Portable magnetic drills are designed for drilling large work pieces that cannot be placed on the table of a conventional drill press. Often referred to as “mag drills,” these tools utilize an annular cutter for drilling through steel.
It's been said, "If the mountain will not come to the man, then the man must go to the mountain." Well, friend, the same holds true for drilling metal. Normally, if you need to drill a hole in metal, you just take the work piece and slap it down on the table of a drill press (or radial drill, for larger pieces) and have at it.
But what if your item needing a hole is a giant I-beam, or perhaps a steel plate that's already been riveted in place? What do you do then? As luck would have it, that's where the magnetic drill comes in.
"Mag drills," as they are popularly called, are portable powered drills featuring an electro-magnet base which, when activated, attaches the drill firmly in place at the desired location on the steel (or similar material) work piece.
These miniature, portable drill presses can usually be used in any position, and are often seen attached to the side of a work piece, drilling horizontally. Most can also be used upside down for overhead work. Extremely low profile models are available from some manufacturers for use in tight spaces.
Magnetic base drills of this type will usually use a specialized bit known as an annular cutter for drilling through steel. These bits cut only the outside edge around the hole, similar to hole saws for wood, leaving a round "slug" of material that falls free when the cut is done. Drilling larger holes in shorter times and with less force, make these the ideal bit for putting holes in metal. (And did we mention no burrs? Oh, yeah, there's that too!)
For a "hole" of a good time, call Bud's Machine Tools for your next portable magnetic drill!
