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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Mr Skrunts on 13 July 2010, 15:43:59

Title: Any Idea's
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 13 July 2010, 15:43:59
On the best way to drill a hole through a ball bearing.

Am playing about with a little project, but just got a little unstuck.

Need to drill a 2mm hole through a 15mm ball bearing, plus in the process try to nake the the hole dead central.

Any idea's

TIA  :y
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Sixstring on 13 July 2010, 15:47:58
IF you have access to full workshop facilities, Skruntie, use a surface pillar drill and a diamond drill bit, using a centre cross holder (in an "X"). Ball bearings are hardened, and a ***** to drill.
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Mysteryman on 13 July 2010, 15:49:07
Sounds like a fairly simple job. Believe me, it wont be.
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Mysteryman on 13 July 2010, 15:51:21
Mark is online now. He probably has a nuclear powered laser or something that will do the trick. ;D
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 13 July 2010, 15:52:32
Quote
IF you have access to full workshop facilities, Skruntie, use a surface pillar drill and a diamond drill bit, using a centre cross holder (in an "X"). Ball bearings are hardened, and a ***** to drill.


No access to a workshop,

centre cross holder I hadnt heard of will check into.

as for drilling, thats what I expected to hear. :-/

Might see what a machine shop will charge me.
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Andy B on 13 July 2010, 15:54:25
Quote
.....
Any idea's

TIA  :y

None what-so-ever, but I'll be really impressed when yu post the picture of the drilled bearing  :y  :y  :y
As sixstring says, by their very nature, they're hard as f ..... a very hard thing!  :y  :y
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Andy B on 13 July 2010, 15:56:11
Quote
....
Might see what a machine shop will charge me.

Does your ball need to be hard ......  ::)  ::)  ::) or would be good enough if you tried to temper it a little?
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Chris_H on 13 July 2010, 15:58:46
You need to rethink that one if you can.

Why do you need to start with a ball bearing?

You must be able to get mild steel balls if it has to be steel.
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 13 July 2010, 16:11:27
Quote
You need to rethink that one if you can.

Why do you need to start with a ball bearing?

You must be able to get mild steel balls if it has to be steel.

Mild steel would be a no go, stain;ess stell would be ok, but still not the easiest thing to drill throuh.
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Sixstring on 13 July 2010, 16:16:12
OK, mate.....just came back from our workshop, and general consensus is "you've got to be kidding!!"   Holding a scrap bearing in a Xblock resulted in the diamond tip skipping over the bearing, as it can't get a "dimple" to start on (i.e. centre popped dimple) and have broken a bit already pressing on the bearing face. Apparently, the "brinnell hardness number" of a ball bearing is prohibitive to drilling, enquiries to British Aerospace Filton via phone tell me a ruby laser is the only accurate way to put a hole in one.

Hope that has been some help, however, a MILD STEEL ball can be drilled relatively easily and accurately by our workshop, so does it HAVE to be a bearing??
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: redelitev6 on 13 July 2010, 16:22:25
Nobody got any old steel marbles anywhere?
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Sixstring on 13 July 2010, 16:24:55
C'mon mate, spill the beans, and I'll try to help you. Have access to full workshop facilities if needed, if you don't mind waiting a short while for a break in production run.
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 13 July 2010, 16:44:07
Quote
OK, mate.....just came back from our workshop, and general consensus is "you've got to be kidding!!"   Holding a scrap bearing in a Xblock resulted in the diamond tip skipping over the bearing, as it can't get a "dimple" to start on (i.e. centre popped dimple) and have broken a bit already pressing on the bearing face. Apparently, the "brinnell hardness number" of a ball bearing is prohibitive to drilling, enquiries to British Aerospace Filton via phone tell me a ruby laser is the only accurate way to put a hole in one.

Hope that has been some help, however, a MILD STEEL ball can be drilled relatively easily and accurately by our workshop, so does it HAVE to be a bearing??

In reality no, Ball has been the best so far though, needs to be conductive and magnetic, but will need to be resistant to rust.

Stainless steel or chrome plating are possible options.
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Bourne on 13 July 2010, 17:07:53
A spark eroder will do it no problem. Pop along to a local toolmaker. Takes a while but is unmanned when running so shouldn't charge too much. :y
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Jimbob on 13 July 2010, 17:47:22
You'll never convince em it it is really a conker no matter how well you paint it  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Andy B on 13 July 2010, 17:56:05
Quote
....
In reality no, Ball has been the best so far though, needs to be conductive and magnetic, but will need to be resistant to rust.

Stainless steel or chrome plating are possible options.

Reasonable quality stainless isn't magnetic  :y
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 13 July 2010, 17:57:54
Quote
You'll never convince em it it is really a conker no matter how well you paint it  ;D ;D ;D

Shucks, you sussed me out.  :-[
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 13 July 2010, 17:59:34
Quote
Quote
....
In reality no, Ball has been the best so far though, needs to be conductive and magnetic, but will need to be resistant to rust.

Stainless steel or chrome plating are possible options.

Reasonable quality stainless isn't magnetic  :y

Very very true, but suppose I could live with out that if it could be drilled acureatly.
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: joshwyatt on 13 July 2010, 18:06:13
I'm intrigued Phil, can you give us a tiny clue?  :D
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 13 July 2010, 18:26:45
Quote
I'm intrigued Phil, can you give us a tiny clue?  :D

Yeah, Ball Bearings, they are shiny round things.  ;D ;D ;D ;D 8-)
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: nemo on 13 July 2010, 20:21:19
just a thought but how about drilling mild steel ball and then have it plated?
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: PhilRich on 13 July 2010, 22:35:24
Quote
You'll never convince em it it is really a conker no matter how well you paint it  ;D ;D ;D




 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D PMSL  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :y
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: dbug on 13 July 2010, 23:43:04
Quote
A spark eroder will do it no problem. Pop along to a local toolmaker. Takes a while but is unmanned when running so shouldn't charge too much. :y

Yep spark erosion is the answer  :y

Sure we could do it for you in our toolroom ;)
Title: Re: Any Idea's
Post by: johny5 on 13 July 2010, 23:51:54
can u not just stick it in a vice n heat it up with a blow torch then drill it?