BASIC GUIDE TO MAGNETIC DRILLS & ANNULAR CUTTERS How to use a Magnetic Drill with Annular Cutters, what to look for, best practices and tips to extend tool life & achieve the best performance www.hougen.
Magnetic Drills What is a Magnetic Drill? ........................................................................................ When Do I Use a Mag Drill? ................................................................................... Where is a Mag Drill Used? .................................................................................... Parts to a Mag Drill ................................................................................................. Which Mag Drill Do I Select? ..........
What is a Magnetic Drill? A magnetic drill is a specialized portable power tool used for drilling holes in steel and similar metals. • They are used on the job site or in the shop • Also referred to as a mag drill, portable base drills, portable drill press When Do I Use a Mag Drill? It can be time-consuming and cumbersome to try to maneuver large steel or pipe into position at a stationary drill press or work center.
M ad US Parts to a Mag Drill A ei Slide / Gibs Feed Handles Motor Housing Arbor Typical Control Panel Motor On/Off Magnet On/Off Safety Switch Light Front Support Bracket Magnet (Electromagnet) magnetizes to the steel Annular Cutter Visit Pilot Light 4 The above drill is the HMD904 which is the most popular drill for general fabrication. www.hougen.
Which Mag Drill Do I Select? Use the chart on page 18 to determine which mag drill to use. The mag drill you select depends upon: • Application • Diameter of hole • Depth of hole to be drilled (D.O.C. Depth of Cut) • Drilling speed requirements • Number of holes • Work environment • Space / physical limitations • Type of material to be drilled Size of a Mag Drill Available in a variety of sizes. From ultra low profile to large multi-speed models.
What is an Annular Cutter? An annular cutter is a specialized bit for drilling through steel. Like a hole saw for wood, an annular cutter only cuts the outside edge of a hole. It produces accurate burr-free holes to close tolerances without pre-drilling or step drilling. It can drill a much larger hole and requires less force and time than a standard twist drill bit.
Types of Annular Cutters “12,000-Series” M2 HSS (High Speed Steel) Most popular and used for a wide variety of applications. • Mild & Structural Steel • Aluminum • Stainless Steel (lower BHN) “12,000-Series” M2 HSS TiN Coated Coatings offer better performance in harder steels. • Structural Steel • Stainless Steel M42 Premium HSS Cutters (Cobalt) Cobalt plus TiN coating offers even better performance in harder steels.
M ad US Parts to an Annular Cutter Hole in the top is for the pilot A Shank ei • 3/4” dia. • 1-1/4” dia. • Fusion™ • Tool - less Flutes (Pulls chips out of hole) Flats (Holds cutter rigid) n Houge ers can r Cutt d a l u n n A e harpen Each s e r be imes. t e l p i the mult s e c u d e hole. time r r u o y f cost o ® Cutting Teeth (Different angles are called Geometry. Does the Actual Cutting) Diameter & Depth When determining cutter size, they are measured by depth and diameter.
Cutter Geometry Angles on the cutting teeth make a big difference in how the tool performs. More precision angles increase the tool life and accuracy. Hougen tools have four different tooth geometries. • 2 angle • 2 & 3 angle - Hougen-Edge® Different Angles • Stack-Cut on the Teeth • Industrial Standard vs. Stack-Cut Geometry Most annular cutters come with Standard geometry. These cutters are designed to cut through one piece of steel.
What is a Pilot? A Pilot is a large nail looking object that must be used when using an annular cutter. It serves three very important functions: 1. Locates the center of the hole 2. Allows coolant to flow down around the slug and to the cutting teeth 3. Ejects the slug at the end of the cut Pilots go through the center of the cutter. They retract up into the mag drill arbor as the hole is made. Pilots last a very long time and can be used with multiple sizes of cutters.
What Makes an Annular Cutter Turn? Annular Cutters are most often used with mag drills but can also be used with machine tools such as mills and large drill presses with tool holders. Industrial Machines Magnetic Drills Annular Cutter Accessories Sharpening Machine Machine Arbors Hole Enlarging Pilots Chuck Arbors www.hougen.
