onehappycampster 25 Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 So a spot weld is super hard stuff, right? I busted several cobalt bits trying to bore through a spot weld on the old trigger guard I'm reusing. I was about to break down and purchase a carbide bit from my local Grainger. Before I did I asked one of my instructors if he happened to have any in our shop tool closet. He didn't but he did offer me an unconventional solution. Burn it with an EDM machine. So this afternoon he set up the EDM and burned a perfectly clean, round hole for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 A large hammer and a sharp cold chisel work too! But EDM is just neater than hell. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
onehappycampster 25 Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Oh yes. A lot less sweat equity, too. EDM is one of the most amazing unconventional machining methods. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leadchucker 12 Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 EDM is good... if you have access to it. A propane torch is also good. Heat the end to pale red, let cool slowly. No more hard metal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
onehappycampster 25 Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 I didn't even THINK of annealing the weld! Duh, Matt! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 That's what I did. I just set it on my kitchen stove burner until cherry red, drilled, bent and then heated again and quenched. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
onehappycampster 25 Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 well i loose points on the "KISS method" part of this test but I feel I made up for it with the "I just used a 12K machine to drill one hole" part of the test. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 I would use the fancy machine if I had one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 You can also use small cut off wheels in a pencil grinder. Probably the cheapest way to cut hardened steel. I do love EDM machines, I wish I had one.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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