There are several cases when a tube needs to have holes drilled in it, but it is most commonly done to allow components to be attached together as part of a larger product. The holes need to be properly positioned so they line up, allowing the bolts or rivets to hold the pieces together. If they don’t line up, the part will be unusable and need to be remade.

Tube drilling is trickier with rounded tubes because of the curved edge. It is easier with angular ones because the surface will be flat. When dealing with a curved surface the tube needs to be properly clamped in place and the hole must be drilled with care. You should keep in mind that the thickness of the wall will differ because of the shape so you’ll need to make sure the hole is uniform the whole way through.

The amount of pressure used when drilling holes in tubing needs to be considered carefully too. If you use too much, especially on a rounded tube, you can cause a flat spot. This harms the finish and can have a knock-on effect on the performance of the part. Whether you drill by hand or with a machine the set-up need to be perfect and the hole should be drilled slowly, without using too much pressure. Let the drill bit do the work and cut through the material rather than forcing it through.

As well as the pressure you should also be careful when deciding what size drill bit you are going to use. This will differ depending on the diameter of the tube and the thickness of the wall. The bit should be long enough to penetrate the tube but short enough to ensure it doesn’t touch the opposite side. You also want to avoid the drill chuck touching the tube as this could cause damage around the hole.

At Multiform Tubes we are accomplished at tube drilling and offer a host of tube bending services. We have the right skills and equipment to ensure we can drill holes in all kinds of tubing, including a variety of shapes, dimensions and even various materials too. We work with a selection of metals and will produce a quality finish with each one. Whatever your needs you can rely on us to do a great job and produce the best products, whether you want us to manufacture the tubing from scratch or finish existing parts for you.