Craaaap!

[wm460]

I was drilling a 4.2mm hole, 25mm deep in to a piece of 100 x 100 x 10mm aluminium, I had just finished the last hole, when I just put the drill in to clear any the swarf is out and the bloody drill snapped just below the surface
Is there any way The drill bit is HSS-Co (5% Cobalt).
Any way to get the broken bit out with out wrecking the Ali?

 

[Penpal]

Long nose pliers maybe.

Peter.

 

[silver]

Is there any way The drill bit is HSS-Co (5% Cobalt).
Any way to get the broken bit out with out wrecking the Ali?

Warm the Ali up using a blow torch to expand it a little and then use long nose pliers.

Don't warm it up too much or it will remove itself from the drill bit and you will have a blob of Ali on the floor.

The heat transfer of Ali is high so if it doesn't work straight away then quench it in some iced water the contraction will also help loosen it off.

As I have suggested this you will need to make sure you take every care in elf and safety and do a risk assessment and method statement prior to carrying out this task.. that way you can't come back on me if ya gets hurt wil ya..

 

[mattkemp]

Not sure if it would work but have you got a screw extractor set these are pretty effective but not sure if you could a pilot hole in broken end of drill just a thought

Matt

 

[donwatson]

I have a set of stainless steel tweezers with a fine point. They have worked for me so far as long as you are not too hashy-bashy (a technical term).