The most indispensable tool during repairs or construction work is considered to be a drill, electric or battery-powered. It helps to carry out a lot of preparatory work, from mixing the solution to grinding wooden or concrete structures. To perform the last operation, you will need a grinding attachment for a drill, which has many modifications that can be used to work on metal, wood, concrete and plastered surfaces.
Purpose
Specialized attachments for drills sometimes quite successfully replace a full-fledged narrow-profile tool. This approach allows the home craftsman to significantly save money by eliminating the purchase of expensive equipment.
Sanding attachments do an excellent job of removing paint from walls and ceilings, cleaning metal from rust and finishing primed surfaces. All that remains is to polish the treated areas with felt or felt. Naturally, such a decision justifies itself only in everyday life. The industrial segment requires high power, good output and high speed. But a household nozzle, alas, cannot provide this. The scope of application of such devices is private houses, cottages, apartments and garages.
When installation on a screwdriver is necessary, a special adapter or hex shank is required. It all depends on the specific model of the tool and its functionality.
A screwdriver is convenient for many, but it has one serious drawback - the low speed of rotation of the chuck. Therefore, it is not very suitable for cleaning the same rust, where decent speeds are needed.
On the construction market you can find a wide variety of devices for processing almost any material, from wooden parts to finicky glass surfaces. The common form factor of a drum or cymbal can be used in both vertical and horizontal positions thanks to special adapters. Thus, the drill can act as a sharpener, providing sharpening and grinding of parts.
Drill requirements
Milling means processing an object with a cutter; it is located in the engine housing. The master controls the work processes, he regulates the speed of rotation and the depth of penetration into the workpiece. When working on a milling machine, the part being processed moves.
Electric drill with attachments
When using a drill, the device itself is moved, which must be suitable for milling. These operations require great precision, where the main force falls on the drive.
If the workshop plans to carry out small milling work that does not promise serious loads, a regular electrical appliance will do.
The operating principle of such a tool is based on the speed of the shaft, and it is ensured by the engine. From the functional part the load is transferred to the installed actuator - drill or cutter.
Equipment elements
These are equipment elements; they have to perform specific actions with the material:
- in-depth sampling;
- contour notch;
- cutting grooves or ledges.
The cutting element is installed taking into account:
- power unit power;
- management methods;
- drill brands;
- center of gravity.
Only at high speed can an object be processed cleanly. On a special machine they reach an average of 25,000 rpm. For the highest-speed drill, this figure is 4500 units. No model can achieve the same quality as a production router, but it is not always needed in a home workshop or even on a construction site. For a hand-held electric tool that transmits rotational movements to the equipment, the following conditions are required:
- shaft rotation at a minimum speed of 1500 rpm, it is desirable that the speed be regulated;
- mechanical power with a margin of safety, since milling occurs with large lateral loads;
- installation of a chuck that will ensure reliable grip of the shank.
If you mill with a drill in the wrong position, the resistance forces will be directed incorrectly:
- the load vector will change, which will bring the gearbox out of operation with additional pressure on the material;
- the engine will need frequent shutdowns to avoid overheating;
- the anchor is deformed;
- the cartridge will not withstand the influence of excessive forces.
To cut profile recesses with different recesses, recesses or grooves in workpieces, you need to select not only a drill, but also a cutting part in accordance with the configuration and width.
Advantages and disadvantages of sanding attachments
Despite the abundance of solutions, such devices are still auxiliary and are not suitable for solving specific problems. One of the main drawbacks is the weight of the drill. It is difficult to hold a heavy instrument with outstretched arms or above your head. Because of this, the quality of surface treatment and the duration of the procedure suffer.
But where high precision is not required, such as stripping materials or peeling walls, this point is not critical. In a word, a grinding attachment for a drill is a household device that does not pretend to be of a professional level.
