Drilling Through Aluminum Siding

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Drilling through aluminum siding.

With a small twist bit 1 16 in. The chuck on a hand drill or drill press secures a drill bit to the tool along the bit s shank. However even though aluminum is relatively easy to work with you still have to be careful about drilling through it. Hardieplank is available as ready to paint or with a color layer.

Use a carbide or masonry bit if the siding is a composite or. In general it s a good idea to drill through metal using as slow a speed as possible using a drill bit for metal. Https amzn to 2vnnzuy milwaukee hawg bits. The siding is fire resistant providing a high level of protection for a home.

And heat dulls bits quickly. Hard metals like steel and larger drill bits require even slower speeds. To 3 16 in you can drill through most metals at 3 000 rpm. However since aluminum is so soft drilling operations using the aforementioned geometry tend to present difficulties in maintaining proper hole diameter and sidewall surface finish.

So with that in mind. Minimizing the amount of pressure that you exert on the drill bit will prevent the siding from denting and reduce the chances of the drill bit catching on the thin aluminum that comprises the siding. More powerful drills for heavier applications have a larger 1 2 inch chuck. If maintaining hole size finish and hole roundness are the goals using a straight flute through coolant drill is advantageous.

Drill presses also have larger chucks 1 2 inch or 5 8 inch for example. Cement fiber siding can be drilled while installed on a house or. Fit a cordless drill with a standard wood bit about 1 16 inch larger than the screw if you re drilling through vinyl or steel siding. Although the siding does not require drilling pilot holes you may need to run wire or cable through the siding necessitating drilling a hole.

A smaller drill for work around the house typically has a 3 8 inch chuck. Most drill bits are not designed to punch through such material which means that they will either start to get dull rather quickly or they will chew through the stuff and wind up ruining your project. However drilling through cement fiber siding goes better if you use a carbide drill bit as opposed to a regular steel drill bit.