Drilling Hexagonal Holes

Here is a simple way to drill hexagonal holes. No filing is needed.

http://rick.sparber.org/dhh.pdf

The basic idea can be extended to drilling any polygon.

Sweet!!! I was thinking along those lines for a small tool Idea I want to make!

Some more on the same topic

Workshopshed: Drilling square holes

That is amazing and opens up a whole new line of possibilities of drilling other types of polygons. Thank you for sharing this video.

Cool! GREAT post as usual, Rick!

Simple applied math can be a very powerful tool in the shop.

In the past I build many holes using this method, not so enhanced with the math but it works very well.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. :clapping:

:hattip:

Glad to be of service.

Hi all it,s nice to see all the work yous do....I am new to metel work,i jest got a welder and the first thing I would to make is a brike,,,if anyone got some time iwould love some help II would like to start small,,,,,thank you Richard

Thanks for sharing a very well-written article Rick. Textbook quality!

Al

Thanks Rick! I've added your Hexagonal Hole Drilling to our Drilling and Drill Presses category, as well as to your builder page: Rick Sparber's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="/hexagonal-hole-drilling"><img src="/uploads/105693/hexagonal-hole-drilling.jpeg" alt="Hexagonal Hole Drilling" /></a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="/hexagonal-hole-drilling">Hexagonal Hole Drilling</a> <span> by <a href="/builder/Rick+Sparber">Rick Sparber</a></span> </div> <div class="tags"> tags: <a href="/tag/hex">hex</a>, <a href="/tag/drilling">drilling</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>

This thread has been moved to the Must Read subforum. Congrats (and thanks) to Rick for making such a valuable contribution!

Thanks much, just what I needed.

Glad to help. Rick

I think a rotary broach would work easier. Drill and broach.
Nelson

Years ago you could buy a bit that would drill a square hole. It was shaped like the rotor from a Wankel engine, mounted off center on a shaft. As it spun, it would cut a seemingly square hole. I don't know if it was perfectly square, but it looked pretty good.