I'm currently at work trying to put together some sort of vaguely-guitar-oid
beast using a metal bowl as a resonator.  The basic idea works passably well,
but I've come up with a design that would work much better if - and this is
something of a big 'if' - it were possible to bolt the metal bowl to one of
the wood pieces that the rest of the critter is made out of.  
Is this possible?  Is it feasible?  What tools would be necessary?  Is there
a cheaper/easier/more efficient/less masochistic way of doing the same thing?

14 responses total.

A drill and a wrench, I guess.  You'd just need to drill a hole, then fill
the hole with a bolt.  

A nut on the bolt might help. I know a nut would be involved here, somewhere
8^}.

Just picture it this way:  A bolt is used to squeeze things together, along
the axis of the hole it is inserted in.  So find where you want things
squeezed, then decide if a hole right there would goof up anything else.  If
not, drill a hole, then put in a bolt and nut.

Well, right, but can you use a mere mortal drill bit to drill through metal?
That was really what I was asking, being as I was under the impression you'd
need some special tool.

if you are dealing with a stainless bowl, which is likely if it is of recent
manufacture, then you may need a harder drill bit.  in any case. it is
important to keep the drill speed fairly slow, and lubricate the tip and/or
the area being drilled with some heavy oil.  if the metal is thin, you might
get away with a regular bit, so long as you follow the other directions above.

the reason is that if you go too fast, or allow too much friction heat to
build up, you will destroy the temper of the drill bit, and it will cease to
be hard enough to cut through the metal of the bowl.

Yeah, if you aren't drilling thru anything really thick, a normal bit will
be OK.  After a few holes, you might need to replace a cheaper bit.

Okay, thanks.

Drilling thin metal - especially a hard metal like stainless - is rather
difficult as when the metal is first penetrated, the drill edges catch on
the metal edge, and (a) spins the work piece out of your hand, (b)  twists
the drill out of your hand, (c) breaks the bit, (d) all of the above. You
need to have the work clamped and use a drill press. It may help to clamp
the metal between two pieces of wood, and drill through that. 

Or just pound a framing nail through it.

Well, as it turns out, I found a way around drilling and bolting and suchlike,
but thanks anyway.

When I buy drill bits I always make sure that they are made of High Speed
Steel.  Don't bother with High Carbon Steel, that will dull fast.
High speed drills will drill through any stainless bowl you are likely
to encounter without problem.  As mentioned above, when drilling any
metal, a little oil will go a long way in giving you a clean hole and
getting lots of life out of the drill bit.  Forget about drilling hardened
metal.  You'll need a carbide, or better, for that.  You can test the
metal with a file.  If a file scratches the metal, you can tool it with
a high speed bit.  It also helps to center-punch the metal you want to
drill to keep the bit from wandering as you start the hole.  A nail will
suffice for a center-punch in a pinch.  All you need is a little dimple
to keep the bit from skating all over.  (Hey, I worked as an instrument
maker for several years ;-)

Really?  Hmm...I may pester you about that later :)

...Instrument maker as in optical instruments and other precise, small
or meticulous mechanical devices.  Not as in musical instruments...

Oh.  :P

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