| By :
William Gabriel
When you ask someone how to create a hole in a piece of metal or wood, the automatic response will be to use a drill. After all, this process has been taught in metalwork and engineering classes up and down the country for decades. However, sometimes a regular twist drill is not the answer. Depending on the material, it could cause the surface area around the hole to dimple or burr which could ruin the whole project. An annular cutter is a tool that is often used in lieu of a regular drill because it has the ability to cut a perfect hole without damaging the rest of the material. Reamers can also be used to make minor adjustments/enlargements to the hole. While twist drills are still a common method of drilling holes, they have major flaws that have been picked up on by engineering companies in search of perfection. Its point is actually two cutting angles which intersect causing the phenomenon known as the 'dead zone'. The problem with this 'dead zone' is that it forces the speed of the edges to grind to a halt. This drop in speed causes great inefficiency in the cutting process and makes it harder for the edges to push through the surface of the material. If pipe or tubing is being drilled, the lack of speed leads to increased drill pressure which causes the material to dimple. The reason why an annular cutter is more successful in this instance is because it's hollow and therefore does not suffer from the 'dead zone' problem. When this is combined with the fact that the cutting edges are out at the edge it means that the speed of the drilling remains the same throughout the procedure. When using this piece of machinery, always ensure that the speed at which it cuts is kept at a high level otherwise the edge will dull. In many ways, this is the opposite of the metal hole saw which goes blunt when its speed setting is consistently too high. Reamers are successful when it comes to making minor adjustments to a hole. Once you attempt to tackle too big a task, the reamer will become ineffective and be in danger of being damaged. If a reamer is in use, it should not be put in reverse as this is the quickest way to blunt the cutting edges. Anyone who has ever taken an engineering class in school may have seen this piece of equipment stuck in a lathe or drill press. Before it is turned on, the work piece must be held rigidly by a chuck or vise for safety reasons. As you can see, twist drills are not the only piece of equipment that can create holes and alter them. An annular cutter will give you a much more accurate hole and will not be marred by unsightly dimples. Reamers will serve you well if you decide that a hole is not quite the right size and needs a minor adjustment. Be wary when using both sets of equipment because a slight mistake is all it takes to make a mess of previously good work.
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