Drilling through a canopy

[erewhon1872]

Hi all,

new to the forums and just back in the hobby after many years so looking for some technical help as I have to drill a hole through a canopy.

I am building the Zvezda 1/48 Yak-3 and it has an antenna wire that runs from the tail to the cockpit, but it doesn't end at a radio mast but goes through the rear part of the cockpit.

On a spare canopy I have tried a drill bit in a pin vice (the drill I used was a ‘Microbox’ HSS twist Drill) and while not a disaster it still left a very noticeable burr.

Wonder if anyone has a different method or perhaps a different drill bit to try?

Any advice gratefully received.

Pete

[The original Kit Builder]

Place something against the back of the canopy, fairly tightly, so that there is no room for the burr to form.

The curl of material that would become the burr is carried away by the flutes of the bit intstead. There is no need to drill right through the backing piece.

[PLC1966]

Jam Blu Tak against the back ?

[Fatboydim]

When I drill a hole, I very carefully back drill with a larger diameter drill. I only use my fingers to hold the drill bit and go very lightly just to remove the burr. Joe.

[erewhon1872]

Place something against the back of the canopy, fairly tightly, so that there is no room for the burr to form.

The curl of material that would become the burr is carried away by the flutes of the bit intstead. There is no need to drill right through the backing piece.

thanks for the advice too all, one suggestion was to use blue-tak but I'd think that being so soft the burr would still form?

[viscount806x]

thanks for the advice too all, one suggestion was to use blue-tak but I'd think that being so soft the burr would still form?

Pete,

Using a pin vice is good news but I think one of the main problems you are giving yourself is using the Microbox drill. I have some of these and i've found them to be poor quality - mainly they don't cut well at all. You can get top quality drills in those tiny sizes on ebay provided you pay a bit more for the ones used for delicate important jobs.

Try these, which I think are not too bad at all:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-twist-drills-HSS-R-HELLER-1mm-to-4mm-going-up-in-1mm-1-1mm-1-2mm-etc-/281737849235?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item4198e26993

Nige B

[erewhon1872]

Pete,

Using a pin vice is good news but I think one of the main problems you are giving yourself is using the Microbox drill. I have some of these and i've found them to be poor quality - mainly they don't cut well at all. You can get top quality drills in those tiny sizes on ebay provided you pay a bit more for the ones used for delicate important jobs.

Try these, which I think are not too bad at all:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-twist-drills-HSS-R-HELLER-1mm-to-4mm-going-up-in-1mm-1-1mm-1-2mm-etc-/281737849235?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item4198e26993

Nige B

Thanks Nige,

yes got the impression that the drills may be part of my problem, they seem to have lost their cutting edge in no time at all. Frankly that's why I mentioned the make of drill as I wondered if someone could come up with an alternative.

Thanks very much for the link, the ebay listing is a bit mysterious though as it says "10 x twist drills" and gives a price of "£2.85", but does that mean it's any ten sizes you select in their range for that price or are they actually £2.85 per drill?

I'm assuming you may have bought some of these so may know?

Cheers,

Pete

[georgeusa]

Being an old carpenter, the easiest way I have found to eliminate burrs or splintering is to partially drill the hole until the bit just barely goes through. With plastic it is when you see the dimple forming on the opposite side of your drilling. When that occurs, go to the opposite side and finish drilling out the hole. No burrs or splintering and both sides of the hole are clean.

[erewhon1872]

Being an old carpenter, the easiest way I have found to eliminate burrs or splintering is to partially drill the hole until the bit just barely goes through. With plastic it is when you see the dimple forming on the opposite side of your drilling. When that occurs, go to the opposite side and finish drilling out the hole. No burrs or splintering and both sides of the hole are clean.

thanks for the interesting suggestion George, I think I'll break out a spare canopy and give that a try.

Also Nige above has suggested some different drill bits to try, so just as a test I could try out your method with my current drills and then with new bits when they arrive and see what the difference is?

Cheers,

Pete

[Allyboy]

Pete

Just to give you another option, I have had great success with these: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=121691238456&globalID=EBAY-GBI have one one of those Rolson(?) boxes that has about 100 different sizes of bits but found them to be pretty blunt and hard work. The bits (at the link) are much sharper and can be easily worked by hand. Because they have a common shank diameter, they can be easily interchanged in a pin vice.

[viscount806x]

Thanks Nige,

yes got the impression that the drills may be part of my problem, they seem to have lost their cutting edge in no time at all. Frankly that's why I mentioned the make of drill as I wondered if someone could come up with an alternative.

