Drill through thread..

[Rawdo]

I'm still on the drawing board for my second saber and I'll probably have to secure 2 parts together (double ended male with double ended female) at one point..
I figure I'll have to drill through the threads and put a set screw but I don't have a drill press...
Can it be done without or should I go back to the drawing board.?
And if it can be done, any tips or trick would be appreciated.

[Zahc Zi Phan]

It can be done, very slowly, and very carefully. Tim will be doing it for me soon on a few custom parts.

[Scarecrow]

You can buy a clamp on drill bit guide that will help with the chatter and such. You secure the piece in a vise, clamp the guide to the piece with the matching size over where you want the hole to be and then use your cordless or whatever to drill the hole. It's not in the store here or I'd post a link. Google it and you should find it. They do have the standard tap and drill sets here http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Tools-C22.aspx

[Rawdo]

I'll look for that. Thanks!

[Miraluka]

I've drilled through threads a lot, actually. I don't want you to be careless or anything, but it's not as hard as you think. Especially with something as small as an 8-32 set screw. I do it with a regular drill/tap set and a hand drill. Nothing fancy.

[Rawdo]

Thanks! I should receive a clamp-on guide in a few days. I have a few spare parts that I can use to practice with.

[Scarecrow]

Glad to hear it. Way cheaper than a press and works fine for small stuff. They have lots of options for set screws in the store.

[jt_trouble]

If you free hand it, make sure to use a sharp center punch to mark a hole. It will keep the drill bit from skipping around.

[TrypWyr]

You could also use a center drill (usually used with lathes) to start the hole. They don't walk like a thin drill bit does when hitting a flat surface.