A clear advantage of a tandem of a drill and an attachment is its low cost and accessibility. By spending a few hundred rubles, you can get a return that is more than adequate for your household needs. Whereas buying professional equipment will cost a pretty penny. And it is not a fact that the tool will be needed after the necessary work has been carried out.
Variations
The type of nozzle largely depends on the characteristics of the material being processed and the required technological operation. In stores you can find the following design varieties.
- Plate. Used for finishing metal surfaces and polishing products.
- Disk. The design is great for hard to reach places.
- Cupped. Most often used for polishing decorative coatings and removing rust from metal.
- Drums. The nozzle is needed for working with sheet ends, crevices and rounded holes.
- Soft. The design is ideal for processing mechanically sensitive materials such as plastic, painted wood, etc.
- End The attachments have found their application in the high-precision industry, for example, jewelry. The size and shape of the head is selected in accordance with the required technological operation.
The quality of grinding using a drill directly depends on the size of the tool, its power, spindle speed and skill of the operator.
Each nozzle has a certain very specific appearance, so they must be considered separately, taking into account the scope of application.
Plate attachment
These polishing attachments are available in two types, depending on the base - plastic or cast rubber. The latter option is used more often, since there will be no damage to the surface, especially wood, due to strong pressure. The base of the device is covered with special paper, which is attached quite securely due to the sticky layer.
The hardness of the sandpaper is of great importance - this can be preliminary or, in the professional language of builders, rough processing of various surfaces. The same nozzles, but with softer and finer-grained paper, are used for finishing before painting. Before plastering the walls or applying putty, sanding is done using such attachments. The process is very dusty, so you must use respirators and special glasses.
Special bowls
Nozzles that look like an inverted bowl, where metal brushes are located to remove scale, traces of rust or sanding wood surfaces. In carpentry, they are used to specifically highlight the texture of wood. The metal components ruffle the fibers and then a buffing wheel is used. Then stain and varnish are applied, as a result the item has a unique wood pattern, the texture clearly stands out under the varnish coating.
Bowls filled with softer material are used when it is necessary to perform fine polishing work.
Disc nozzles
A polishing attachment in the form of discs is installed on a drill. It differs from the designs described above in that the wire has a different direction: from the center to the edge. Such attachments also include fan varieties or a petal circle (when petals made of sandpaper are attached parallel to the base). Such products are used for cleaning hard-to-reach places and require a certain skill and dexterity.
Another version of the petal circle is also used in practice: when all its small components are fixed in the form of a common cylinder. Such nozzles are used when cleaning aluminum parts of radiators for cars, end and side surfaces from frozen flux after leaving a special furnace where they are soldered.
Cylindrical nozzles
In appearance they are very similar to a rotating drum. They are made from hard rubber, the working surface is located on the side at the end. Belts of a certain diameter, slightly larger than a cylinder, are made from emery cloth - they are put on the nozzle, and then the fastening bolt is tightened. As a result, the nozzle increases in diameter and securely holds the abrasive belt.
These attachments are used for grinding glass, wood and metal; their current application in practice is sanding radius holes.
This type can also include a grinding drum for a cordless or electric drill, the varieties of which are shown in the photo.
Soft attachments
A felt circle, attachments made of twisted rope, foam rubber, and soft leather are used in production when it is necessary to perform gentle surface treatment. They are fastened with two washers, like, for example, a sharpening wheel for a drill, when you need to make a miniature sharpener for a small cutting tool.
Soft devices are used for working with paint surfaces; they differ from other types of polishing attachments in their delicacy towards any materials . They are often used to remove technical debris after processing from surfaces that are vulnerable to abrasion.
End circle
Such devices are available in the form of various geometric shapes made of abrasive stone or softer material for delicate processing of various surfaces. Nozzles are used in hard-to-reach places for high-quality processing of smaller parts and products made of precious metals.
Abrasive attachments easily replace a file and are used for precise finishing of metal surfaces, while soft attachments are used only for polishing.
Grinding stone
Such devices in production eliminate various errors in working with structures made of various metals and concrete products, for example, sagging formed during floor pouring. The grit size of the fixture significantly affects the quality of grinding or polishing work.
