Tip- Drilling the spot weld!!

[mib2nd 1]

Durring my first conversion I went through two cobalt bits before I was able to drill through the spot weld on the trigger gaurd. On my second conversion I had two burnt out bits that where not worth a damn. I happened to have a tungsten carbide glass drill bit and thought "what the hell". This thing cut through it like it was wood!!! I was amazed.

 

1. Use a tap to mark your center and prevent the bit from jumping

2. Use a standard bit to get a small divit started

3. Whip out your tungsten carbide glass drill bit and carefully drill the area with a pulsating action.

 

Hope this helps with the hardest part of the conversion.

Edited January 12, 2008 by mib2nd

[wlnt 2]

Durring my first conversion I went through two cobalt bits before I was able to drill through the spot weld on the trigger gaurd. On my second conversion I had two burnt out bits that where not worth a damn. I happened to have a tungsten carbide glass drill bit and thought "what the hell". This thing cut through it like it was wood!!! I was amazed.

 

1. Use a tap to mark your center and prevent the bit from jumping

2. Use a standard bit to get a small divit started

3. Whip out your tungsten carbide glass drill bit and carefully drill the area with a pulsating action.

 

Hope this helps with the hardest part of the conversion.

 

The photo is really a great one to show what bits you are talking about.

Dinzag has recommended these in "Tech Section-Read First" and when people ask about the spot weld.

 

I have some carbide glass/tile drill bits, but I think mine are dull. I know I used to be able to drill through tile easily.

 

Thanks for the update,

louielouie

[RDSWriter 5]

Another very easy way to remove the trigger guard from an S12 is to drill the rivets (soft) and remove the entire guard/plate from the receiver. Then simply use a dremel tool to remove the plate by grinding the spot weld from the back side of the trigger guard with a dremel stone. Takes about 5 minutes and doesn't require the purchase of any new bits if you already have a dremel tool. Of course... this doesn't drill the hole... so if you have issues with a cobalt bit, you may have to use the method described above anyway.

Edited January 12, 2008 by RDSWriter

[nalioth 405]

Of course... this doesn't drill the hole

You can slip that end under the mag catch tower and rivet/screw/weld/pop rivet the other end in, and it should work fine. The trigger guard is a non load bearing piece.

[bkelm18 0]

Durring my first conversion I went through two cobalt bits before I was able to drill through the spot weld on the trigger gaurd. On my second conversion I had two burnt out bits that where not worth a damn. I happened to have a tungsten carbide glass drill bit and thought "what the hell". This thing cut through it like it was wood!!! I was amazed.

 

1. Use a tap to mark your center and prevent the bit from jumping

2. Use a standard bit to get a small divit started

3. Whip out your tungsten carbide glass drill bit and carefully drill the area with a pulsating action.

 

Hope this helps with the hardest part of the conversion.

 

Thanks for the tip. I used one of these on my conversion yesterday. Took a bit of muscle but it made it through. However, I'll have to buy another one if I do another conversion since it got mangled up pretty bad, but it made it all the way through.

[Squib 0]

Thanks for the tip...Think I'll try it.

[ajackb 0]

+1 on RDSWriter's method. I too wasted a couple of cobalt bits on the weld spot. I finally went after it with a Dremel armed with a small ball end grinder and enlarged it with 3/16 cobalt bit.

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

I've used all these other methods including leaving the spot as is and tucking it under the mag catch tower (which BTW won't work on the S-12...no tower). I've removed the whole cover plate and used a dremel and tungsten carbide cutter to grind a hole from the backside to meet the divot made in the front (when the drill bit burned up and had to find another way). I've burned up titanium and HSS bits learning the hard way that cobalt is the way to go. Haven't tried the glass drilling bits but regular cobalt bits will do the job just fine if you start with a small one and enlarge the hole. This also helps you get it perfectly centered. A lot of times the spot weld is off center. Even if it is you can get a nice hole centered in the TG, even if you have to start on the outer edge of the spot. The other key thing besides getting it centered with a small bit, is using a smaller bit you are cutting away less hardened steel so it makes perfect sense that there is less resistance. Once you have a pilot hole, enlarging that hole is easier than trying to cut the whole diameter from the beginning.

 

One thing I have found...that tungsten carbide dremel cutting bit is a savior for any time something else burns up or breaks, needs enlarging or moving over, or trimming from the side, it will do most anything and does not get dull.

 

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/attachments-an...240&I=66305

[jh664322 0]

Durring my first conversion I went through two cobalt bits before I was able to drill through the spot weld on the trigger gaurd. On my second conversion I had two burnt out bits that where not worth a damn. I happened to have a tungsten carbide glass drill bit and thought "what the hell". This thing cut through it like it was wood!!! I was amazed.

 

1. Use a tap to mark your center and prevent the bit from jumping

2. Use a standard bit to get a small divit started

3. Whip out your tungsten carbide glass drill bit and carefully drill the area with a pulsating action.

 

Hope this helps with the hardest part of the conversion.

 

 

Where do you get those?

[gtnichols 51]

I just bought several of those glass/tile drill bits at lowes, they were 75%off

Now I have a use for them!

I knew I was thinking in advance about somthing,.

If anyone wants one I may have a couple to sell, let me check my stock,..

 

 

Durring my first conversion I went through two cobalt bits before I was able to drill through the spot weld on the trigger gaurd. On my second conversion I had two burnt out bits that where not worth a damn. I happened to have a tungsten carbide glass drill bit and thought "what the hell". This thing cut through it like it was wood!!! I was amazed.

 

1. Use a tap to mark your center and prevent the bit from jumping

2. Use a standard bit to get a small divit started

3. Whip out your tungsten carbide glass drill bit and carefully drill the area with a pulsating action.

 

Hope this helps with the hardest part of the conversion.

 

 

Where do you get those?