Best drill bits for conversion?

[SanSacto 1]

I do not have much experience with drills and I want to be as prepared as possible for my conversion. I will be using a hand drill and would like to know which kind of bits to buy. I do not even mind buying them all if it is going to help me.

 

In the YouTube video the guy recommends cobalt drill bits. In another topic uni-bits were recommended. Dinzag Arms has carbide end mills, which have a flat face. Also he has carbide drill mills, which have a pointed face.

 

Which kind of bits work best for each particular step in the conversion? Trigger & hammer axles, trigger guard spot weld, trigger guard rivets, and new front trigger guard hole.

[Vorpal 0]

I used ambore bits when I converted mine. They are harder than H.S. steel but softer than cobalt. They are much less costly than cobalt. I didn't find any of the welds or rivets particularly hard to drill. If all I had was H.S. steel. I'd use them. Just be careful to centerpunch well so the bit doesn't wander.

vorpal

[xjedix 6]

I just finished my conversion today and found that my normal drill bits were completely useless. I ended up going and buying a cobalt drill bit for $5 and it cut through the steel like butter. Definitely get cobalt bits for your project, it will save you a lot of hassle.

 

PS: The conversion is a piece of cake.

 

Good luck,

 

 

 

-Derek

Edited June 15, 2008 by xjedix

[SanSacto 1]

From what I am hearing the cobalt drill bits are the way to go. But my question was actually more about the shape of the drill bits. What about Dinzag's drill bits? One is flat faced and the other is more pointed. Will these work better than the standard shape cobalt bits?

[madmax4x4 68]

With a hand drill a center punch and pointed bits would be best I think. The mill bit is good for the spot weld if you are to keep trigger guard.

[chevymann 13]

I had trouble with the spot weld on the trigger guard on my first conversion. I read here about using center drills. They worked much better on my second try. Now I use them pretty much exclusively or at least until I get I get a mill.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-H5930-pc-Cen...5054&sr=8-2

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

A decent set of cobalt pointed drill bits will get you through the conversion just fine. I got a set like this at Home Depot for less than $30 and it's has long since paid for itself.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores...de=cii_13736960

 

You need at least a drill press to make use of the end mills. For the spot weld you can drill a smaller hole first (after center punching it). Then enlarge it with the size you are drilling for your rivet or screw. A handy tool to have if you have a dremel, is a tungsten carbide cutter. It will get you of messes like off center drilled holes and hardened holes that you may have burned up a drill bit on.

 

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/dremel/D-9903/

[SanSacto 1]

So for the trigger/hammer axles and trigger guard rivets you tell me that the cobalt drill bits will do the job. Would Dinzag's pointed drill mills work do the job better for these steps, or can I not use these on a hand drill? http://www.dinzagarms.com/tools/drillmill.html

 

As for the spot weld, I can start with smaller cobalt bits and use the Tungsten catbide cutter on a rotary tool to make the hole bigger. Or I can use a center drill. Which would be better for this step?

 

Do you use an automatic spring loaded centerpunch or an old fashioned one with a hammer?

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

You don't drill the hammer and trigger 'axles', only the two rear pins holding the factory trigger and linkage in place. The real trigger axis pin, along with the only hammer axis pin, can be removed after you get the other two pins out and take out the retainer / spring.

Cobalt bits will do it all. A tungsten carbide cutter is good to have if you get in a jam.

You don't need the endmills. They are for a mill or a drill press.

The center drills are another option but no better than cobalt drill bits, and really made for use in something besides a hand drill.

I use an old school plain ol center punch. Use it to start the exact center of your hole, then drill it with... say a 1/16th or 1/8th bit, then move up to the proper size drill bit for the fastener.

That's how I would do it...

[SanSacto 1]

You don't drill the hammer and trigger 'axles', only the two rear pins holding the factory trigger and linkage in place. The real trigger axis pin, along with the only hammer axis pin, can be removed after you get the other two pins out and take out the retainer / spring.

Cobalt bits will do it all. A tungsten carbide cutter is good to have if you get in a jam.

You don't need the endmills. They are for a mill or a drill press.

The center drills are another option but no better than cobalt drill bits, and really made for use in something besides a hand drill.

I use an old school plain ol center punch. Use it to start the exact center of your hole, then drill it with... say a 1/16th or 1/8th bit, then move up to the proper size drill bit for the fastener.

That's how I would do it...

 

So I am going to go with cobalt bits (1/8", 3/16", 1/4", and maybe 1/16" as a starter). As for the tungsten carbide cutter, those are only available for a rotary tool and not a hand drill? How much power do you put behind the hammer on the center punch?

[Havoc308 3]

Just a little love tap. I use an "automatic" center punch, puts a tiny dimple on steel.

[MD_Willington 11]

FYI, "jobber" as in "cheap ass" drill bits, be they titanium coated or HSS usually have a 118* point angle.

 

Harder materials require a larger point angle.

 

Using the correct point angle for the hardness of the material helps control wandering etcetera.

 

If you want to get very fancy with your conversion:

 

Center punch

Center drill bit

Cobalt

 

I used Cobalt with a 135* point angle, no big deal.

 

Cutting fluid helps too!

[wally 2]

the dewalt bits work great