Drums
They are also called cylindrical, since they have the shape of a cylinder. The cylinder has not only different sizes, but also length, and sandpaper is glued (or threaded) along its edges. Drum polishing attachments for drills are analogues of fan attachments, and they are also used for cleaning and grinding the internal parts of pipes, holes, washers, etc. Unlike fan polishing attachments, drum polishing attachments achieve results much faster.
This is interesting!
The main feature of drum polishing attachments is that you can make them yourself. To do this, you need to take a wooden cylindrical block of the required size and glue sandpaper of the appropriate roughness to it on the outside. As a shank, you can use a pin placed on a cylindrical block.
Types of materials for making nozzles
Grinding discs are selected according to the material from which it is made.
- Emery cloth - it has a wide range of grit and hardness.
- Soft materials, which include a vinyl drill attachment, perfectly remove traces of corrosion from metal surfaces, as well as old primer and putty. During operation, the metal does not heat up; delicate processing increases the efficiency of grinding.
- Grinding stones. The main application is to correct complex defects during construction work; they are easy to process metal structures and concrete surfaces.
A wide variety of materials and attachment configurations allows you to use the drill for grinding any surface. For example, a drill attachment for polishing a car will bring a painted surface to a shine, and small attachments used in jewelry production will clean the most inaccessible places on items.
Angle grinder or grinder as a tool for cleaning paint
Those who have an angle grinder, or as it is called an angle grinder, can try to remove the paint using various attachments and grinding the required surface.
Paint cleaning attachment
Here is a brush cut from hard steel wires. At 10 thousand revolutions it begins to spark and scatter fragments of hot metal.
When using such a nozzle, everything flies around. Don't try to take one that's too big - you'll break the grinder. If you have already decided, then it is better to take a nozzle with a small diameter. This way you will protect yourself and the grinder will not be pulled out of your hands. As a result, the attachment turned out to be ineffective for me, or I don’t know how to use this brush.
A special grinding wheel equipped with 80-grit sandpaper. When used, it heats up to the point of fire, but it removes paint efficiently.
The only thing: when buying such a circle, pay attention to the graininess of the sandpaper. I don’t recommend taking less than 40, it will wash quickly and clean slowly. Personally, I didn’t find such wheels with P40 grit, so I tried what I had. Another negative point is a lot of dust. Prepare a respirator and safety glasses.
Tips for choosing
In a good half of cases, grinding attachments are sold under the brand name of electrical equipment manufacturers. It's good if both devices are of the same brand. Then there shouldn't be any compatibility problems.
It is better to look towards well-known brands. They care about quality due to high competition in the market. Although products from no-name manufacturers are much cheaper, the chance of running into a mediocre product in this case is much higher.
Popular manufacturers:
- "Bosch"
- "Makita";
- Dremel
- "Bison";
- "Matrix";
- Fit;
- "Enkor";
- Verto.
It makes more sense to overpay for quality than to constantly buy waste grinding attachments that wear off after several uses.
Automatic feeding of screws
Using this attachment you can save up to 30% of your working time. It keeps the screws in their original position and allows you to screw them in without holding your fingers. This convenient device is indispensable for repairmen and carpenters who make wooden furniture and various interior items.
The nozzle is equipped with a special tape that provides automatic feeding of screws. The special design inserts the fasteners into the hole. This allows you to work with a screwdriver easier, faster, and more efficiently. The attachment is safe for your hands and helps protect your fingers from cuts.
Device for automatic feeding of screws and self-tapping screws
Nuances at work
The main problem when working with a drill is the correct position of the tool relative to the surface being processed. If you do not maintain a clear horizon when working with a circle with a diameter of 150 mm, then traces in the form of radial scratches will appear on the surface. To eliminate these negative consequences, you need to practice on some rough surface or use special devices.
There are two main types of grinding using a drill.
