Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 18

Thread: Metal drill bits and drilling out snapped exhaust bolts ...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    5th April 2005 - 12:57
    Bike
    In between bikes
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    799

    Metal drill bits and drilling out snapped exhaust bolts ...

    Tried to extract some exhaust bolts but unfortunately I snapped two before finding out how to get them out without breaking. Who'd have guessed hitting them with a hammer would loosen them up, I simply took out Mr Handi Dandi Pipe Wrench and put some muscle into it since spraying WD40/CRC it didn't help.

    So, I then dived into my drill bit collection and picked up a non-concrete drill bit of the right size.

    Put it on the bolt and went for it. Unfortunately, the drill bit turned a shade of blue in under a minute and made so much noise I needed to wear ear muffs!

    Not sure what's gone wrong, during metal classes at school, those non-concrete drill bits just ate the metal like breakfast and mine barely made a dent.

    So did I grab a wood drill bit instead and if so, how can I tell the difference between that and a metal one?

    Or are snapped exhaust bolts just difficult to drill out?

    I'm not concerned about damaging the thread, I just what them out.
    Last edited by Flyingpony; 29th August 2006 at 13:07. Reason: Fix spelling mistakes
    90% of the time spent writing this post was spent thinking of something witty to say. It may have been wasted.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    20th February 2005 - 07:04
    Bike
    2010 Thruxton & 2013 Think Ion
    Location
    Tawa
    Posts
    1,180
    Blog Entries
    1
    Perhaps sharp drill bits would have helped, maybe you were running your drill speed too high. But by the sounds of it, you should have used some CDT cutting/cooling fluid/spray. When the bit turns blue or smokes, Stop!
    Even consider using another drill bit at this point.

    A masonry bit used to drill out a metal body??? Sounds gash!
    Masonry bits are blunt! How could they possibly drill into metal? Carbide tips maybe strong enough.

    A wood bit? Absolutely no point demolishing a wood bit, stick to a metal bit.

    What size bolt did you break? If the thread pitch is over 5mm, you could probably try an impact driver or a screw extractor bit. Screw Extractors are cheap and available from most hardware shops. All you need to do is pilot out the centre of the bolt and try drilling in the extractor bit, when reversing the extractor - pray the rest of the bolt follows. (Drill slowly with heaps of torque).
    Consider re-tapping too.

    http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcnuts/stuckscrews.html

  3. #3
    Join Date
    22nd April 2004 - 15:31
    Bike
    GSX-R600K3
    Location
    lower hutt
    Posts
    852
    Quote Originally Posted by Flyingpony View Post
    Tried to extract some exhaust bolts but unfortunately I snapped two before finding out how to get them out without breaking. Who'd have guessed hitting them with a hammer would loosen them up, I simply took out Mr Handi Dandi Pipe Wrench and put some muscle into it since spraying WD40/CRC it didn't help.

    So, I then dived into my drill bit collection and picked up a non-concrete drill bit of the right size.

    Put it on the bolt and went for it. Unfortunately, the drill bit turned a shade of blue in under a minute and made so much noise I needed to wear ear muffs!

    Not sure what's gone wrong, during metal classes at school, those non-concrete drill bits just ate the metal like breakfast and mine barely made a dent.

    So did I grab a wood drill bit instead and if so, how can I tell the difference between that and a metal one?

    Or are snapped exhaust bolts just difficult to drill out?

    I'm not concerned about damaging the thread, I just what them out.
    Most drill bits work for both. If it says high speed steel on the case it should be fine. Make sure you are keeping plenty of pressure on the drill as it will just blunten the tip and not really cut other wise. Also you probably should cool the bit if it's getting that hot, water works pretty good or cutting fluid if you have that.

    Different metals are softer /harder so take varying amounts of time to drill holes.

    Is your bit still looking fairly sharp?
    Life is difficult because it is non-linear.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    6th December 2004 - 15:55
    Bike
    a blue one
    Location
    on the 5th floor
    Posts
    511
    I saw someone trying to drill through mild steel using a masonry drill bit with the drill in reverse once

  5. #5
    Join Date
    20th May 2003 - 06:18
    Bike
    R6 & CRF sold, new bike is coming
    Location
    North Waikato
    Posts
    2,981

    use..

    ...an "easy out" thingy

    should work ok


    F/F
    "Kiwi Biker, still a great place despite the mods "


    "Would crawl over broken glass before owning Suzuki"

    The only reason I only ride in the Iron man Class is I have no friends left to enter the two man events,
    my own fault really.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    20th February 2005 - 07:04
    Bike
    2010 Thruxton & 2013 Think Ion
    Location
    Tawa
    Posts
    1,180
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by twinkle View Post
    I saw someone trying to drill through mild steel using a masonry drill bit with the drill in reverse once
    Sounds like the time I got caught trying to solder some Skyhawk electronic components with lockwire.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    28th February 2006 - 17:48
    Bike
    dirty ns2fiddyr
    Location
    Dunnydin
    Posts
    1,377
    Yeah, if the bit is blued, you might as well biff it in the rubbish, or at least sharpen it back to below the blued portion.
    Slow, sure and stedfast when drilling metal.
    Cobalt bits retain their sharpness a bit longer than High speed steel. HSS will do the job, but yeah, lower rpms/cutting lubricant and or cooling spray.

