I don't get it...instead of making a circle of little holes, why not just get a drill bit of the appropriate size or are they just not that easily available?

Drilling with a brace or a hand drill into steel...that must be pain in "le derriere."

As a kid, before my mom got an electric drill all we had was a really old brace and bits we found in the basement for drilling into wood. That was an experience!!

I'm surprised braces and hand crank drills are still made!!!

*edited for clarity*

[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 05-28-2003).]

Thank God for Greenlee or whomever it was that invented Hydraulic K.O. punches!!!!!!

That precision chisel-and-hammer method looks like a fine thing to discover, maybe, uh, 76 years later.

I believe the current Ridgid-brand spiral pipe-reamer instructions mention using it for KO upsizing. The MegaSlugSlammer KO punches are nice, but believe me, in their day ball-bearing drive screws and then the 2-handle ratchet driver were great improvements too.

txsparky,
Hydraulic KO punch?
Sounds like something that Mike Tyson would use.
I still use the old holesaw and arbor in an Electric drill to cut holes in panels.
Takes some skill if the panel is live and full of 400V wires, although I've never struck a wire.....YET!.(Touching all the wood I can find!)
I've been present when someone has though!.

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 06-01-2003).]

Trumpy,
Try this Site

txsparky,
Thanks for that link, Donnie!.
That's some punch, I read that it can cut a 2" hole in metal as thick as 3.5mm, in 12 seconds!.
How much would you pay for one of these units?.

Not sure about the battery operated one. I have the the one with the hydraulic foot pump.I believe at the time it was purchased it was around $1200. It will punch up tp 4" holes. I also have a smaller hydraulic that punches up to 2" ($550) and a ratchet set that punches up to 2" that I found at a pawn shop for $125.

txsparky,
Thanks for that.
I work on panels quite regularly and a tool like this would really come in handy.
I like the idea of the foot pump (leaves both hands free).
I might look into getting one of these.