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[Mr Skrunts]

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 

[Sixstring]

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.

[Mysteryman]

Sounds like a fairly simple job. Believe me, it wont be.

[Mysteryman]

Mark is online now. He probably has a nuclear powered laser or something that will do the trick.

[Mr Skrunts]

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.

[Andy B]

.....
Any idea's

TIA 

None what-so-ever, but I'll be really impressed when yu post the picture of the drilled bearing     
As sixstring says, by their very nature, they're hard as f ..... a very hard thing!   

[Andy B]

....
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?

[Chris_H]

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.

[Mr Skrunts]

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.

[Sixstring]

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??

[redelitev6]

Nobody got any old steel marbles anywhere?

[Sixstring]

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.

[Mr Skrunts]

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.

[Bourne]

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.

[Jimbob]

You'll never convince em it it is really a conker no matter how well you paint it