Drilling a magnet

[Robert Thomas]

Anyone got any tricks dealing with drilling holes in small magnets. I have broken three an I end up with a bunch of shavings I can't sweep up. .

 

[Ed Fenwick]

I have never tried to do this but unless it is a rare earth magnet, you know one of those that are very strong for there size. use a sharp bit and go slow. As you would drilling glass.

good luck Ed

 

[Richard L]

I have never tried to drill a magnet, but I would suspect that it should be treated like any piece of iron... Drill slowly with a small drill bit and keep the drill bit lubed with oil and clear out the shavings regularly and drill with a constant up and down motion to keep the bit clear and to re-oil. Enlarge the hole to size later. Keep the magnet clamped down tight and use a drill press to avoid vibrations which might be causing the magnet to shatter. A nitrate coated bit might be best, but as long as it is sharp any steel bit should work.



...Rich

 

[CobraXP]

I have never tried to drill a magnet, but I would suspect that it should be treated like any piece of iron... Drill slowly with a small drill bit and keep the drill bit lubed with oil and clear out the shavings regularly and drill with a constant up and down motion to keep the bit clear and to re-oil. Enlarge the hole to size later. Keep the magnet clamped down tight and use a drill press to avoid vibrations which might be causing the magnet to shatter. A nitrate coated bit might be best, but as long as it is sharp any steel bit should work.



...Rich

Rich nailed it. I've drilled a few and basically his instructions work to the letter...







David

 

[Gavin Allan]

"cutting speed x 4 / diameter" that is the formula I recall for selecting the RPM.

 

[Robert Thomas]

Thanks for the help. Finally had to drill the hole with a round white stone carving bit, after breaking six of them with a drill bit.



I will be finding that stuff on my drill press for the next 10 years. It was a good idea gone bad. :boohoo:

 

[EddieS'04]

Robert, If your drill press is like mine. Despite mine is 16 speed. The slowest is still too fast for some projects.

 

[Robert Thomas]

Just a regular Craftsman Drill Press. Actually, with using the stone I could have used a little more speed. The magnets were only a 3/32.