Sand Fire Garden

Step 3 Adding a hole for the Plumbing

Locate and mark the center of the wok, then center punch. Make sure you are center punching with a hard object backing up the other side. if you don't your mark will be too light and you risk just making a big dent. Now using a step drill in picture 2 drill a 7/8 hole. if you find the bit wandering off center go back and make a better center punch. Stainless steel is very hard and lots of pressure is need to get the first hole on the step drill. Step drills are a great way to make round holes in thin materials. Normal drills tend to make oblong holes in thin materials and a large hole is really not recommend with standard drill bits. A step drill can be found at your local hardware store in the drill section, or in the electrical area for making knock outs for EMT conduit. they are not cheap and a more economical  solution is a hole saw. These come in the diff sizes. Use 7/8 for the set nut ( this build) or 1 1/8 hole for the bolt in and weld in coupler.

Comments

[net_wisetrack]

very creative use of materials. Love your website.

[playinmyblues]

One of the problems with drilling holes through thin metals is that your drill bit can move or if using a drill press that your metal can warp slightly or you get large burrs. Using a piece of wood on the other side can help a great deal.

To do this in this case, the problem is that the drill will be going into the cavity on the opposite side. I think that if you find the centre of the bowl on the other side and mark it you can place a piece of wood on the under side and have the metal supported. Drilling the hole this way should provide better results.

[jonsarriugarte]

 great suggestions  thanks

[snotty]

Maybe a Unibit would work. They are for sheet metal so they may not work on thick metal.