Drilling Holes for Fresh Water Fill & Shore Power

[aribmass]

I need to drill two larger holes in the finished outer body of my van; 2" for a fresh water fill and 2-1/2" for a shore power outlet. I've drilled plenty of larger holes in the floor for hydronic hose, vents drains and the like. For this I used a hole saw and grommets. I found that hole saw doesn't make the cleanest edge, but with grommets it doesn't really matter as much. I'm very hesitant to proceed with these new holes in the finished side of the van using a hole saw. I believe the flanges and gaskets for the fill and power should adequately cover the holes if I'm careful, but I'm also thinking there must be a better way to accomplish this.

Can anyone recommend a reasonable way to cut a 2" and a 2-1/2" hole in a finished body panel that provides a cleaner, more precise edge?

 

[FelicityStevenson]

I just got done doing this last week. My process....drilled from outside in, used spring loaded center punch to locate hole centers, drilled pilot hole same size as hole saw guide bit, applied single layer of gorilla tape over area to be drilled to help stabilize panel, used fairly new/sharp hole saws, used cordless drill with adjustable torque and set just strong enough to engage but not so strong that it torques out of your hand or wants to lock up and twist the panel and finally manually went low rpms on the drill when cutting. Keeping the cutting surface square and following this I got very good results.

 

[Ushuaya]

Hi man. First off, can you give us some more deets on what's going on with your drawworks? What kind of rig are you working with? Is it an old school mechanical one or a fancy electronic one? And what exactly is the issue you're having? Is it not running smoothly or is it making weird noises? The more info you can give us, the better we can help you out. Also, have you tried checking the wiring and connections? Sometimes it's just a simple fix like that. And if your mechanic hasn't been able to figure it out, maybe it's time to bring in a specialist or just get a couple of new Drilling Drawworks. Anyway, hope that helps, man. Let us know how it goes.

 

[WalterMatthews]

I just got done doing this last week. My process....drilled from outside in, used spring loaded center punch to locate hole centers, drilled pilot hole same size as hole saw guide bit, applied single layer of gorilla tape over area to be drilled to help stabilize panel, used fairly new/sharp hole saws, used cordless drill with adjustable torque and set just strong enough to engage but not so strong that it torques out of your hand or wants to lock up and twist the panel and finally manually went low rpms on the drill when cutting. Keeping the cutting surface square and following this I got very good results.This process involves drilling holes for the installation of freshwater fill and shore power connections on boats or ships. Such meticulous work ensures vessels have access to vital resources and power sources while docked or anchored. For those seeking academic assistance in physics or related fields, https://edubirdie.com/physics-help offers access to physics help services. Just as drilling holes requires precision and expertise, Edubirdie provides expert guidance to students in navigating complex physics concepts and assignments.

cool!