Need drilling advice in returning to a gym project.

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I need to figure out how to drill holes on vertical 2" square stock.  I helped construct this pull-up bar set up for a local gym.  Now the owner wants to be able to utilize those uprights for squat lifts and bench pressing.  The simple idea is to drill holes, front to back so that hooks like this can be placed at different heights as needed.(I grabbed these off our forum, but don't recall from who, sorry).It is a major bummer this wasn't part of the original plan.  Would have been simple to drill that stock when I could slide it in the drill press.   I am hoping for some great suggestions on how to drill these now that my drill press is out of the question.  I know I can't hold my cordless drill in the proper position to get straight through and through.  Ideas?
Reply:Mag drill
Reply:Id love to know as well. Anything other than a magdrill?Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Reply:small cheapo press-drill and c-clamps... could work... rented mag drill more fun. good luck
Reply:Pull it off the wall, lay it down flat and mark your holes well, use a center punch, pilot hole, and use a hand drill.
Reply:Tell him you need to rent a mag drill and he needs to cover it.
Reply:I am hoping for some great suggestions on how to drill these now that my drill press is out of the question.  I know I can't hold my cordless drill in the proper position to get straight through and through.  Ideas?[/QUOTE]You just gave yourself the answer.Fab a drilling jig.Make it similar to the bar hook.Have it "cradle" both sides with pipe on the sides to act as drill guides.Have the same round stock implemented to slide into the newly drilled holes.I suggest you start at the top and work your way down.The drill does not get heavier as working top to bottom as it does bottom to top.Gravity can be your friend it you choose to manipulate it to your advantage.
Reply:Yep,  hand drill or small cheap drill press.   hole saw, maybe.  Clearing the slug will suck.  Mag drill would be nice, surface area might be a problem for full hold down strength.
Reply:Make a drill guide that clamps onto the upright with a re-movebable drill bushing. One bushing for the pilot hole and a larger bushing for the finish hole. If done correctly you can key off the previous hole so all the holes are spaced consistently. The hanger you made already has the basic design. You could also make two guides... one for the pilot and a second for the finish. That may be easier that making a removable bushing.Here's a simple drill busing I used with a 24" drill a couple weeks ago. This bushing was turned from steel but you can get hardened drill bushings from mcmaster that you press or loctite in. http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...-conveyor-pinshttp://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-dr...shings/=qjib1yLast edited by forhire; 02-03-2014 at 11:41 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by forhireMake a drill guide that clamps onto the upright with a re-movebable drill bushing. One bushing for the pilot hole and a larger bushing for the finish hole. If done correctly you can key off the previous hole so all the holes are spaced consistently. The hanger you made already has the basic design. You could also make two guides... one for the pilot and a second for the finish. That may be easier that making a removable bushing.Here's a simple drill busing I used with a 24" drill a couple weeks ago. This bushing was turned from steel but you can get hardened drill bushings from mcmaster that you press or loctite in. http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...-conveyor-pinshttp://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-dr...shings/=qjib1y
Reply:They make a center punch type tool exactly for this. I'm not sure what its called. You drill one side and then insert the tool into the hole. The tool has the punch located so that you can dimple the opposite side for a pilot hole.Just found it. Its called a transfer punch.Last edited by mtrcyclecop; 02-04-2014 at 11:16 AM.
Reply:Thanks ForHire, I am starting to plan out a bushing based jig that can be clamped to the vertical.  I also see the benefit of the transfer punch mentioned by MtrCycleCop.  I am am not sure of how to get fluid to the drilling action.  Suggestions?   I typically keep the system wet when using my drill press.  Seems like the bushing would be in the way if the jig's tolerances are close enough to keep me straight.
Reply:If you use the punch you won't need to worry about the fluid issue. After drilling one hole from the outside you use the punch to mark the center of the inside for the other side. Drill a small pilot from the inside that you won't need fluid for. Then just finish drill the second hole from the outside.
Reply:Better be charging some good cash man!! I know its been said before, but I would rent a mag drill, or even buy one. I might have missed it, but what size are the holes gonna be? Before i got my drill press, I was stuck doing every thing by hand... No thanks, never ever again...
Reply:Here's how I might do it. Weld up a U shape from flat bar. Drill and bush an upper hole for drilling a pilot from both sides. Drill and bush a middle hole for your larger drill from both sides. Drill a bottom hole for your pin. You have a drill press so this should be easy. Onsite, setup a fast drill for your small pilot and a slow drill for your large hole. Now you can drill a pilot and drill the larger finish hole in one setup. Drill from each side. Move the jig up one hole at a time. Once you have your first hole, the jig is held with the lower pin and a clamp up top. I'd attack from the outside rather than trying to cross drill the tube as you don't know where the weld seam might be. You have a lot of holes to drill so some extra time building a jig will save you in the end. As for the cutting fluid, a little is enough. You might get a small brush and swath some on when you pull out of the guide and clear the chips. It doesn't have to be swimming in the stuff.Here's what words struggle to describe. I'm sure someone will think of something easier still.
Reply:Just drill it by hand... It's 1/8" tube I'm guessing what's the big deal? Mark and center punch it. It's not a precision project?
Reply:Drill guide clamped to the workpiece, laying it on the floor might be easier. http://www.google.com/#q=drill+guide&tbm=shopHH 187Miller Bluestar1EAHP AlphaTig 200X
Reply:use a wax stick on the tip instead of cutting fluid.
