drilling cast iron

actually it drill rather well. Of coarse a drill press is best, but good
results can be had with a hand drill. Possibly drill a small pilot hole,
1/8 " at first then your other hole: 5/16-3/8 as needed.
"

On Jan 28, 11:13 pm, "brianlanning" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> I'm currently leaning toward #4. But I've never drilled cast iron
> before. How difficult is it? I don't have to tap it, just drill them
> oversize. There's threading in the contractor's saw table.
>
>
> brian

Cast iron drills very easily. The only problem with it is that it can
be a bit "grabby", like brass or copper. For a lot of holes, it might
make sense to stone the cutting edges. Otherwise, just be careful
when the bit breaks through the far side. And, if you want to drill a
pilot hole, make it no larger than the the thickness of the drill web
(the chisel point). No cutting oil is needed - the graphite in cast
iron serves as a lubricant.

John Martin

Thanks everyone. I'll try to drill it tonight.

brian

Cast iron is not steel; it drills very easily. I drilled mine when I put a
extension wing router table on.

Try it in a harmless place first if you have doubts.


"brianlanning" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm finally getting to assembling my table saw(s). I finished the
> mobile base today and scooted the unisaw onto the base. I had already
> attached the CI wing. So I attached the other CI wing and benchdog
> router table wing.
>
> I'm making this:
>
> -----------------------------
> Benchdog Router table
> -----------------------------
> table saw wing 1
> -----------------------------
> cabinet saw
> -----------------------------
> table saw wing 2
> -----------------------------
> contractor's saw
> -----------------------------
> harbor freight router top
> -----------------------------
>
>
> So the next step is to attach the contractor's saw to table saw wing 2
> that was included with the contractor's saw. That's when I noticed
> that it's different from the wing that was included with the unisaw
> (tablesaw wing 1). Instead of a mating surface with holes drilled in
> it, there are no holes and it's painted with what looks like black
> powder coat. There's also a slight roundover on the corners.
>
> So I have four choices:
>
> 1. don't bolt the contractor's saw to the rest of the top and position
> it on the mobile base in the right place.
>
> 2. take off that wing and buy another one with the holes.
>
> 3. position the contractor's saw where it goes and clamp the two
> tables together with C-clamps, making them godzilla tight.
>
> 4. sand off the paint on the wing, then drill some holes in the wing,
> then bolt them together.
>
> I'm currently leaning toward #4. But I've never drilled cast iron
> before. How difficult is it? I don't have to tap it, just drill them
> oversize. There's threading in the contractor's saw table.
>
> I plan to put a harbor freight router table extension on the other
> side of the contractor's saw, then build a cabinet under that to
> support that end of the table. Once I do that, I'll suspend the
> contractor's saw in the air with storage under it, sealing the CS for
> dust collection.
>
> brian
>

"brianlanning" <[email protected]> wrote in message
<snip>
> I'm currently leaning toward #4. But I've never drilled cast iron
> before. How difficult is it? I don't have to tap it, just drill them
> oversize. There's threading in the contractor's saw table.

Due to the graphite inclusions in ductile iron, it's very easy to drill.

todd

TS tops typically drill very easily. Start with a punch to locate the
center exactly. Move up to a 1/8" bit and progress up from there.


"brianlanning" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm finally getting to assembling my table saw(s). I finished the
> mobile base today and scooted the unisaw onto the base. I had already
> attached the CI wing. So I attached the other CI wing and benchdog
> router table wing.
>
> I'm making this:
>
> -----------------------------
> Benchdog Router table
> -----------------------------
> table saw wing 1
> -----------------------------
> cabinet saw
> -----------------------------
> table saw wing 2
> -----------------------------
> contractor's saw
> -----------------------------
> harbor freight router top
> -----------------------------
>
>
> So the next step is to attach the contractor's saw to table saw wing 2
> that was included with the contractor's saw. That's when I noticed
> that it's different from the wing that was included with the unisaw
> (tablesaw wing 1). Instead of a mating surface with holes drilled in
> it, there are no holes and it's painted with what looks like black
> powder coat. There's also a slight roundover on the corners.
>
> So I have four choices:
>
> 1. don't bolt the contractor's saw to the rest of the top and position
> it on the mobile base in the right place.
>
> 2. take off that wing and buy another one with the holes.
>
> 3. position the contractor's saw where it goes and clamp the two
> tables together with C-clamps, making them godzilla tight.
>
> 4. sand off the paint on the wing, then drill some holes in the wing,
> then bolt them together.
>
> I'm currently leaning toward #4. But I've never drilled cast iron
> before. How difficult is it? I don't have to tap it, just drill them
> oversize. There's threading in the contractor's saw table.
>
> I plan to put a harbor freight router table extension on the other
> side of the contractor's saw, then build a cabinet under that to
> support that end of the table. Once I do that, I'll suspend the
> contractor's saw in the air with storage under it, sealing the CS for
> dust collection.
>
> brian
>

On 28 Jan 2007 20:13:22 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>4. sand off the paint on the wing, then drill some holes in the wing,
>then bolt them together.
>
>I'm currently leaning toward #4. But I've never drilled cast iron
>before. How difficult is it? I don't have to tap it, just drill them
>oversize. There's threading in the contractor's saw table.

I had to drill cast iron recently when making a propane burner for my
forge, and it was as easy or easier than drilling mild steel (can't
say with any real certainty, because the cast piece was a pipe elbow,
and I was drilling into a curved surface- not something I do all that
often with steel.) Taps easily, too. The only thing that gets tricky
with cast iron is welding the stuff, but you're not doing that. It
shouldn't be a problem.

*Do* remember that metal is not wood, and you need to drill at a low
RPM, and use some cutting fluid (motor oil will work in a pinch, if
that's what you've got.)