jmb Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I sometimes chuckle when I read some of the "suggestions" concerning drilling holes in lugs so I thought I would present some of my observations. I have drilled a few and also being a machinist have a little knowledge about such things as drilling holes. I have read more than once people suggesting to run the drill at slow speed. This is absolutely wrong! If you run the drill too slow, especially with a small drill bit, your chance of snapping a bit skyrocket. When drilling lugs I run the spindle in my mill as fast as I can, which at 2500 RPM is actually still too slow. Case must be held rigidly. I use a mill but a cheap drill press will likely work in a pinch. A really cheap drill-press may have too much slop in the quill to allow a good precise clean "spot" with the center drill. Start the hole with a center-drill (#0 for DJ holes or #1 for the bigger ones). Use a drop or two of oil. This is more for "grab" prevention than cooling. To cool you would need a constant flood of cutting fluid. Don't feed too slow or too fast. Too fast and you might break a bit and too slow may "work harden" the material you are drilling. Use a sharp bit. Cobalt bits will last longer/drill more cases but are more expensive. Change bits just as soon as there is even a hint of it starting to dull. Failure to do this might result in a "wallered" hole or broken bit. If you do happen to break off a drill bit, and can't easily remove it, don't freak out! Don't make matters worse by trying to drill or dig it out. Mix a strong/concentrated citric acid solution and dump the case into it. After a week see if the remains of the bit will crumble, if not put it back in to soak for another week. After a couple of weeks the bit will have rusted enough where it will have pretty much dissolved. Once the remains of the bit are all gone put some oil in the hole and finish drilling. The citric acid will not harm the stainless steel used in our watch cases. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowsweet_ Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Nothing gives me greater anxiety than the prospect of properly drilling out lug holes. Probably why you were the one of the only people I'd ever want to do such a mod lol! Great info J, thank you. New members take heed, JMB is one of the finest machinists in our community hands down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 They ain't gonna know what 'wallered' means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted April 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 2 hours ago, automatico said: They ain't gonna know what 'wallered' means. I reckon if they be from South of the Mason-Dixon line they will! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 "I reckon if they be from South of the Mason-Dixon line they will!" One thing for sure...it ain't near as bad as 'wallered out'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preacher62 Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 23 hours ago, automatico said: They ain't gonna know what 'wallered' means. Hey...Auto, everyone in Tennessee know what "wallered" means. It can mean anything from laying around all day to "wallering" out a hole in a watch case. I've done both. Drilling a lug hole causes me no anxiety whatsoever. I get Justin to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted April 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Wallered out - buggered, knackered, out-of-round, distorted, oblong, FUBAR... I'm sure there are more terms that are related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revere Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 " and also being a machinist have a little knowledge about such things as drilling holes." best part of the whole post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 On Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 10:11 AM, preacher62 said: Drilling a lug hole causes me no anxiety whatsoever. I get Justin to do it. Best part of the whole thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymanmatt Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 Why would anyone try to drill lug holes? Just get our resident expert to do it. His turn around time is awesome. I think Justin is from the old school. That's a school where they taught service as the most important part of sale. Be sure you tell him what you're building. There are different size lug holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted April 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 Thanks, Matt! You're right about being old! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 I have always used a hand-drill & never had a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted April 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 If anybody messes their case up with a hand-drill send it to Freddy to get fixed, I want nothing to do with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preacher62 Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 I've drilled them larger, with a hand drill, if a smaller hole already exists. Never started a hole with a hand drill. I tried to find one of those presses in which you mount your hand drill, but Sears doesn't sell them anymore and I didn't look farther. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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