Reply:Maybe I missed it, but why cant you bring a light drill press into the gym?Farmer2
Reply:Baileigh has a small mag drill. http://metal.baileighindustrial.com/...-drill-md-3500It always cost more the second time.
Reply:to me, I would start trying to drill strait through, if I mess one up, since one side is already layed out, it doesn't seem like much trouble to transfer the mark over with a speed square. I have never tried a mag drill on small tube, but, I have never used one that worked on less than 1/4" material (though on that 2", the walls running parallel with the bit may "fake" the magnet out). be sure if you rent/buy one, make sure that it has enough stroke to punch through.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:Thanks for this ongoing help.  This is making it much more feasible.  A mandrill would be sweet but financially out of the question.  I really like the jig drawn up by ForHire.  Excellent consideration for the internal weld seam and how that could bungle attempts for a clean thru drilling.  This is not for my garage gym but for a business.  So I want the holes to be evenly spaced and straight through and through.  The better my drilling accuracy and consistency the less wobble or sticking when people actually use the "J hooks'"   That's why I want to avoid free hand drilling this.  Laying the bars down is not reasonable as there are 3 lag screws holding it to the wall and 8 into the concrete floor.  I am in Central Oregon.  Pretty good industrial parts supplies available.  I am wondering now about ForHire's suggestion of press in hardened steel bushings vs bushings I would weld into place.
Reply:Mag drill. Rent or buy it, You are going to wear yourself out if you drill more than 800 holes. Maybe 900, but I'm outta shape.Arcon Workhorse 300MSPowcon 400SMTPowcon SM400 x 2Powcon SM3001968 SA200 Redface1978 SA250 DieselMiller Super 32P FeederPre 1927 American 14" High Duty LatheK&T Milwaukee 2H Horizontal MillBryan
Reply:That is a lot of friggin holes to drill by hand.  The fixture idea is good but this spells mag drill and taking the time to unbolt the sob's and lay them down.  One other point / question - what thickness is that square tubing?  A squat rack needs to be substantial if it's for real squatting and not be dangerous.  2" tubing sounds awful small even if it's 3/16 or bigger. Or maybe this is just a Xfit box gym for rabbits that won't be squatting 2-3x body weight?Mag drill vs time sounds cheaper to me but I don't know for sure.Last edited by RodJ; 02-05-2014 at 11:45 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by StinkydadI am wondering now about ForHire's suggestion of press in hardened steel bushings vs bushings I would weld into place.Throw away the mag drillSimply machine a strip of 1/4" flat with the hole spacing you want.  Then weld it to the backside of the tubing like a spine.  Your tedius work is done off the structure without need for special fixtures etc. etc. etc.Then make your barbell cradle with a pin that fits into the spine, and side tabs that prevent it from moving side-to-side.  The offset pin tab at the top allows you to insert the pin into the spine, then rotate it to where the side clips prevent any movement to the sides....thus locking it in place.Or any variation of the above"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Oh yeah, the strip with the holes in it is assumed to be continuous in the drawing, the cutout portion is to show how the cradle fits it."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Like this......................"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Besides, from what I understand (being as I don't own a mag drill), it takes a pretty good chunk of steel to provide enough for the magnetic drill base to attach to without falling off.  Not a lot of steel in the upright tubing."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I do believe with the help offered here a guy could build just about anything.  I appreciate your all of your help.  There is only a desire for about 6 positions.  That means if I follow ForHire's advice I will drill a total of 24 holes.  That's front/back and both uprights.  I am intrigued by the welded spine suggested now by FarmerSamm.  That design may be an option as long as I angle the top end.  This is a pull up station and I would not want anyone hooking themselves on the top corner of the spine in their armpit on the way down.  That would be easy to adapt and I could offer many more holes/positions.  Now trying to envision the load force and relative strength of the two design approaches.
Reply:ForHire,I finally made it back to this project, after several others jumped ahead in the line.  Just went to local Fastenal and was advised they could only find one of the 4 hardened bushings in the sizes I need across the whole country.  So.... we decided to create a bushing out of hardened steel washers which were immediately available.  So now I will be building up bushings, to build up a jig, to drill a few holes.  Gotta love problem solving.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammBesides, from what I understand (being as I don't own a mag drill), it takes a pretty good chunk of steel to provide enough for the magnetic drill base to attach to without falling off.  Not a lot of steel in the upright tubing.
Reply:Steel is cheap.  Buy new uprights, drill them in your drill press, weld them in, done.  No rentals, no special tools, no bushings, just results.  You can use the old stuff for another project later.
Reply:Originally Posted by StinkydadForHire,I finally made it back to this project, after several others jumped ahead in the line.  Just went to local Fastenal and was advised they could only find one of the 4 hardened bushings in the sizes I need across the whole country.  So.... we decided to create a bushing out of hardened steel washers which were immediately available.  So now I will be building up bushings, to build up a jig, to drill a few holes.  Gotta love problem solving.
Reply:I hope those are bolted to the floor or have extensions at the bottom. A few hundred lbs off the front like that is asking for the whole thing to tip over.Gym equipment is something I stay away from.  Way too much liability, and the type of people who frequent gyms are an especially sue happy crowd.Syncrowave 350Coolmate 3Millermatic 251Spoolmatic 30A