Drilling through metal

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Kate Smith, Oct 6, 2021.

  1. Kate Smith

    Kate Smith Member

    Hello everyone, Kate here yet again.

    Since my husband died and I've had to attempt all things DIY myself, I've come to you lot for everything.

    I apologise but I have (yet another) question :oops:

    This is the problem I have:-

    I have a giant tortoise who insists on walking around the town (on his lead - he's not entirely feral). This is fine but he sometimes refuses to walk in the right direction when it comes to going home. As he's now too heavy for me to carry I've got him a little cart which I can pull along, but the handle isn't long enough to be comfortable. In order to add a new handle I need to make two holes in a piece of metal at the front, but I don't know how to drill the holes. The description of the metal on the instruction manual is 'pressed sheet steel'.

    My question: can this be drilled using a normal hand drill? If so, what type of bit would I need?

    As always, thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

    Kate X
     
  2. malkie129

    malkie129 Screwfix Select

    Use a decent HSS drill bit . Centre punch the centre of the hole to centre the bit and start the hole with a small size then work up if necesesary. A little drop of lubricant (oil) on th drill bit often helps.
     
  3. Kate Smith

    Kate Smith Member

    Malkie, THANK YOU!! I shall rummage through my shed to find the correct drill bit. I don't have a centre punch tool, but I'm sure I can improvise :)
     
  4. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    Yes it can be done with a normal hand drill, if you need, say, a 6mm hole start off with a 3mm pilot drill bit then once the hole is drilled use your 6mm bit to enlarge it, as malkie said use a decent HSS bit (you can get them anywhere) and go slow and steady with the drill to stop the bit overheating.
     
    Kate Smith likes this.
  5. I-Man

    I-Man Screwfix Select

    A nail will suffice
     
    Kate Smith likes this.
  6. Tilt

    Tilt Screwfix Select

    Or swap him for a dog............. they usually walk on their own legs...

    And folk might not think you are crazy, Lol. :p
     
  7. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    I decent wall nail works just fine as a centre punch. All you're doing is creating enough of a dent to stop the drill bit skidding around on the smooth metal surface. It will eventually bite into the metal anyway but without the dent you may not end up with the hole exactly where you want it.
     
    Kate Smith likes this.
  8. Kate Smith

    Kate Smith Member

    Thanks so much Jord86 and I-Man. I shall do as you say. I don't know what I would do without you lot!

    You're right there Tilt! I'm known in Tewkesbury as the Tortoise Woman. Sounds like a superhero name (a very slow superhero :))
     
    malkie129 and I-Man like this.
  9. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    You're welcome. You've given more thanks in an eight post thread than the majority of folk who rack up hundreds of posts and threads on here. Any problems, come back on.
     
  10. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    It reminded me of time in South Africa. Driving on a deserted road one morning and suddenly there is a massive tortoise in teh road - the shell itself was over 65cm long. Braked sharply and avoided him - the problem being if you hit one, the car will be wrecked and occupants seriously injured and even lorries come off worse.

    Pulled across and went to move it - it was probably 50kg or more but took it the way it was going. Put it down, it came out, looked at me as if to say thanks and carried on. If you go the wrong way, they will just turn round and try again.

    On another occasion, had to stop on a road as two 30cm tortoises were having a fight!
     
  11. Kate Smith

    Kate Smith Member



    How amazing to see one in the wild! You're right about them going where they want to go. When Nancy Drew gets it in his head to go one way, there's no changing his mind. Sometimes I pick him up and turn him around and around to try to confuse him into going the way I want him to. It never works. He instantly knows the 'correct' direction (and it's always in the opposite direction to home!)

    This is Nancy a couple of years ago. He's quite a lot bigger now - about 21kg:-
    https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=691340208007724
     
    gadget man, Hell68 and Jord86 like this.
  12. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    That's one of the absolute best things I've seen in a long time, I'd get him some roller skates for Christmas. Be careful how much info you post on these forums as there's a deranged troll who surfaces in the evenings and picks on members indiscriminately.
     
  13. Kate Smith

    Kate Smith Member

    Thanks for the warning! Is there no escaping them!?!

    This is actually a better link. The other one's the wrong size and it doesn't have sound.

     
  14. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    I have seen some down there at over 80kg ... or one day, heard the strange noises and a couple, probably larger than your boy, were mating! I could not believe how loud they were.

    Or when you see one digging a hole in which to lay their eggs.

    Down on teh Cape and Klein Karoo, they are everywhere!
     
    Kate Smith likes this.
  15. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    I've just been telling my sons about this and one of them suggested that you put a treadmill on the trolley so that you can both walk at the pace that you want.
     
    Kate Smith likes this.
  16. Kate Smith

    Kate Smith Member

    :D:D:D:D:D
     

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