automatico Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 I have tried to drill holes in blind lugs using a Foredom type rotary tool similar to the dental tool with not much luck. With hand held tools, the problem is keeping the drill bit on target after the hole is started. I always put a small dimple on the lug where I want the hole to be located with a spring loaded center punch but when the hole is started, the hand held drill always tries to follow the wrong course. For this reason I have resorted to mounting the case solidly in a vise of some sort after putting the dimple in the lug and drill the lugs in a drill press or small milling machine. This has been hit or miss because you have to start the holes exactly where you want them and it is nowhere as easy as it sounds. Matter of fact, it is not easy at all because you have four chances to screw up on each case. If you start the hole with a small 'pilot' bit, they are not very rugged and tend to break or get hot and lose temper. When using a larger drill bit (1.3mm or so) to start with, it seems to work Ok as long as the bit does not overheat. I even tried carbide drill bits but they are expensive and brittle...if they bend, they break and if they break in the lug they are a real hassle to remove. They are good for starting holes though. HSS drill bits get dull quicker but do not break as easily. The 'easy' way to remove broken drill bit is to finish drilling the hole on the opposite side (and into the lug with the stuck bit if needed), then drive the stuck drill bit out from the finished side...in theory anyway. My only successful lug drilling has been enlarging holes in lugs with holes already drilled all the way through. Expensive Screw-ups... The Suzuki AD I worked for broke the bolt that holds the alternator on the end of a customer's Hot Rod Suzuki GS1100 crankshaft back in the early 1980s (not me!) and I had to send the crank to California to a specialty shop and have the bolt electro-eroded out of the end of the crankshaft. After putting it all back together the guy who owned the bike spun the alternator on the crank doing burn-outs (no keyway, just a taper fit). I sent the crank to Falicon in Florida to get a new crank pin pressed on it and have the crank welded. Next, the guy dropped the bike out of his truck on I-640 at about 75 mph and wadded it up like steel wool. I bought the engine for $100 and a friend drag raced it for years with no more problems. It all started with a broken bolt. On a smaller scale...I have a brand new no hole 'noob' case with a drill bit broken off in a lug. It all started with a 95 cent drill bit... Broken bones... I bought a new 1983 GS1100 ESD and hit a deer on it up in the mountains . Spent almost a year In a wheel chair, crutches, rehab etc. Sold it to the guy who bought the GS1100 engine. He fell off of it and nearly killed himself...skin grafts etc. He sold it to another friend and he fell off and was nearly killed. They cut the frame up with a torch and buried it along with the main case after breaking it up with a sledge hammer.. We named it Christine. No tombstone. Now he rides a ZX 14 with 1570cc Muzzy or a regular ZX 14 with nos.. I ride an eXmark lawn mower with a Kawasaki engine... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 That Xmark will get you in a lot less trouble than those bikes!!! About the worst that can happen is you decapitate yourself mowing under low hanging tree limbs. I spent two days this spring with a pole saw and lopping shears cutting back branches. I got tired of coming in with my head bleeding and scratches all over my arms trying to trim around small trees. I slid a nice GS 1150 a few years back, got scared of riding it, not because of my ability, but soccer moms, driving with one hand talking on their cell, putting on makeup and eating a burger all while driving, totally oblivious to everything around them!! Figured better to sell the bike rather than become a statistic to a left turner who never saw me coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
508-Fanatic Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 This is how we drill lug holes in Massachusetts! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Which one are you 508 fanatic ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 What bit did they use? looks a bit bigger than 1.25mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
508-Fanatic Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 I'm the big fella in the middle and we used 1.3mm which works like a charm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 Must be nice to have a Bridgeport in the basement! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
508-Fanatic Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 I'm really lucky that my dear brother has a full metal shop. I'm just learning as is he. Our father was a really damn fine amateur machinist, but he sadly passed away in 2007 and I was too much a donkey to spend any time with him in the shop... now that I realize how cool the knowledge was, and need it, and want to learn he's dead... sucks. and he was an absolutely amazing guy and we rode motorcycles together and such, not like we didn't have a good relationship. Don't mean to be woe is me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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