How to Drill a Hole in a Metal Stud
- 1). Use your square and metal scribe to etch cross hairs in the metal that extend to the diameter of the hole you are trying to drill.
- 2). Place the point of the scribe at the intersection of the cross hairs and hit it with your hammer to create a dent. This dent will ensure the drill bit goes in this exact spot.
- 3). Position your stud on the drill press and start drilling your hole. If you need to drill a hole that is larger than 3/8 inch you will want to start with a small drill bit first, and then work up to the size you need. Drill speeds vary depending on the metal. Soft metals require a low speed to prevent melting. Hard metals require high speeds to prevent rapid dulling of the drill bit.
- 4). Use your screw gun to drill the hole if a drill press is unavailable. The level on the screw gun is important because with a hand held device it is much easier to inaccurately drill your hole. Therefore, using a screw gun will require much more concentration on steadiness and being perpendicular to the stud.
