Totally off the subject but I need some metal...

[Randee of the Redwoods]

I'm having a hard time finding some metric metal, in particular 5mm aluminum rod. The only place I found so far has an $85 minimum order and I only need like 3 feet. I figure I'd ask here since there are sooooooo many smart people here. You got me out of my gas in the diesel truck problem so that's all the proof I need!

[Bobbie Martin]

Do you have to have 5mm? Fractional rod is real easy to find. Do you need one piece 3' or are you going to cut it? It wouldn't be too hard to turn some 1/4" rod to 5mm if it was shorter.

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
Try www.use-enco.com (http://www.use-enco.com) Look under raw materials section and see what you can find. Depending on application 3/16 is mighty close. trying to turn down a long skinny piece of AL can be VERY frustrating! Tell us the application and then maybe we could come up with better answers.
L8r
Conley

[Barry Nave]

Wonder what I would do with a 5mm rod on my 95 :confused: :D

[trbankii]

Yep, most places only give the fractional sizes. You're slightly over 3/16" material. Here is MSC with 3/16" x 5' :

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=1854605&PMT4NO=1922730

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Wow. So many responses so quickly. I knew I should have asked here first.
The application is for custom parts for my radio controlled cars and yes it has to be 5mm. The original part I'm duplicating(in an easier to modify material) is 5mm in diameter. Fractional won't work and everybody carries it. It has to be metric and the only place that carries it has to have an $85 dollar MINIMUM order and I do not have the capability to lathe it myself. Man. Finally hit on a good idea and now this.
I tried to modify the original part and the 5/64 hole cost me 5 burned and broken drill bits(but my new drill press works great) and the hole is still unusable(don't ask). Ok then, how do I drill steel properly? Modifying the original part would be easier and the better way to go, but it's made of some hard steel that supposedly "high speed" and "intended for metal" drill bits can't handle, even on low speeds. I'm going to try some new bits that specifially say they are intended for stainless steel and "other hard to drill metals" and see what happens.
Duplicating this in aluminum would be so much easier.

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
The cutting speed for drill bits increases as hole size decreases. So for a smaller hole you want to turn faster. Your new drill press should have some cut speed tables in the manual. Otherwise go to the local book store and look in a machine shop hand book. Also get a can of Drill-chill or similar cutting oil. The bit should be a Cobalt bit(not cheap). If you really want it to work then don't skimp on the bit, there is a LARGE difference between a cheap bit and a good bit. Probably won't find these at Walmart :D
Another option is to check at your local machine and welding shops. They might be able to order it and put it on an account that doesn't have a minimum or put it with a larger order to make the cut.
OR.... does it have to be Aluminum? Steel is much easier to turn down.
OR.... fill in the hole that the rod goes through and start over with what ever size you want.
OR.... Scrap the whole idea, sit back and let someone else get rich! :D
Hope this helps!
L8r
Conley

[Bobbie Martin]

Does this screw into a 5mm hole? If there is room, you could use a larger rod and turn the end to 5mm without too much trouble - if you can't find someone to do it let me know. Also, you could easily make an adapter with 5mm threads on one end and SAE on the other. Probably there all kinds of ways to do this. You can buy a Harbor Freight or Homier 7X10 lathe for around $3-350 and they are perfect for this kind of stuff.

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Dvldog-Yes, the "new" bits were Dewalt Cobalt bits. They were my last resort since their package said "hard to drill metals". Follow-up-The cobalt bit seemed to do the trick for starters. I filed a flat on the small shaft I needed to drill and the cobalt bit tore into like nobody's business. Then it kinda slacked off. I DID eventually get through but in a totally different way. I won't bore you with the details.
Where can I get this cutting oil? That may be the missing ingrediant I need as I do believe burned up the cobalt bits now, too. I've learned a lot lately as this is the first time I've tried to drill round steel. Nothing learned will go to pass as this project WILL continue. And to those interested, I'm adapting the Traxxas Revo topshaft to my T-Maxx. Confused? Oh well. I won't get into specifics. I love my radio control cars.
I'm not buying a lathe just for this but I will figure out how to drill steel reliably. All I need now is to try it again with new bits(can I use a bit sharpener with the cobalt bits???) and the cutting oil. As soon as I get the cutting oil I'll let you know how it goes.

