Can someone Drill Into Steel for me?

Yingpin · Jan 8, 2019

I recently acquired a Cub Cadet 124 and I love this old girl. It came with wheel weights but they may have been off another tractor. It has 4 slots cut into the 2" thick steel plates but they are just a bit off. I believe that if I can drill with a 1/2 bit into the slot and make them deeper (towards center), they should line up and work well.

I don't have the equipment to do this and was wondering if anyone could or had a recommendation on someone who could?

E.Shell · Jan 8, 2019

Can't recommend anyone, but any machine shop could do this work.

BTW, you really want someone to run a 1/2" end mill in, because a regular twist drill will grab, pull in, bind and break.

K31 · Jan 8, 2019

Get a round mill file and commence filing.

Blacksmith101 · Jan 8, 2019

How far do you have to go? Measure the distance between the bottom of the slots on the wheel weights and the corresponding measurement on the wheel rim.

Mr. Ed · Jan 8, 2019

If all you want to do is make the slots longer, why not use an angle grinder?

Muleskinner · Jan 8, 2019

Mr. Ed said:
If all you want to do is make the slots longer, why not use an angle grinder?

^^^ this...Harbor Freight is your friend.

PapiBarcelona · Jan 8, 2019

Angle grinder

Z_Man · Jan 8, 2019

how pretty do you want it? if you want it to work angle grinder, if you want pretty and have time a file or a dremel..... if you have $$ and want it pretty machine shop (end mill is the way to do it as mentioned above).

also if you have a decent cordless power drill you can totally do it as well... start with a 1/16" or a 3/32" bit and then work your way up to half inch... that steel is probably very mild so it should go pretty quick... like 1 batteries worth max. wheel off, line up wheel with weight, use sharpie to mark center, place on flat piece of wood (or 2 2x4's) and drill it up. with that thin of a drill bit its not hard to get a straight hole. by the time you are up to half inche you'll probably be running up to the existing slots... use the angle grinder to lop them off.

you could also use a jig saw with a metal blade. that probably would go kinda quick... its a lot of steel, but i would wager its very soft. now that i think about it that is probably the easiest way to do it and have it look pretty nice. i'd run a file over the corners so its a bit less sharp when your done before you paint over the cut. cutting a piece of steel like that isn't any different than wood other than the type of blade and the time it takes.

SRD · Jan 8, 2019

Yingpin said:
I recently acquired a Cub Cadet 124 and I love this old girl. It came with wheel weights but they may have been off another tractor. It has 4 slots cut into the 2" thick steel plates but they are just a bit off. I believe that if I can drill with a 1/2 bit into the slot and make them deeper (towards center), they should line up and work well.

I don't have the equipment to do this and was wondering if anyone could or had a recommendation on someone who could?

What do you think they weigh? IIRC,I have 60 lb. (total) on my 106 which is close in weight to a 124 and it's more than sufficient.

Ranchero50 · Jan 8, 2019

2" stick out on a 1/2" end mill is gonna be expensive. I'd do up a drawing of the bolt hole pattern and use it to drill another set of holes. Start with a 1/4" drill bit and work up. Any bench size drill press will work OK. Slow speed, 800 rpm or less and let it eat.

You can also suck the air out of the tire tubes and fill them with windshield washer fluid. The methanol won't freeze and it's pretty cheap to do.

MigraineMan · Jan 8, 2019

You could send to Abom79, but he's going to want to chuck it in the 4-jaw and spend 30 minutes making a video about dialing it in. (He might use the shaper - been featuring that a bunch recently.)

On a serious note, I would drill new holes offset from the slots. You won't have to worry about tear-out, and the work can be done on a drill press (or with a hand drill if you're careful.) As mentioned, pilot drill and work your way up rather than starting with the finished size.

randyho · Jan 8, 2019

MigraineMan said:
On a serious note, I would drill new holes offset from the slots. You won't have to worry about tear-out, and the work can be done on a drill press (or with a hand drill if you're careful.) As mentioned, pilot drill and work your way up rather than starting with the finished size.

This. A step bit may be your buddy here.

Ranchero50 · Jan 8, 2019

randyho said:
This. A step bit may be your buddy here.

Gonna have too much cutter engagement (too many steps cutting at once) for it to work well. 1/2" jobber drill after using a 1/4" jobber for a pilot. Key is using a drill press to give enough force over the long time for the depth of cut to keep the bit cutting efficiently. Low speed, good force. Pop the quill up enough to break the chip once it gets @ 1.5" long. Peck, peck, peck, peck until through.

Mark75H · Jan 8, 2019

randyho said:
This. A step bit may be your buddy here.

Ranchero50 said:
Gonna have too much cutter engagement (too many steps cutting at once) for it to work well. 1/2" jobber drill after using a 1/4" jobber for a pilot. Key is using a drill press to give enough force over the long time for the depth of cut to keep the bit cutting efficiently. Low speed, good force. Pop the quill up enough to break the chip once it gets @ 1.5" long. Peck, peck, peck, peck until through.

I agree.

I'd probably go the grinder route though.

E.Shell · Jan 8, 2019

MigraineMan said:
...On a serious note, I would drill new holes offset from the slots...

Yep. This is probably the best way. I let myself get stuck on the verbatum request without thinking through why.

ezracer · Jan 8, 2019

How far off are the holes??? Also, if you're trying to drill 4 new holes thru 2" steel with a hand drill...good luck. It will be quite a challenge. Someone suggested a file..... OMG, you'll be an old man before you're done. New holes would NOT be a problem IF you had a Drill Press.

Best bet is a Milling Machine with the appropriate sized end mill and plunge cut.

Failing the above, with only "Harry Home Owner " tools..... I'd opt for a grinder. Check out Harbor Freight.

Again, how far off are the holes????

unimogger · Jan 8, 2019

Easier / faster / cheaper to fab adapter plates . . . Two pieces of the correct diameter with 8 holes each.

antco · Jan 8, 2019

I'd drill new holes using a mag drill and the appropriately sized annular cutter. Probably a 2-beer project once the hole locations are measured and marked.

Yingpin · Jan 9, 2019

Thanks for all of the replies. The holes seem to be off just slightly, I have to measure to be exact. The slots seem to be just a bit too shallow. I have an angle grinder but don't recall If I have a grinding wheel on it anymore but that could work. I know I have a cutting wheel but it is super thin, flap disc, wire brush but don't recall if I still have a grinding wheel.

They are so close that is frustrating that they don't work. The weights slide into the rim so perfectly, it seems that this would be a major oversight.....

These plates feel like they are about 45lbs each.

steveh326 · Jan 9, 2019

the weights i had for my cub cadet sat on the rim of the wheel, with long carriage bolts run in from inside to outside to hold them on. probably a dumb question but are you sure yours don't mount the same way? lot of juggling to mount the wheel and the weight using same lug nuts/bolts I would guess.

Can someone Drill Into Steel for me?

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