In essence, drilling metal is no different than drilling wood. You set the drill bit in place, push the button and press the bit into the material you’re drilling. But there are two main differences. Your drill material must be a stronger structure, and you need to take additional precautions to prevent sparks and splashes. Metal flakes are sharper and cause more serious damage than sawdust and wood chips.
Most of the bits used in wood are also drilled into metal. But a spinning glass drill bit tends to wander across metal’s hard, smooth surface before it begins to dig in. You can give the bit an exact starting point using a center punch and a hammer. The punch creates a tiny dimple that keeps the bit in place. With a soft metal like aluminum, you can use a nail instead of a punch.
