When you are undertaking various projects at home or in the workshop, there’s always a need for drilling different sizes of drill bits. This means that you have to be having many drill bit sizes to perform your operations.
However, this is not usually the case and we, therefore, have to use smaller drill bits to make bigger holes. Due to this necessity, you have to undertake the drilling specially and procedure to ensure you get a perfect hole that is round shaped without making it look messy.
A drill bit creates good-shaped holes by spinning around on the material being drilled. Therefore, to make sure that your hole is accurately shaped, you have to rotate it evenly on all by ensuring you have a drilling center on the drilling surface.
When you’re making larger holes with a smaller drill bit, there’s the likelihood of the hole being messy and looking unprofessional. In this article, we are going to show you how to go about it step by step to the end.
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Procedure 1: Making Circular Enlarged Drill Holes
Using a marker pen, create a reference point from where you want your hole to be located. This ensures that it’s made in the precise location needed and reduces the possibility of creating additional adjustments that may make the drilling surface looking unprofessional and messy.
On the marked area, drill a small hole by slowly squeezing the drill trigger up to the deepest point that you want it to reach. For a perfect hole drilling, ensure that your hand is not shaky and reduce distractions from the environment.
After you have determined the length of the drilled hole, start rotating the drill in circular movements slowly to make an enlarged hole compared to your drill bit size. You should continue drilling until you reach your desired hole diameter.
For more professional working and perfectly finished work, you may opt to use a drill guide. A drill guide is meant to prevent your bit from wandering and spinning out in the process.
The procedure is the same as described above but in this case, the guide makes your work have less likelihood of having mistaken drilling procedures and this helps you avoid wasting building materials and save on time.
Procedure 2: Using A Tapered Reamer
This method is most preferred when you’re drilling through metal, wood, or plastic material. If you’re looking to achieve the smoothest and with maximum precision, then this tool should be your number one choice for drilling bigger holes than your drill bit.
We recommend it due to its high accuracy drilling outcome for your projects. Additionally, you get extra clean holes after using a tapered reamer. You only need to follow 2 steps when using this method.
The first process is to create a hole using your available drill bit size. At this stage, ensure that you have drilled a straight hole to make your work easier in the next process.
After creating the hole, insert the tapered reamer on the drilled hole and continuously twist it as long as possible depending on how much you want to enlarge your original hole.
Procedure 3: Using a Pilot Bit
For drilling requirements that need new and larger holes for handles or knobs, then a pilot bit is very useful. A pilot bit is essential for cutting through a work surface faster hence reducing the chances of making errors.
First, you need to add a small piece of plywood on both the front and back surface of the working material to ensure the pilot bit has a good bite.
Clamp both pieces of the plywood and drill into the existing drill bit hole until you reach the required diameter and length. The plywood increases the stability of the material being drilled to reduce the chances of scratching or complete ruin.
Safety Tips When Using a Power Drill
Drilling without taking safety precautions can be very dangerous since it predisposes you and your colleagues to accidental injuries. That said, you should always ensure your body is kept safe since drilling holes may cause bodily harm if done in the wrong way.
Ensuring you Wear Protective Clothing
Covering your body parts such as your face and hands is very important. This is because drilling may lead to the production of fire sparks which may burn your body.
Also, the debris may blind you by injuring your eyes. Wearing safety goggles, a breathing mask, and gloves will keep most of these injuries at bay.
Securing the Work Material
Another reason that threatens your safety at the workshop during hole drilling is the shifting of the material being drilled. Therefore, before you start drilling, clamp or ensure the working surface is not moving so that it doesn’t slip and injure you or someone near you.
Regulating the Pressure Applied on the Drill
Normally, a drill should be able to work with minimal pressure exerted on its drill bit. Pushing it too hard on a rough surface such as metal may cause it to slip off your hand and fall on your feet. Additionally, the motor may be overworked and strained enough to start sparkling with an electric current.
Final Thought
You need to have all the correct tools to undertake all the drilling needs for your DIY and professional projects. This helps you to do a clean and perfect job that is free from very simple flaws and mistakes.
However, you can’t always have all the tools at your disposal and this calls for being innovative, creative and using what is available at the moment, and work with it to achieve your objective.
For instance, there are many drill bit sizes in the market, and acquiring all the types and sizes may not be within your reach and budget. With the methods outlined above, drilling larger holes than the smaller drill bits in your workshop don’t have to a difficult activity for you. Good luck!