I am preparing to do such a thing. Had my March for about two months now and slowly working up the gumption to drill on my kettles. Almost out of beer and I need to brew. But its so darn hot already…
[quote]Also, I agree, the hardest part about the drill bit is preparing myself to drill into a new kettle.
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If you have a friend who is into woodworking, and has a full sized drill press (the kind that go on the floor, and are about 6ish feet tall), with an adjustable platform, give them some beer, and have them help you with the drilling operation. I did this with my father’s drill press on my new 25 gallon MegaPot, and had the same reservations.
The drill press is a delta, and the table can lower down to about 1.5 feet above the base. We clamped two pieces of wood on either side of the table, to act as a cradle for the kettle, and set the kettle on its side to drill. Used a step-bit in the drill press, and went to town. It worked perfectly, and the drill press helped to keep the kettle from moving around while drilling.
My only other advice is to wear gloves. I’m used to wood working, and after a cut or drill, just brushing aside the sawdust with my hand. I do it subconsciously, and tried to do the same with the metal shavings. Those things are SHARP! I cut my hand up pretty good (though I always cite superstition that if no blood is spilled while building something, the project is doomed to failure).
Been there, done that! It’s almost impossible to NOT subconsciously swipe - ouch.
I did my drilling with a cheapo old corded drill and a new step drill bit. I took my sweet time. It was suprisingly easy to do.
Agree with the metal burrs and shavings being a bit sharp.
But, if you gently brush it off with a brush or vacuum attachment–you won’t cut yourself.
The shavings tend to fly off the drill–when the metal bits hit your skin it kind of feels like a 4th of July sparkler being held a little too close to your body. Nothing too serious, but it does get your attention.
So, before you drill wear Safety Glasses (no matter what), gloves, and long shirt/pants if you’re really timid or into protection.
& ear plugs!
What does this layer look like? Is it a discoloration?
Yeah, it’s kind of a gray film.
Yes, it almost looks… dirty
Really.
Silvery gray, slightly dirty. Find a piece of bare aluminum that’s been exposed to the weather; it’s that color. Scratch that weathered aluminum with the tip of a knife and the color of the scratch is what unpassivated aluminum look like.