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Re: [TowerTalk] Grinding hole in thick steel plate?

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Grinding hole in thick steel plate?
From: Jim Lux <jimlux@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2015 12:14:22 -0700
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
On 9/7/15 11:33 AM, Rich Hallman - N7TR wrote:
I had a ¾ inch steel plate made up that will be used to retrofit a HDX589 base 
foundation to a HDX572 base.   After giving both bases to the machine shop and asking 
them to make sure all of the holes are exactly the same location as the base, some of the 
holes are 1/8 to ¼ inch off.   I had a major issue with this machine shop so I will 
not take it back for now.

I wanted to see what others have done to grind out holes in thick steel plate.

I was looking at the Carbide Burr bits and getting a ¾ inch burr bit to see if 
that would grid enough from the hole so it would then fit the bases.

The holes are pretty close....so I thought grinding them out would be the best 
solution for now.


A holesaw in a drill press? Clamping the work piece is going to be the key.
Reciprocating saw with the right blade? 3/4" is fairly thick, but you can probably cut a bunch of slots, and then clean it up with the die grinder.

Someone with a plasma cutter or torch or a punch?



The die grinder with the right burr is one way. Put on your hearing protection and goggles and spend a few hours. It's going to be slow going.

How big are the holes?
I'd get a grinder burr that's 1/3-1/2 the diameter of the hole. If you get close to the size of the hole, it will tend to grab.
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