White metal chimney ( drilling hole )

[mswjr]

Another Question please, On this 4mm scale loco kit i am building the chimney is white metal, It looks naff as it has no hole, It is solid white metal, 

I will have no chance drilling it through as it is, So i have glued it to the smokebox with Araldite, I am hoping to drill it through this way.

Can i ask what do others do, I am thinking that this may be more difficult than i want it to be.

Thankyou

Garry

Edited November 11, 2021 by mswjr

[ianLMS]

Start with small dia drills and work your way up. Slow speed as if it gets too hot, it will melt the white metal. It might grab, and if it does hopefully only the glue fails and it doesnt damage the chimney or smoke box. Lubricating the drill bit may help and make sure they are new and very sharp.

 

Failing that, large, sharp bit and slowly take slithers away by hand

 

Good luck!!!!

Edited November 11, 2021 by ianLMS

[Steamport Southport]

Start a tiny hole in the centre.

 

Then use a drill bit in a handheld pin vice. Never use a power drill with whitemetal if you can help it.

 

https://www.eileensemporium.com/materials-for-modellers/category/hand-drills-pin-vices-1

 

Finish off with files or a reamer.

 

 

 

Jason

[Hibelroad]

I would agree with the above, hand drilling is essential, withdraw and clean the flutes as soon as you feel it binding. You should get away with quite a shallow hole painted Matt black inside. Getting it concentric will be difficult and you may have to clean the last bit by scraping with a craft knife tip. 

[doilum]

Find some brass tube of the correct size.  Use the white metal base and cap. The middle part is sacraficial so can be clamped hard in the vice whilst you drill out the base from beneath. In 7mm it is usually possible to drill out the casting using a brass tube as a full length blast pipe.

[laurenceb]

I use a bit of as near to the full size as possible to centre then work up from a small bit gently drilling by hand

[The Johnster]

You don't say what the loco actually is, and it may be possible to find a brass turned chimney for it.  Whitemetal is not IMHO the best material for such items, and a turned harder metal will give a much better profile to the lip and cap (if it has one), and of course will already have a hole.  I would suggest Doilum's brass tube method if the chimney is a tall narrow one, as drilling out the material from the inside may compromise structural integrity.  A short fat chimney is easier to deal with in this regard.

 

I agree with the idea of aralditing or supergluing the chimney in position on the top of the smokebox for drilling, as on some kits the bottom of it has a locating peg with fits into a hole on the smokebox top for correct central positioning, which will be probably removed by the hole drilling.  With luck and a following wind, the chimney will remain in the correct position during the drilling process and not need to be relocated by line of sight, though this is still possible if dragging by the drill bit tears if off.

[mswjr]

The loco is a N class ( S R )  In late B R livery, The chimney is a short fat one, I followed the above methods and drilled it a step at a time , And i must say it was not a bad job in the end, All went o.k.  I got the kit as a winter project , so i can stay in the house rather than my cold workshop, And the kit is almost finished, ( quite enjoying it ).  So i may have to get another kit, for the winter months.

  Thankyou all for the advice.