    Those easy out things sound the bizzo, never seen them though?! must look into those!
    Boyd hh er Suzuki are my heroes!
    The best deals, all the time!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    20th May 2003 - 06:18
    Bike
    R6 & CRF sold, new bike is coming
    Location
    North Waikato
    Posts
    2,981

    re easy out

    Quote Originally Posted by kickingzebra View Post

    Those easy out things sound the bizzo, never seen them though?! must look into those!


    here you go

    http://www.toolprice.com/category/sc...squareeasyout/ - 32k

    a pic here, most good tool supplier or engineering supply should have some.


    F/F
    "Kiwi Biker, still a great place despite the mods "


    "Would crawl over broken glass before owning Suzuki"

    The only reason I only ride in the Iron man Class is I have no friends left to enter the two man events,
    my own fault really.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    26th February 2005 - 15:10
    Bike
    Ubrfarter V Klunkn,ffwabbit,Petal,phoebe
    Location
    In the cave of Adullam
    Posts
    13,624
    Just one point - if you have the misfortune to snap an Ezi-out in a hole, you are humungeously rooted. About the only thing that will get that broken bit out is spark erosion (unless there's enough proud to weld or braze something onto it)
    Quote Originally Posted by skidmark
    This world has lost it's drive, everybody just wants to fit in the be the norm as it were.
    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Vincent
    The manufacturers go to a lot of trouble to find out what the average rider prefers, because the maker who guesses closest to the average preference gets the largest sales. But the average rider is mainly interested in silly (as opposed to useful) “goodies” to try to kid the public that he is riding a racer

  10. #10
    Exhaust studs undergo a little bit of heat treatment and can become quite hard.Good sharp drill and cutting fluid is the way as mentioned.

    A very good method is a left hand drill bit in a reversing drill - often the broken bolt or stud will just wind out.I have some extractors that drill a left hand hole,then wind in an extractor,which then extracts the bolt - all in one tool,about the best you can get.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    5th April 2005 - 12:57
    Bike
    In between bikes
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    799
    Quote Originally Posted by Dafe View Post
    Perhaps sharp drill bits would have helped, maybe you were running your drill speed too high.

    What size bolt did you break?
    Broke two typical Japanese 10 or 12mm exhaust bolts.
    I've got the feeling that finding the drill bit at the bottom of hand-me-down tool box means it's not sharp and that 2800rpm doesn't qualify as slow.

    Quote Originally Posted by dhunt View Post
    Make sure you are keeping plenty of pressure on the drill as it will just blunten the tip and not really cut other wise. Also you probably should cool the bit if it's getting that hot, water works pretty good or cutting fluid if you have that.
    Most definitely was putting my weight on the drill, had the engine casing on the garage floor held steady between my legs, so applying weight was easy.
    Cooling, Hmm, garden hose and an electric drill

    Looks like I've more research to do otherwise I'll have to pop into a machine shop and ask them to extract them.
    90% of the time spent writing this post was spent thinking of something witty to say. It may have been wasted.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    17th February 2005 - 11:36
    Bike
    Bikes!
    Location
    Christchurch
    Posts
    9,649
    Quote Originally Posted by Ixion View Post
    Just one point - if you have the misfortune to snap an Ezi-out in a hole, you are humungeously rooted. About the only thing that will get that broken bit out is spark erosion (unless there's enough proud to weld or braze something onto it)
    Yep, Ezi-outs are the devil... hate having to get those damn things out, everyone snaps them off.
    Quote Originally Posted by Motu View Post
    A very good method is a left hand drill bit in a reversing drill - often the broken bolt or stud will just wind out.I have some extractors that drill a left hand hole,then wind in an extractor,which then extracts the bolt - all in one tool,about the best you can get.
    Oh, now you're just giving away all the good secrets! Left hand twist drill bits in a drill going in reverse is a top method of getting things out. Eventually, it normally just winds the old bolt out

  13. #13
    Join Date
    9th July 2005 - 12:00
    Bike
    350LC
    Location
    Chch
    Posts
    340
    Quote Originally Posted by Dafe View Post
    What size bolt did you break? If the thread pitch is over 5mm, you could probably try an impact driver or a screw extractor bit.
    If its got 5mm thread pitch then its a 52mm diameter bolt ,wouldnt need too many of those to hold the exhaust on.

    its probably a 6mm or 8mm bolt , they normally take a 10mm or 12mm spanner

  14. #14
    Join Date
    10th December 2005 - 15:33
    Bike
    77' CB750 Cafe Racer, 2009 Z750
    Location
    Majorka'
    Posts
    1,395
    Go SLOWLY with a sharp drill bit, work up from a small size 2 - 3mm, use CRC as cutting fluid if you don't have any proper stuff. Don't put too much pressure on the drill bit - let the face do the cutting. If you had it in a drill press it would go through it like butter - its hard to keep a drill exactly verticle when your doing it by hand - thats why it takes so much longer.
    I love the smell of twin V16's in the morning..

  15. #15
    Join Date
    12th June 2004 - 23:15
    Bike
    ..
    Location
    ..
    Posts
    2,797
    With out reading all the posts here. Drill slowly. Very slowly and you will get a good result. Use a good drill bit. Go to your local engineering shop and purchase 1 drill bit for the job. When you purchase the easy out make sure it costs a bit cos the cheap ones will brake off and you will have a very big problem then. You can't drill them out. Take your time and get some good tools for this job. It is worth it or you will end up with a big bill to fix the damage. Heat the broken bolt if you can.
    Good luck

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •