Lesson 2: Drilling

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Lesson 2: Drilling: Drill Press and Flexshaft

The drill press can be used to drill holes in your metal so that you can pierce (saw) out designs that don’t connect to the edges of the metal.

ALWAYS wear eye protection when you are using the drill press.

Drill press tips:

• Start with a small hole.
• If you want a large hole, drill repeatedly with larger bits each time. If you try to make too big a hole too fast, the torque on the metal will tear it free from your grip and can cause a very nasty cut!
• Hold the metal firmly.
• Take it easy- bring the press down until you feel some resistance, then let up. Repeat until you are through the metal.
• The metal will heat up as you drill. By following the above step you can cut down on the heat build-up.
• After drilling you will likely have a metal lip around your hole on the backside. If you will not be piercing this out, file it off! It is very sharp.
• The metal will heat up as you drill. Using bur life and drilling slowly will ease this. If the metal gets too hot to touch, let it cool, and then resume drilling.

Flexshaft:

Flexshafts are used for many things in jewelry making. You can use them to drill holes that would be difficult to do with the drill press. Make sure to keep the handpiece perpendicular to your metal while drilling and always wear eye protection.