- The worker holds the tool in his hands - we indicated the negative consequences above; positive qualities include using it in hard-to-reach places and when processing parts of complex geometry.
- The tool is rigidly fixed to the table - this method is good because the quality of grinding becomes high. The disadvantage is the low mobility of the drill.
During operation, the tool heats up, so it is necessary to take breaks to allow the heated parts to cool down. It is mandatory to use protective equipment: glasses, gloves, respirator. By neglecting this, you expose yourself to the risk of injury, and dust does not contribute to the normal functioning of the human respiratory system.
When processing stone, glass and wood, all protective equipment must be used, otherwise the worker should not be allowed to take part in the sanding or grinding process.
What are drill attachments for cutting metal?
Equipped with a special attachment for cutting metal, a regular drill turns into a punch or cotter pin. The device pierces a metal product due to numerous reciprocating movements along the internal cavity of the matrix. As a result, an even cutting line with a width of 3.1 mm is formed while maintaining a protective layer on the surface of the metal sheet.
Important! The maximum efficiency of the attachment is achieved only when working in conjunction with an electric drill, the rotation speed of which is at least 2700 rpm.
In order to cut a sheet of metal with a drill, you need to use a scissors attachment specially designed for this purpose.
The metal drill attachment can cope with cutting the following metal products:
- aluminum, up to 2 mm thick;
- made of brass, copper, zinc, galvanized steel and sheet iron, up to 1.5 mm thick;
- made of stainless steel, up to 0.8 mm thick.
Using a drill attachment for cutting metal has a number of advantages:
- the cut made is of high quality;
- there is no need to constantly purchase consumables, which saves money;
- ensures high productivity when cutting metal;
- versatility of the device;
- the equipment is convenient and easy to use and maintain;
- the attachment can be used for electric and pneumatic drills;
- Using the nozzle, you can make cuts of any configuration.
The upper cutting part of the nozzle moves up and down, thus cutting the metal and pushing its particles into the slot
Despite all the above advantages, in order to obtain a high-quality cut, some skills and dexterity are required for the work.
Popular nozzle models
Today, there are a large number of different models of drill attachments, thanks to which you can not only cut metal in a straight line, but also make shaped cuts. This is necessary when installing ventilation air ducts, roofing structures, and gutters. Using the attachment allows you to cut in any spatial position without making preliminary settings.
Types of nozzles:
- the “Steel Beaver” cutting attachment is used for cutting metal tiles, corrugated sheets and any flat profile sheets;
- The universal nozzle “Cricket” is used for cutting profile metal, polycarbonate and plastic;
- special attachments for performing figured and curved cuts are represented by the EDMA Nibbek, ACRO YT-160 A, Sparky NP 1.8 L models, which differ in the thickness of the sheet being processed.
The cutting mechanism of the EDMA drill attachment is designed according to the guillotine principle, the cut occurs without the formation of chips
Scissor attachment for drill “Steel Beaver”
The classic drill attachment for cutting metal tiles and any flat sheets of metal in the form of a freely rotating shaft in a bearing with a fixed eccentric works on the principle of a crank mechanism with the difference that energy is supplied here for rotation.
A full-fledged cutting tool has a support part located on the frame and a movable part connected to an eccentric. It is the moving part that makes reciprocating movements while the shaft rotates. A mandatory element of the design is the handle, which is fixed perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spindle. When the load increases, a reactive torque occurs, due to which the drill moves relative to the nozzle.
It should be remembered that the tool must be positioned strictly vertically relative to the workpiece when making a cut. Otherwise, product damage and operator injury may occur.
The device resembles metal scissors. The drill attachment is used for cutting flat products or profile sheets with large radius bends. The cutting line is easy to control. During operation of the tool, the protective layer of the coating is not burned, which eliminates the formation of sparks and the possibility of burrs. You can perform continuous cutting of a product of any length. You can buy a drill attachment for cutting metal tiles and flat metal sheets for 1,600 rubles.
