Ring Positioner Drill

[martin007]

Look!

> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002425585752.html

Does anyone have them?

[Burgerman]

I dont. I wrap tape around drill and stop when its the right depth.

[slomobile]

Stop collars are pretty useful when drilling mounting holes in vans. Lets you drill through inner panel without accidentally poking a ding into outer painted body. Tape wont stop you if pushing hard. But I've never bought them. Just make on demand from scrap using the same bit, and a box of set screws. Does not need to be round.

[martin007]

Just make on demand from scrap using the same bit, and a box of set screws. Does not need to be round.

What scrap did you use?
What is the manufacturing process?

[slomobile]

You buy a box of grub screws, or ordinary machine screws in whatever size is common wherever you are. They come in handy any time you have a pulley slipping on a shaft, or need to make something lockable but removable from a slot or hole. If you have a piece of equipment that has screws you use a lot, try to get that size.

In the same box as the screws, keep a drill / tap to match. I use a hex bit that has the drill and tap incorporated into a single carbide tool so drill and tap is done in a single operation. https://www.harborfreight.com/sae-drill ... 95528.html I prefer #6 - 32 which is an SAE screw size roughly 6/32" diameter and 32 threads per inch. I have lots of hardware on hand in that size so I can keep a small portable tool kit for most things I make. M4 is probably a good metric size but I have very few metric drill bits.

I keep some aluminum stock on hand for odd projects. 80/20 extrusion in various sizes, 5mm x 10mm rectangle bar because it fits the T track slots on my chair. 1" x 1/4" rectangle bar because it is available at all hardware stores and I made my chair arms out of it. But any kind of wood works as well. Dense hardwood is better. Soft pine tends to strip easily. If using wood for small items put the screw in the end grain. Usually avoid end grain for larger items. Steel works too if you have some scrap around. It just takes more time to drill and cut, and wears tools out faster.

Pick the piece of stock based on the diameter of the drill to make a stop for. Stock must have a flat face larger than drill diameter. Leave the stock long to begin with so it is easy to hold or clamp onto.
Pick a spot on that face to drill a hole with the bit which you are making a stop for.
Pick a face perpendicular to the one you just drilled. Now use your drill / tap from the fastener box to make a threaded hole in that face which intersects the first hole. Its ok to miss a little. It will still work.
Now use a saw to separate the stop you just made from the remainder of the stock.
Put the stop onto the drill bit at the correct depth, tighten the screw.

It sounds like a lot of work when you write it out, but its much quicker than a trip to the hardware store and lower effort than loading and unloading wheelchair in a vehicle twice.

[Burgerman]

Tape...

If drilling through thin stuff put something behind it. Or use a nice short centre drill... below.

Those things with a grub screw never sit straight, and slide along the flutes so you still drill too deep.

Get a pack of these. It does the length as short as you want, leave as little as you need protruding from the chuck. And dead easy to start in the exact right spot. No flex, and small tip. Perfect for drilling in your van.

[Burgerman]

I also find these things invaluable and seem to use them more than my drills!
For small to large holes in thinner stuff with easy to drill steps. These are great. Be SURE you buy spiral flute ones like these cheap and cheerful ones.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spiral-Grooved ... C80&sr=8-5

Now those above are cheap, OK for occasional use, plastics or thin sheet metals. Not a serious tool. OK for hobby stuff.

I have a set of very much harder and more expensive ones... Like this. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153282545422
But they are truly invaluable and used all the time!

Better, but not cheap. Drills stainless or other hard materials. And lasts a lot better. Tend to be brittle and break. But far better than link 1 above. If you can afford it, buy milwalkee or bosch or makita etc. They dont sell crap.

[slomobile]

Center drills are a good idea. I've got 4 of those, but don't always have them with me or the right diameter.

Step drills don't work very good with tape and thin steps make it easy to blow through the desired diameter trying to achieve full depth.
I wish they would thread a hole inside the flute at each step so we could screw in a post at 1 step past the desired diameter as a positive stop.

I just thought of that. Ever seen a step drill like that.

[shirley_hkg]

Bought a set recently , 4mm……10mm .
Cheap @€1 .
Larger drill bits will use a drill press, so not needed.