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
You should be able to get cutting oil at any hardware store. If I understand right you are trying to drill length-wise through a shaft? If so, and the prospective hole is a deep one requiring allot of drilling then you need to use much PATIENCE and drill a little at a time then back out and allow the bit top clean and get more oil on it. What happens is the chips are stacking in the bit flutes and plugging up. Then you get more friction and heat and you smoke the bit. that is why at first it drilled good and then slowly got worse. don't try to resharpen the bit.
Keep trying....
L8r
Conley

[EWC]

Maryland Metrics , in Baltimore , has quite an assortment of all things metric . Should be in the phone book .

[Randee of the Redwoods]

oooooooooo EWC!!! You may have just made my day! I looked up Maryland Metrics. They have a website and it says they stock the size I need, but I don't know if they have it in the material I need yet. I'll have to call. Best part is they only have a TEN dollar minimum order! Just a 1 meter piece of what I want will cover that!
Man I really owe you one on that. Funny, though, how this place didn't show up in my searches before.

[Barry Nave]

for my radio controlled cars

Is this gas powered,off road style?
My 7 and 14 year age boys want to get in to this,also my self. I think it would good times with the boys and wonder if there be a good web site that would have good pricing. Did some search and this could get costly :(
Would'nt be much fun with just one car and with two of them I'd be side lined.
Could there be some good used modles where some one may have up graded to MORE POWER :D

[DmaxMaverick]

Originally posted by Bnave95:
for my radio controlled cars

Is this gas powered,off road style?
My 7 and 14 year age boys want to get in to this,also my self. I think it would good times with the boys and wonder if there be a good web site that would have good pricing. Did some search and this could get costly :(
Would'nt be much fun with just one car and with two of them I'd be side lined.
Could there be some good used modles where some one may have up graded to MORE POWER :D www.towerhobbies.com (http://www.towerhobbies.com)
www.horizonhobby.com (http://www.horizonhobby.com)
www.telehobbies.com (http://www.telehobbies.com)
www.hobby-lobby.com (http://www.hobby-lobby.com)
www.rcmodels.com (http://www.rcmodels.com)
www.centralhobbies.com (http://www.centralhobbies.com)

All excellent retailers. There are dozens of online hobby shops, these are some I've dealt with.

More power?? It's in there. How fast do you want to spend. Be careful....Your 6.5 could be come a minor expense.

[tom.mcinerney]

Maryland does seem to have about largest stock of metric sizes.

If determined, can resort to the great index of American industry : Thomas Register
<http://www.thomasnet.com/>.

There are engineering-oriented search engines, as
<http://search.globalspec.com/Search/WebSearch>.

Cutting fluids can decrease the effort+heat by 1/2 or more. I've used brands: Cool-Tool, Tap-Magic.

Thinking flexibly , like Bobbie Maartin's suggestions, can help a lot.

[ees]

I have used Maryland Metrics at work. We buy from them and sell lead screw to them.

You could also get metric shafting in 5 mm from McMaster. Look on page 964 of their online catalog for 316 stainless shafting.

We also use metricmetals.com (Parker Steel), but they can be spendy.

If you need smaller lengths and want a hard part buy drill blanks. You can get them in 0.001" increments on diameter, but length is limited. I think MSCDirect.com sells them. J&L Industrial likely does too.

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Thanks to all you smart people who replied with answers(even though the "truck" in question stands roughly 12" tall). I found my cutting fluid, or something like it, at Home Depot. Plumbing isle. A friend of mine(again, smarter than me) clued me in to the fact I was looking in the wrong place. Since cutting oil is used to cut threads, look where the pipe threaders are. Now I have me a big bottle and probably more than I will ever need(stuff stinks, too). I even tried it out on a new Cobalt bit and the bit survived. Been a bit of a learning curve here. But, I can now say I have the capability to handle steel. Yay! My right arm is in a cast now so I'll be away from my projects until I heal. Shouldn't be very long.

[Bob's 6.5TD]

FYI, I'm usually leery of buying anything ever promoted on T.V. However, after 2 years of see advertising on the Drill Dr. I found one at a good price, Journeyman 400, now I'll have to say I'm very pleased with it and found it to be exactly what they said it was. I've voluntarily sharpened everybody I know's drill bits. Sharpened Coblt just like cheap steel.
Any man who doesn't like a sharp drill bit, well, let's just say, he may want to have his chromosome's checked.

[Dvldog 8793]

DITTO on the Drill Dr. A good product if you do lots of drilling.