Drilling holes in angle iron is a common task for many metalworkers. You may be surprised to know that there are actually professional tips and tricks to doing this job well! This blog post will provide you with the necessary information on how to do it right, so your drilling job turns out perfect.

How to Drill a Hole in Angle Iron Properly Without Making Mistakes

Drilling holes in angle iron can be a bit tricky. Angle irons are made from thin sheets of metal and there is no strong surface like you would find on flat stock.

Also, drilling into the end grain (the direction that the fibers lay) will likely cause your drill to “grab” or bind up, which will cause you to lose control of the drill. Here’s a guide on how to drill a hole in angle iron without ruining the piece.

Step 1: Sanding and Painting Angle Iron

The first step is to sand down your metal pieces with an orbital sander if you have access to one. If not, use 80 grit paper and go over each sheet of steel twice (front and back).

Once you’ve done this, put some primer on the pieces and let it dry. After they are painted with your chosen paint color (we recommend silver for angle iron), you can move onto step two, drilling holes in the angle iron.

Step 2: Drilling Holes in Angle Iron

The best bit to use when drilling into metal like this would be carbide-tipped masonry drill bits that have been sharpened at an 80-degree tip.

These will give you the most control of your drill while putting minimal pressure on the steel itself which could cause it to crack or become damaged. To get started, position yourself so that you’re standing either right above or beside where you’ll be working from. This way if there are any reactions that come from the drill, you’ll be able to keep them in check.

Step 3: Finishing Up

Once your holes are drilled through angle iron, give it a few taps on all sides with a hammer to avoid protrusion or sharpness caused by any metal shards left behind after drilling the hole.

Then clean up your newly created angles with a machine coolant. This will leave you with an ultra-smooth finish and ready for whatever project you have planned! That’s how to drill into angle irons without making costly mistakes like ruining the piece completely! Now get out there and make something amazing!

Tips On How to Drill a Hole in Angle Iron

Here are the five tips you need to know for drilling a hole in angle iron!

Tip 1: Use Your Protective Gear

It’s important to wear your protective gear when you’re drilling metal. You should use eye protection, gloves, and even a steel-toed boot.

The piece of angle iron might fly off the drill press, or it could cause sparks to come out at an odd angle which can hurt you if they hit right on the joint where your eyes are! It is one thing for shattered pieces of metal to just fall down into whatever space happens to be below them, but quite another if those shards happen upon unprotected skin, not something that anyone wants under any circumstances!

Tip 2: Use a Drill Bit for Your Angle Iron

When you’re working with angle iron, it’s very important that your drill bit is made of high-grade steel and has been tempered properly so that they are strong enough not to break while they are being used!

You should always have an ample supply of drills on hand just in case something happens during the drilling process, especially if this seems like it will be difficult (which oftentimes it will seem like)!

It would also help tremendously if you were able to keep these bits sharpened as well because when you try using them after some time away from the grinder, there isn’t going to be enough of a bite to get the job done – it will just frustrate you and frustrate whoever is receiving your work as well!

Tip 3: Get Your Drill Press Set Up Properly Before You Begin Drilling Angle Iron

It might seem like common sense (and perhaps at first glance), setting up your drill press with angle iron is something that anyone can do without much thought about how they’re doing it.

But the truth of the matter is that this isn’t something to take lightly, and there are some very important steps you need to follow for your drill press set up if you want it done properly.

You should always check out where everything will line up before drilling into your piece of angle iron because once it’s in, there’s no going back!

Tip 4: Use a Sharp Drill Bit (If Possible)

Even though using sharp bits might be difficult at times, especially when they keep breaking or don’t seem like they’re doing anything except irritating whoever happens to try them next time around, we would recommend trying these first.

We say this because dull bits can do more damage than good and could even cause further complications down the road should you have to keep using them. It’s much better to use a sharp bit from the beginning so that way when it comes time for replacement or another round of drilling, these can be used instead, and they will definitely do the job right!

Tip 5: If You’re Unsure About How To Drill A Hole In Angle Iron – Don’t Do It

If you feel like there is any uncertainty about how to angle ironworks, then don’t go ahead with your project until this has been sorted out properly because once again, there really isn’t going back after you’ve drilled into your piece of metal, no matter what type of material it consists of.

Drilling through an angle iron might seem simple enough at first glance, but depending on what kind of material it is and how much of this you’re dealing with, these can get very complicated in a hurry!

As you can see, drilling a hole in angle iron is not difficult if you’re using the proper tools. If you would like to learn how to drill into a vinyl fence and how to bolt down a drill press, check out our other blogs.