What is best way to drill for shanks?

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I got my shanks and faucets ordered and on the way. What is the best way to drill the 1" holes that I will need? My kegerator is older style coverted upright freezer and I plan on going through the side, not the door. There are no freon lines in the sides BTW.

 

[david_42]

You'll need a 1" metal hole cutter. A bit used for drilling door latch holes in steel doors should be the right size. I had a carbide set from a house project & it worked great. The inside of my first kegger was plastic, so I drilled the outside deep enough that the guide bit cut the liner. Then I used a standard hole saw to finish from the inside, as carbide bits clog up in plastic.

 

[DirtyMick]

I think the hole saw will work, but I would suggest a step drill for the outside sheet metal. I found some good used step drill bits at the local pawn store. They work great for drilling metal. I recently completed my all grain mash tun and used a step drill bit to drill all the holes in 316 stainless steel 1/8" thick. No burs, clean hole. I have two bits one that will go up to 1/2" in 1/16" increments and another that goes up to 1" in 1/8" increments. Once through the metal you could use the hole saw or even a spade bit if you are being careful. I have found that a good filler for torn insulation is a can of expandable foam "The Great Stuff".
Good luck,
Dirty

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I think the hole saw will work, but I would suggest a step drill for the outside sheet metal. I found some good used step drill bits at the local pawn store. They work great for drilling metal. I recently completed my all grain mash tun and used a step drill bit to drill all the holes in 316 stainless steel 1/8" thick. No burs, clean hole. I have two bits one that will go up to 1/2" in 1/16" increments and another that goes up to 1" in 1/8" increments. Once through the metal you could use the hole saw or even a spade bit if you are being careful. I have found that a good filler for torn insulation is a can of expandable foam "The Great Stuff".
Good luck,
Dirty

A Uni-Bit (what I call a step-drill) that goes up to 1" will prolly cost upwards of $50 new. I doubt if you'll find used ones like Dirty did. A holesaw will cost around $6 or $7 and will work just fine. I use them all the rime at my job with no problems.

 

[homebrewer_99]

What is best way to drill for shanks? Offer them $10. BITCH !!

 

[pjj2ba]

The metal in most fridges is pretty soft. I actually just used a paddle bit. Just take it slow. I did however later buy a step bit and highly recommend it. I wanted to put some fittings on a boil pot and was hemming and hawing about spending ~$35 on a bit to do just that. We'll I've now used that bit for a whole lot of other things so it was worth it to me. I used the step bit to drill additional holes though as I've expanded

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What is best way to drill for shanks? Offer them $10. BITCH !!

$10....If I am going to get the shanks I sure as hell am going to spend more that $10 bucks to get'em. I like quality not quantity:rockin:

 

[dibby33]

$10....If I am going to get the shanks I sure as hell am going to spend more that $10 bucks to get'em. I like quality not quantity:rockin:

as in ham shanks?

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

A Uni-Bit (what I call a step-drill) that goes up to 1" will prolly cost upwards of $50 new. I doubt if you'll find used ones like Dirty did. A holesaw will cost around $6 or $7 and will work just fine. I use them all the rime at my job with no problems.

You can get a set of them at Harbor Freight or a similar supply store for a lot cheaper than that
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91616
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=96275
they are also on sale every once in a while.

 

[underwaterdan]

You can get a set of them at Harbor Freight or a similar supply store for a lot cheaper than that
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
they are also on sale every once in a while.

Will that bit go through metal? I don't see how it grips the metal...

 

[LooyvilleLarry]

They do very nicely. Better than my Frickin $50 unibit. It goes through a keg wall quicky, so I doubt it will have difficulties with the freezer.

 

[Scotty_g]

I drilled a 2" hole in the top of my Sanyo 4920 with a hole saw. I went from the outside in (so the nasty side of the cut was hidden) and didn't have any problems. I had to go through the top plastic, a piece of plywood, the sheet metal on the outside (yes, pretty soft), more insulation, and the plastic liner. No problems with it...just take your time to avoid melting or burning the plastic.

For drilling clean holes in sheet metal (without backing) a step drill is probably the way (and I'll get one when we start drilling holes in keggles) to go. But for one or two holes in a fridge door, where you will cover the edges anyway, I'd go for a hole saw.

 

[jcb317]

You wont have any problems with a hole saw. I drilled the hole for my ball valve fitting on my keggle with a hole saw and had no problems. The metal on your fridge is no where near as hard or thick as the stainless on a 1/2 barrel.

I will actually be doing the same thing as you next week, and i have a step bit set and a hole saw set and i'll be using the hole saw.

 

[GranillaNutz]

like buttuh

 

[jcb317]

I just put some taps on the front of my fridge a week or so ago and this is what I did.

From the outside, i took a regular drill bit and drilled through the entire door. I got some 1" ID PVC pipe from home depot, i dont recall off the top of my head what the OD was, but from the inside of the fridge, i drilled with a hole saw the closest hole saw i could get to the OD of the PVC, but only through the insulation, not the metal on the front of the door. Adding the PVC helps stiffen the walls so that when you tighten your shanks down they wont bow, or break the plastic walls in your fridge.

From the outside then, i drilled the 1" hole with another hole saw through the metal only so that the shank fits through.

Hole saws worked well for me, and i got the whole set from harbor frieght for $3.99

 

[slimer]

I used a 7/8 wood boring bit. The thin aluminum was no match for the $1.59 bit.