Lunatico plates, and others, are designed to be easily adapted for whatever use you want to give them. That is the reason why we make them in solid aluminium, which shows far fewer machining problems than extruded forms.

What you'll need

Indispensable:

  • A power drill, able to run at low speed. A pillar (drill press) makes the operation easier, but it isn't necessary.
  • A drill bit for metal, of the appropriate diameter. It's better to make the hole a little larger — 1mm, for example — than strictly necessary, in order to have some margin.

Optional:

  • Some oil, or even milk, for lubricating the drill bit.
  • A punch and a hammer for marking.

Step by step

First of all, measure and mark the position where you want to make the hole. If possible, make a mark with the punch (a good nail could serve) at the exact point; that will stop the drill bit from wandering.

Lunatico aluminium plate
A Lunatico aluminium plate, marked and ready to drill.

Grip the plate well to a table, using clamps or similar — although if the hole is small (some 5mm or less), an assistant with gloves holding it may be enough.

Grease it slightly with oil (machining oil is perfect; if you don't have it, mineral oil, olive oil, milk… any lubricating agent will do).

Keep the drill in a vertical position, and using the mark you made, apply slight downward pressure and start the drill at a medium/slow speed — the larger the drill bit, the lower the speed.

If the hole is small or the plate is thick, it's a good idea to pull the drill back several times, to clear the swarf and lubricate again. It's usually recommended to pull the bit back and clean it after drilling a length equal to its own diameter.

Pay attention as you approach breaking through the far side of the plate, since the drill tends to bind; at that point it's best to ease off the pressure, slow down, and grip the drill firmly.

Safety notes

  • Metal is more difficult to drill than wood or masonry; take extra care, work smoothly, and once drilling, take care not to let the drill speed run away.
  • If the supporting table isn't a proper work table, place a piece of wood or similar underneath to avoid damaging it.
  • This procedure gets more difficult for larger drill bits (say, larger than 7mm), since the drill exerts much more force in the opposite direction.
  • Always use goggles!