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Mobile 3-foot mobile antennas

Bobby , still makes me cringe when I think of you drilling that hole in that Brand new Lariat , ( but it did the job ) only because I know what it $ my wife has one $$$ .:D Myself I'd have the right mix of " Cocktails " in me being careful not to go over the edge & really screw it up !:whistle:;):D 73 & God Bless , Leo
 
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338_MtRushmore said:
You are thinking rotabroach, not rotacut. The rotacut is a fancy hole saw that can be used in a hand drill.
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Either bit can be chucked into a 1/2" drive. I have used mag drill bits extensively in Petro-Chem construction, they have many name brands. Basically a hole saw for metal. The hole required does not justify using a mag drill bit. Just keep it simple stupid, use regular bits and step out a couple times. If worried about flaking the paint.....just use masking tape over the hole location prior to drilling. This also works for cutting lex/ poly glass. My gosh do we need to over complicate things and have a trove of specialized tools to do simple jobs. Got a friend who just has to cut full sheets of plywood on a table saw with no fence. For all the time in set up I have already ripped or cut it with circular saw. Done! Move on to next piece. "Not building a Rolex" as we say in the bidness.
 
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I have never had success drilling large holes in sheet metal with twist bits, but I'm sure you could get a hole made.

I have never seen a rotabroach with a 1/2" shank, or any other broach for that matter. Do you know of one? That would be a handy little mag drill.

I prefer step drills for antenna mounts, but for bigger pucks a hole saw is pretty much mandatory.
 
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McMaster-Carr, Grainger, and Fastenal. Most industrial supply will have them. Use mine in chuck of drill awl the time. I agree about the step drills, used to use those working in auto body shops. Those are great, but just don't need one that bad. Using what you have available will get the job done.
 
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Redbeard U812 said:
Either bit can be chucked into a 1/2" drive. I have used mag drill bits extensively in Petro-Chem construction, they have many name brands. Basically a hole saw for metal. The hole required does not justify using a mag drill bit. Just keep it simple stupid, use regular bits and step out a couple times. If worried about flaking the paint.....just use masking tape over the hole location prior to drilling. This also works for cutting lex/ poly glass. My gosh do we need to over complicate things and have a trove of specialized tools to do simple jobs. Got a friend who just has to cut full sheets of plywood on a table saw with no fence. For all the time in set up I have already ripped or cut it with circular saw. Done! Move on to next piece. "Not building a Rolex" as we say in the bidness.
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The older I get the more I appreciate that Job = Tool. That the tool pretty much IS the job.

And what’s wrong with a specialized tool? (Nothing at all, thank you). I’ve pickup, aluminum trailer and sons vehicle yet to do. I ain’t ripping plywood or working on a salvage steel cabinet. If the tool makes it ANY easier at all, I’m for it. I’ve no problem with the hole, per se, but I would if I later found that a cleaner, less-deforming tool had been available.

If in the next dozen years it gets used a half-dozen times, that’s fine.

No, it’s not a Maserati. So what?

.
 
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When I did mine many years ago , someone let me borrow a tool . I don't know what it's called , he was a sheet metal worker . It was basically a punch of sorts . 2 pc's you drilled a small pilot hole , slipped bolt through to connect both pc's , tighten top bolt & it made a perfect hole . Wish I knew what they called it & had one the right size in my tool collection .
 
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357magnum said:
When I did mine many years ago , someone let me borrow a tool . I don't know what it's called , he was a sheet metal worker . It was basically a punch of sorts . 2 pc's you drilled a small pilot hole , slipped bolt through to connect both pc's , tighten top bolt & it made a perfect hole . Wish I knew what they called it & had one the right size in my tool collection .
Click to expand...

Yes. All sorts of stuff out there. Even with the Internet a search isn’t easy. And imagine an ingenious item invented decades ago and that disappeared with the death of that man.

Just a little something he had in the toolbox. (My toolbox isn’t running out of room).
 
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357magnum said:
When I did mine many years ago , someone let me borrow a tool . I don't know what it's called , he was a sheet metal worker . It was basically a punch of sorts . 2 pc's you drilled a small pilot hole , slipped bolt through to connect both pc's , tighten top bolt & it made a perfect hole . Wish I knew what they called it & had one the right size in my tool collection .
Click to expand...

Hydraulic Knockout Punch Driver Kit

Amazon product ASIN B013UIX5MI
 
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Slowmover said:
The older I get the more I appreciate that Job = Tool. That the tool pretty much IS the job.

And what’s wrong with a specialized tool? (Nothing at all, thank you). I’ve pickup, aluminum trailer and sons vehicle yet to do. I ain’t ripping plywood or working on a salvage steel cabinet. If the tool makes it ANY easier at all, I’m for it. I’ve no problem with the hole, per se, but I would if I later found that a cleaner, less-deforming tool had been available.

If in the next dozen years it gets used a half-dozen times, that’s fine.

No, it’s not a Maserati. So what?

.
Click to expand...
The older I get the more I understand this mentality. I thought I was just getting lazy, but I'm still not sure. For now I still usually choose speed over ease, but I can see that changing in the future.
 
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338_MtRushmore said:
The older I get the more I understand this mentality. I thought I was just getting lazy, but I'm still not sure. For now I still usually choose speed over ease, but I can see that changing in the future.
Click to expand...
Professional results usually require professional tools. Not saying a craftsman can't do it as well, but the punch does such an easy job and quick.
I have a complete set of "Green Lee" punches with the hydraulic rams.
 
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