Drilling and tapping a hole

[67c&ccorv]

Help me settle another breakfast table bet with Don.

The question is this:

Laying aside the issue of access, would you consider yourself capable of drilling and tapping a hole in an engine component and willing to undertake the task for some reasonable benefit?

Bill

For a million bucks I'd do just about anything!



For the record - drilling and tapping a hole with the right tools and technique...no sweat.

[Jimmy]

Dont yell at me........

It would be very interesting to see what the average age is of those who have the skill of drilling and tapping......
I'm 45, , and grew up with my older brothers building real Hot Rods ( unlike the annoying things that swarm around today , that beg to be swatted with a rolled up newspaper) I was exposed to many mechanical tricks , however this wasnt one of them.
Hopefully my 35 year old A-4 wont require this procedure any time soon.......

[ILikeRust]

I'm 45. Took machine shop, welding, and three semesters of small engine repair in high school. Spent a lot of time taking apart and putting back together my various bicycles, and those of my buddies (we used to make custom "choppers" out of our 20-inch Schwinns) and later, my dad's lawnmowers (rebuilt the transaxle on the riding mower when I was 15, much to my dad's amazement and relief when I got it back together and it actually worked) and then my motorcycle (1972 Yamaha DT250).

In more recent years, I have done full tear-down, nuts and bolts restorations of antique woodworking machinery.

I've actually never really considered myself a "gear head", per se, because I've never really gotten into engine building or hot rodding - but I always have been a hard-core do-it-yourselfer and home handyman. My motto is "I can fix anything." So far, that pretty much has proven to be true.

[HalcyonS]

slide rules and pouring and scraping babbet bearings - woo hoo, we're old school here! Talking of old school, did anyone here get Lindsays catalogs before he retired? http://www.lindsaybks.com/ Specialised in republishing old engineering texts. On making rivetted steam boilers - that kind of thing. I think its where I learned about babett metal.
When I learned how to cut and tap (40 yrs ago), I thought it was the coolest thing. Ever since, I cut threads at any opportunity.

[HOTFLASH]

I do not know if I am capable. Never tried it in my engine, or an engine component. So, I could not reply to the survey. Have drilled/tapped into my aluminum mast and boom however. Successfully.
Mary

[The Garbone]

My 2001 Enfield made in India came with electric start. I replaced it with and 66 Enfield chain case made in England getting rid of the Estart but the bolt pattern did not match. Had to tap the engine case to fit the old bolt pattern on the 66.

[ED.D]

Yes I would / could do that

[Surcouf]

OK so I answered "maybe" and would like to change to "NO" based the 4 hours lost yesterday... Yes I learnt how to do that in school many years ago, but managed to F*** it up yesterday big time.

I had an oil pan broken bolt, butchered with a screw extractor that of course broke in the previously drill bolt. More butchering to get that extractor out, followed by a decently centered drill to install my MM delivered 7/16 to 5/16 repair bushing.

And there I go, with my brand new Harbor Fr**ght threading kit... and I pick the size right below the one I wanted... dumb. I was happily surprised how easily I threaded the hole. No wonder. The issue is, once I finished my barely-threaded hole, the bushing was not getting in! So I grab the proper 7/16 thread tool... and it would not thread more that a few mm deep. This tool is designed to thread a properly drilled hole, not a partially threaded one; and when the front of the tool started to eat into "just the size below thread" it refused to go ahead (I assume due to the contact of the previous thread showing too much resistance due to thread on thread contact) no matter how much oil, back and forth, torque etc...

So I will end up installing a bolt+nut on that one.

I felt so stupid and useless, that I wanted just to shoot that engine and use it as boat anchor.

[TimBSmith]

As a relative newcomer with a workable mech aptitude I would do it...

The only provisos are:
1) Suggestions for tooling, lubrication before starting.
2) Instructions that provide registration measurements and landmarks for different engine variations. Even a printable stencil to help with registration.
3) Instructions that provide for progressive verification of location and function for whatever is being threaded.
4) Instructions for fixing and correcting errors.
5) A video/photographic documentation of critical steps in the process and the finished solution.

Thank you. Stay well. Tim