question Rc of Steel, british armor, Saracen, ferret etc.

[Cold_War_Collection]

Hi All,

 

I'm looking into drilling some holes to replace broken studs on the hull of our Saracen. Does anyone know what the Rc of the steel is? and what drill type would be suffcient to use. We have a dozen or so holes to drill.

 

I could use a .300 Win Mag...but I do need to have the holes spot on :-)

 

Many thanks

 

Nick

 

CWC Canada

[Richard Farrant]

Hi All,

 

I'm looking into drilling some holes to replace broken studs on the hull of our Saracen. Does anyone know what the Rc of the steel is? and what drill type would be suffcient to use. We have a dozen or so holes to drill.

 

I could use a .300 Win Mag...but I do need to have the holes spot on :-)

 

 

Nick,

When I worked in army workshops and there was a need to drill a hull on a Saracen or Ferret, usually for a mod, we used special armour drills in a slow air drill, to which we put pressure on. You may not be aware but studs are actually welded to the surface, not in to holes, which would be a weakness in the hull. We used a special stud welder. It would save you a lot of grief to go down this route.

 

Regards, Richard

[wally dugan]

NICK when we found a crack in the hull of the Belgium tank museums DIAMLER MKI armoured car we had sent from

VICKERS a drill kit so we could drill the hull to stop the crack from spreading it was made by cryo armour cut

it is capable of drilling up to 65 RC THE best way is the welding method in the first gulf war there were lots of these kits

sent out for mods to be made

[Cold_War_Collection]

many thanks everyone for the great feedback!

 

Nick

[andyroo]

Drilling the armour is quite easy with standard HSS drill. However, use speeds and feeds

for drilling titainium with would be arround 2/3's to 3/4 slower than driling mild steel.

A carbide drill would be better if your drilling more than a few holes. However if it brakes though and snatches,

the drill will most likely brake.

 

As your replacing broken studs, you could try the method I used on my Saladin. I bought stainless

5/16 unf bolts. Put the threaded end in the lathe chuck and faced the head down to arround 3/32" thick.

A friend who is good with a tig welder then welded them in place. No filler wire needed as the bolt

head did this job. There must have been twenty or so broken studs I did this for 12 years or so ago. There still

holding the running bords fine and no rusty studs or nuts next time anything needs removing.

 

Andy

[Aussie]

That's really helpful. I have broken studs and thought I'd have to drill out the old shanks, then put new ones in the holes and weld. Grinding the old ones flat and then welding new ones onto the surface should be much simpler!

[robin craig]

As a welder I have used the commerical used machines up here, the Nelson stud welders, just like in this video

 

 

 

The cup put over the end is the flux that is needed for the weld.

 

Just need to prove your settings for a full penetration weld. Bigger welding supply companies will rent them out. I may be able to get you the loan of one Nick as a demo, or I may be able to get a manufacturers rep to come do it for you. I still have some contacts in the industry. You may have some at your former employer over in the east end of town.

 

Robin

[BC312]

When I had a Ferret and I had to replace a broken stud I sharpened a tungsten tip masionary drill on the green wheel and drilled at a slow speed, worked fine, I drilled through and tacked behind and dressed up. If it breaks off again which they didn't, just drill out weld and punch out old stud.

[griff66]

or u could try some cobalt drill bits.