Using the “Steel Beaver” attachment for a drill, you can make a shaped cutout for installing roof ventilation elements or guttering
Sheet cutting is performed at a drill speed of 1500-3000 rpm. The cutting angle is 360 degrees, the minimum radius is 12 mm. Using the “Steel Beaver” attachment you can cut:
- copper or aluminum sheet 2 mm thick;
- steel - no more than 1.8 mm;
- stainless steel - up to 1.2 mm,
Helpful advice! To cut profiled sheets with small diameter bends, you should use “Cricket” type cutting shears.
Drill attachment “Cricket”
Nibblers “Cricket” got their name due to the characteristic noise during operation of the device. The nozzle is similar to the previous model, but has a different design of the working element, consisting of two cutting heads. The operating principle of the Cricket attachment is similar to an office hole punch. During the oscillatory movements of the cylindrical striker at high frequency, neat holes are extruded into the metal. Thanks to forward movements along the marked line, it is possible to obtain an even cut.
The “Cricket” scissor attachment is designed for straight and curved cutting of sheet metal
The Cricket scissor attachment is used for cutting thin metal and profile sheets, and polymer thin-sheet products up to 2 mm thick. Work can be performed in the horizontal and vertical plane. Thanks to the ability of the tool to rotate 360 degrees. You can drill large round holes and make artistic cuts. You can buy a “Cricket” drill attachment for cutting metal for an average of 1,500-4,000 rubles.
The tool can cut metal with stiffeners and various profile stampings in two ways. The first option involves repeating the surface of the profile, going around the edges. Used for products with a medium bend radius. To cut metal tiles, another cutting option is used, according to which the tool moves along the stiffening ribs without bending around the sheet profile.
Before you buy an attachment for a Cricket drill, you should consider the main drawback of the tool. Due to the fact that the punch of the nozzle has a diameter of several millimeters, when cutting a product, a cut of a certain width is formed, which leads to certain material consumption. The result is metal shavings with sharp, crescent-shaped edges that should be disposed of immediately for safety reasons.
Helpful advice! When working with the tool, do not wear soft shoes.
The Cricket drill attachment does not require adjustment and is easy to use and maintain.
One of the most popular models is the “Cricket” scissor attachment for metal up to 1.6 mm Enkor 14210. The tool is capable of cutting fairly thick metal sheets in a straight or curved direction. You can buy a drill attachment for cutting metal for 1,300 rubles. The main feature of the equipment is that during the cutting process a track with a width of only 1.6 mm is formed, which provides a fairly good level of material savings.
The device can be installed not only on a drill, but also on a screwdriver. The nozzle for cutting metal is lightweight, which does not increase the weight of the electrical device. The kit includes a replaceable handle, which increases the accuracy of work. The device has a low noise level due to its special design, which makes working with it more comfortable.
DIY nozzle
If we are talking about some rough and rough work, then it is quite possible to get by with a homemade device. One of the easiest ways is to remake a classic round file. It is enough to remove the handle from the tool and process the seat so that it fits tightly into the chamber and is securely held.
To make a rough disk attachment, you will need a piece of plywood, a pin and a bolt with threads on both ends. Sandpaper will be used as a grinding wheel. We cut a circle out of plywood, attach a pin to it and glue sandpaper on top. After abrasion, you don’t have to remove the latter, but simply stick a new sheet on top.
Bracket for receiving drilling machine
The multifunctional bracket will help you convert a standard hand drill (corded, with battery) into a stationary drilling machine. The body is made of heavy-duty aluminum alloy. Massive, allows you to securely install the drill for subsequent drilling. The fasteners are designed in such a way that they are suitable for all modern power tools.
The sole is equipped with a vice, which allows you to fix the workpieces in the desired position and avoid their displacement while drilling holes. The adjustable bracket allows you to set the desired height, taking into account the size of the tool itself. For convenient operation, there is a handle with a rubber pad that smoothly lowers the drill.
