Duck
Sarcastic remark goes here
When I was making freight elevator gates, the counterweights were 2"x2" solid steel bars that slid up & down inside square tube.
The weight of the gate determined the length of the counterweights.
At the top of the counterweights I welded a scrap of angle iron with a hole in it for attaching the cables to & right at that height I had to cut an access hole for inspection and eventual cable replacement.
I used a 2-1/2" hole saw in a drill press. I had to use roller stands to support the square tube and hold it perfectly horizontal so it's square to the arbor, and use LOTS of oil.
It would squeal loudly, the noise resonating through the work piece like a big amplifier. You have to set the drill press at low RPM, which increases torque. If it binds, it can knock an entire 12 foot stick of 3-1/2" square tube off the roller stands & risk bending the arbor on the drill press or more likely, bending the hole saw cup so it wobbles & is junk.
I was going through hole saws every 3-4 jobs because they'd get dull quickly even when using plenty of oil & light pressure.
This is why I think using a hand drill would be a bitch. There's no way to hold it perfectly square, and it'll be difficult to control the speed with a typical variable speed drill. Not to mention holding it in a way that won't twist your arm off if it binds.
The weight of the gate determined the length of the counterweights.
At the top of the counterweights I welded a scrap of angle iron with a hole in it for attaching the cables to & right at that height I had to cut an access hole for inspection and eventual cable replacement.
I used a 2-1/2" hole saw in a drill press. I had to use roller stands to support the square tube and hold it perfectly horizontal so it's square to the arbor, and use LOTS of oil.
It would squeal loudly, the noise resonating through the work piece like a big amplifier. You have to set the drill press at low RPM, which increases torque. If it binds, it can knock an entire 12 foot stick of 3-1/2" square tube off the roller stands & risk bending the arbor on the drill press or more likely, bending the hole saw cup so it wobbles & is junk.
I was going through hole saws every 3-4 jobs because they'd get dull quickly even when using plenty of oil & light pressure.
This is why I think using a hand drill would be a bitch. There's no way to hold it perfectly square, and it'll be difficult to control the speed with a typical variable speed drill. Not to mention holding it in a way that won't twist your arm off if it binds.