Burrs from drilling aluminum body panels - advice on how to avoid?

[kmseddon]

Hello experts -

I've searched but couldn't find any articles on this already. We've been practice drilling and noticed we get some serious burrs on the backside of the aluminum body panels. I wanted to ask the forum if anyone had any tricks on how to deal with this other than getting a deburring tool and doing a turn or two from the backside. Anybody find that certain drill bits or certain RPMS on a drill or pressure are ways to avoid the burrs or is this just a fact of life like death and taxes?

Thanks!

[Bob Cowan]

Make sure the drill bit is good and sharp. Invest in a Drill Dr., and use it often. https://www.drilldoctor.com/

Always use a little dab of cutting oil.

Don't press too hard. For a #30 hole in aluminum sheet, you only need a little pressure. Let the drill bit do the work.

For deburring, I use a 1/2 drill bit, and twist it by hand.

[edwardb]

For deburring, I use a 1/2 drill bit, and twist it by hand.

Same here. Keep one in the sleeve it came in just for that purpose. Nice and sharp. Couple of twists in the hole cleans them right up. If I have a whole bunch (and I'm feeling lazy...) I'll chuck it in my cordless drill. Just a light touch at low RPM.

[rich grsc]

For deburring, I use a 1/2 drill bit, and twist it by hand.
Yep both side of the panel

[GWL]

Yep both side of the panel

Yes!

George

[Otee453]

https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-196-Reamer-Countersink/dp/B00004T82I

This is what I used. Didn’t buy it for the car... already had one.

[JohnK]

For deburring, I use a 1/2 drill bit, and twist it by hand.

I did something similar. I had a 3/4" countersink bit laying around and used that. The body of the bit is a bit wider, so a little easier to twist by hand, but same result. Also a small bit of advice - don't run a bare finger over the hole afterward to see if the burr is gone. 99% of the time it will be. The other 1% of the time you'll slice your fingertip.

[steno]

Set the panel on a piece of wood/plywood and drill away! Try to keep the panel tight against the wood.

[RBachman]

I use one of these and found it works fast and does a good job. https://www.amazon.com/AFA-Tooling-Deburring-High-Speed-Removal/dp/B07QH8DX2J/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/141-3131782-7543256?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07CS39XCV&pd_rd_r=6c862d71-a813-4b55-8be5-d81ee82a3ca3&pd_rd_w=ALJbN&pd_rd_wg=1P97m&pf_rd_p=f325d01c-4658-4593-be83-3e12ca663f0e&pf_rd_r=64T7DZNQNPDJT5QQC6D6&refRID=64T7DZNQNPDJT5QQC6D6&th=1

[silver_pilate]

Yup. Worked great. The panels I received had burs around the edges as well from when they were cut. I used a Arno carbide burnisher that I had laying around to clean them up. Worked like a charm.

138879

[GTBradley]

Make sure the drill bit is good and sharp. Invest in a Drill Dr., and use it often. https://www.drilldoctor.com/

Always use a little dab of cutting oil.

Don't press too hard. For a #30 hole in aluminum sheet, you only need a little pressure. Let the drill bit do the work.

For deburring, I use a 1/2 drill bit, and twist it by hand.

Hey Bob, I see they have four models of drill bit sharpeners, which one did you get?

[Bob Cowan]

Hey Bob, I see they have four models of drill bit sharpeners, which one did you get?

The one I have they don't make any more. I bought it about 15 years ago. The closest match would be the 350.