TIPS & TROUBLESHOOTING FOR USING MAG DRILLS & ANNULAR CUTTERS READ YOUR OPERATOR’S MANUAL ALWAYS OBSERVE STANDARD AND SPECIFIC SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS When in Doubt VISIT WWW.HOUGEN.COM OR CALL HOUGEN TECHNICAL SERVICE 800-426-7818 Mag Drill - Magnet Adhesion Mag drills must magnetize to a solid surface. Magnetic strength is related to steel thickness. Minimum thickness is 3/8”. If the material is thinner, the magnet will not hold well.
Do I Have to Use Coolant? No.... BUT... Coolant increases annular cutter tool life dramatically. Hougen offers a number of different kinds of lubricant depending on the application. RotaMagic™ Concentrated Cutting Fluid is a biodegradable coolant that is mixed with water and used with a mag drills coolant system. Slick-Stik™ is a waxy lubricant. The user applies a glob to the inside and cutting teeth. Slick-Stik melts as the hole is made. Good for horizontal and overhead holes.
Why Does My Slug Stick? Using lubricant or cutting fluid helps the slug to eject at the end of the cut. But when slug ejection becomes unreliable or the steel resists cutting, it probably means the cutter’s cutting edges are becoming dull. Re-sharpen or replace your cutter. Also make sure there are no chips inside your cutter which can hold up a slug. Also periodically check your ejection springs to maintain proper spring life.
What is Positive Slug Ejection? It is an arbor system that when the feed handles are retracted requires the slug to be pushed out after drilling a hole. The handles will not fully retract until the slug comes out of the cutter. All Hougen drills include this feature. It is a much more reliable method than a spring ejection arbor. What is the Proper Feed Rate for a Mag Drill? A solid steady feed rate should be used to maximize cutter tool life. Listen to the motor.
Why Do I Have Trouble Drilling Stainless Steel? Stainless steel is a beautiful material but it can easily work harden. Meaning... if you let off your feed pressure and allow heat to build up, the material can harden up to the point that it becomes almost impossible to continue. Use solid steady feed pressure, plenty of coolant and DO NOT let up to adjust your position. Should I Use a Power Feed Drill? Power feed drills offer a nice option for increased productivity.
Hougen Manufacturing, Inc. Hougen Manufacturing is a family owned business with our world headquarters and manufacturing facility located in Swartz Creek Michigan. The company was started by the late Dr. E Douglas Hougen who held over 400 worldwide patents including many for the “12,000-Series” Annular Cutter. For over 50 years Hougen has been the world leader in portable magnetic drills and annular cutters.
PORTABLE MAGNETIC DRILLS HMD115 HMD150 HMD904 Annular Cutters Low Profile HMD905 HMD927 HMD917 Fabricating HMD505 / HMD508 HMD933 Heavy Duty Drilling RotaLoc™ With Adapter With Adapter With Adapter With Adapter With Adapter RotaLoc Plus™ With Adapter With Adapter With Adapter With Adapter With Adapter With Adapter (5/8" & Larger) “12,000-Series” Copperhead™ Carbide Tipped “42/43,000-Series” Model Specifications Diameter Min./ Max.
1/4" (6.4mm) 3/8" Triple Flat Shank 1/4" to 1/2" (6.4mm - 12.7mm) 3/8" or 1/2" Triple Flat Shank M2 HSS Max. Depth of Cut Mounting Cutter Material(s) Available Slick-Stik™ Recommended Lubrication Stainless Steel Harder Steel Mild Steel Aluminum 275 BHN (28.5 HRC) Max. Application Hardness Rating (Within Limits) Available Grind Down Can be Resharpened 3/8" to 9/16" 1/4" to 1-1/2" (6mm - 25mm) Diameter Range Min. / Max. M2 HSS 3/8" Triple Flat Shank 1/8" (3.
Hougen Regional Sales Agencies Your Link to Field Service, Sales Support and Training B & B Industrial Inc. 15532 S.W. Pacific Hwy C1B #413 Tigard, Oregon 97224 Phone: (503) 639-7106 m.bullard2010@hotmail.com Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana & Washington Hougen Manufacturing 3001 Hougen Drive Swartz Creek, MI 48473 Phone: (810) 635-7111 j.martinez@hougen.com Florida KB Sales 104 Cain Drive Brentwood, NY 11717 Phone: (631) 269-7260 kbsales@optimum.