Thanks very much for the link, the ebay listing is a bit mysterious though as it says "10 x twist drills" and gives a price of "£2.85", but does that mean it's any ten sizes you select in their range for that price or are they actually £2.85 per drill?

I'm assuming you may have bought some of these so may know?

Cheers,

Pete

I think the e bay listing is a standard format for alternative selections. I have some of those particular ones and the box is 10 of the one (selected during purchase) size. You really do need top quality though for clear mouldings because of the brittleness which might preclude using the method suggested by georgeusa but then again maybe it will work. Perhaps you might try not putting too much force behind the drill bit and let it more or less wear itself through the plastic but do it with a nice sharp decent quality drill in addition.Best of luck anyway.

Nige B

[erewhon1872]

I think the e bay listing is a standard format for alternative selections. I have some of those particular ones and the box is 10 of the one (selected during purchase) size. You really do need top quality though for clear mouldings because of the brittleness which might preclude using the method suggested by georgeusa but then again maybe it will work. Perhaps you might try not putting too much force behind the drill bit and let it more or less wear itself through the plastic but do it with a nice sharp decent quality drill in addition.Best of luck anyway.

Nige B

thanks I will check it out and if I get stuck I'll send a message to the seller.

[erewhon1872]

Pete

Just to give you another option, I have had great success with these: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=121691238456&globalID=EBAY-GBI have one one of those Rolson(?) boxes that has about 100 different sizes of bits but found them to be pretty blunt and hard work. The bits (at the link) are much sharper and can be easily worked by hand. Because they have a common shank diameter, they can be easily interchanged in a pin vice.

Hi,

sorry for late reply, I only just saw your post and thanks for the link.

These look good but says they come from China and the postage is free (?), did you get yours from the same seller on the bay and was there any problems? How about delivery time, weeks and weeks or just a week or so?

I can't tell from the description what make they are to look for a closer seller.

Wonder if these are the same?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-10Pcs-PCB-Print-Circuit-Board-Carbide-Micro-Drill-Bits-Tool-0-3mm-to-1-2-mm-/111472354402?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item19f4452462

Thanks for the link, much appreciated,

Pete

[Black Knight]

I now get my micro drills from this place;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350874172814?var=620162544043

a pack of ten the same size chosen, delivered about 1 day after buying [eg. bought on a Monday, received on a Wednesday, or even on the Tuesday]

[erewhon1872]

I now get my micro drills from this place;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350874172814?var=620162544043

a pack of ten the same size chosen, delivered about 1 day after buying [eg. bought on a Monday, received on a Wednesday, or even on the Tuesday]

Hi, again thanks for the info, had a look at link and looks good but there's an option for either 'HSS Rolled' or 'HSS Ground' on each drill size with some of the larger sizes having even more exotic options. As the 'HSS Ground' is more expensive I'd guess it was better in some way?? I suppose what I'm asking is which option do you choose as obviously you have used and are happy with them?

[Black Knight]

If you look down the seller's page; 'ground' is suitable for mild to medium steel. Ground point aren't really needed in plastic modelling.

I use the cheapest ones, 'rolled', as I'm only drilling plastic or at most thin brass bar.

PS:

I do use 'ground' points in my much heavier work, a ground point will start in mild steel, and stay sharp whereas I find a rolled point blunts on the first cut.

[Allyboy]

Hi,

sorry for late reply, I only just saw your post and thanks for the link.

These look good but says they come from China and the postage is free (?), did you get yours from the same seller on the bay and was there any problems? How about delivery time, weeks and weeks or just a week or so?

I can't tell from the description what make they are to look for a closer seller.

Wonder if these are the same?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-10Pcs-PCB-Print-Circuit-Board-Carbide-Micro-Drill-Bits-Tool-0-3mm-to-1-2-mm-/111472354402?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item19f4452462

Thanks for the link, much appreciated,

Pete

Hi Pete

I have had my drill bits for some time and cannot recall the exact seller. The example you give look exactly like the drill bits I have.

Cheers

Al

[erewhon1872]

Hi Pete

I have had my drill bits for some time and cannot recall the exact seller. The example you give look exactly like the drill bits I have.

Cheers

Al

thanks for all your help Al, it's much appreciated.

Pete

If you look down the seller's page; 'ground' is suitable for mild to medium steel. Ground point aren't really needed in plastic modelling.

I use the cheapest ones, 'rolled', as I'm only drilling plastic or at most thin brass bar.

PS:

I do use 'ground' points in my much heavier work, a ground point will start in mild steel, and stay sharp whereas I find a rolled point blunts on the first cut.

about the hardest material I'd be drilling would be resin and I can't see myself doing that too often, so the rolled ones sound like both the better and the cheaper option.

Thanks for the advice and help,

Pete