its such good quality, its had the **** beaten our of it and works like new.