To buy a mainline drill or not to buy a main line drill...

[longlivenintendo]

Hey guys, I understand the need for the lateral line tools to install connectors and drop lines that I totally see as needed. however, have people successsfully drilled into their mainlines using 12 volt drills drills and not using the "specially designed" hand main line drills? Just trying to save a buck or two here. I'm not a huge operation.

[unc23win]

I used a bit with electrical tape on it for a stop before I bought a tool it worked. The key is to go slow and make sure the mainline does not turn when your drilling. Quite a few people have made mainline drills as well I know there is at least one thread with very good pictures.

[mellondome]

Problem with using a powered drill is making sure you dont hit the bottom of the line when the bit goes through. Also keeping it from egging out the hole when you quick stop pushing so you dont drill straight through. This will cause saddles to leak.

There isnt much to a mainline tap, you can buy the bit with the milled collar. Then just find a nut that threads on it and weld up a pair of vicegrips. Just make sure uou buy the corrext size for the saddle you are going to use. They are not all the same .

[GeneralStark]

If you use a pilot point bit with a drill stop (get a set and use one for your tapping bit as well) you will not go through the pipe. Once you get the pilot slowly started then finish off quick. It works if you hold the line well and are careful.

That said...I have since purchased a mainline drill. Way easier.

[blissville maples]

shouldn't have to push so hard that you hit the bottom of pipe, especially when you know your near end. ive never hit bottom. seems pretty simple with a drill for me no issues and makes a nice tight fit that i force the fitting into so no chance of vac leak, then the rubber gasket.

[WESTMAPLES]

There isnt much to a mainline tap, you can buy the bit with the milled collar. Then just find a nut that threads on it and weld up a pair of vicegrips. Just make sure uou buy the corrext size for the saddle you are going to use. They are not all the same . i bought a 500 ft of 1 season used 3/4 leader p30 with saddle holes and a bag full on new saddles and used hand drill bit part like you see in the suging books. a pair vice grips, nut and a few small pieces of metal, my little mig and a few mins staring at it in bascom`s catalog and 42 mins later i had a saddle hand drill . if you can do make it , its more cost effective

[MISugarDaddy]

To avoid drilling too deep on a mainline, I slid a piece of tubing the same size as the drill bit I was using over the drill bit exposing only about 1/2" of the bit's tip. Since I have begun using it, I haven't screwed up a mainline hole yet.
Gary

[Russell Lampron]

Being a small producer you can definitely use a cordless drill instead of buying the hand mainline drill. I split a piece of 2x4 in half and cut a V in it so that it would sit on top of the mainline. I then drilled a hole in the center of the V to drill down through. The tip of the drill bit sticks down through the hole just far enough to drill through the top of the pipe without going through the bottom.

[gmcooper]

Several years ago I made a simple jig similar to Russell Lamprons. Used a 2x4 block with a notch cut into side (c shaped slot) to slide over main line. Then drilled hole down thru top. Holds mainline in place and cut the block length long enough so the bit only goes part way thru main line. Works well.

[sweetwater sugar shack]

I used a step bit worked fine

[TerryEspo]

I didn't even know a mainline bit existed until this year.
I drilled holes with a cordless last year by hand and had no issues, never went through the other side. I do not dill hundreds of holes , so maybe if you do many holes the jig idea may be the way to go, cant hurt.

I may even set up a jig this year as I hope to run a much longer mainline.

Gotta love this site.

Terry

[BreezyHill]

Having chased a leak for several minutes over three days, just to find it was a saddle with the gasket that slipped on a cold day. I use a tool. I would suggest that at the least you use a block of wood to keep the hole as perfect as possible. The leak that can start from a less than perfect hole will hurt your production over the life of the mainline.

Yes I am a micro manager...Watch the Pennies and the Dollars will take care of themselves. if you prevent just one leak it will payback large dividends over the20-25 year life of that mainline.

Ben

[Sunday Rock Maple]

I realize the main point of your question was cost and the quality of the hole and I think the replies so far have addressed that. What I would to add is that the mainline drill is my favorite tool to use in the whole operation -- it is just plain fun to use.

[Russell Lampron]

I realize the main point of your question was cost and the quality of the hole and I think the replies so far have addressed that. What I would to add is that the mainline drill is my favorite tool to use in the whole operation -- it is just plain fun to use.

I bought one last year because I was replacing a mainline and didn't want to have to carry the drill around to put in the manifolds. You are right, it is fun to use!

[SeanD]

I sucked it up and bought one the day before this thread started. I was going to make a block/jig and it probably would have been fine, but this is my first of hopefully many more mainlines and I figure getting it at the beginning would give me the best return on it. I also thought that if I screwed up even just one hole, I'd be living with it for the next ten years.

The cost is no joke, though. When it came, I held it up to my wife and played the game, "Guess How Much I Paid for This?". She started at $20. At $60, she was laughing.

It was the longest game of "Guess How Much...?" we've ever had.

Sean

[adk1]

Depends on how many saddles you have to put it. When I first started I was in the same situation and almost bought the actual mainline drill. Then I came upon the mainline punch. It cost $12 and takes about 10 seconds to put a perfect hole in your mainline. I bought it through leader. It's blue

[maple flats]

I made a jig and used it for 12-13 years, it was OK but cumbersome. Last year I saw a mainline drill bit (use in a cordless drill) and bought it. Cost $16-17, it is a super stubby, that cuts super clean holes and is too short to reach thru to the other side of a mainline even if you use 1/2" mains. It is made by DSD, our sponsor carries them, The Maple Guys. It worked so well, I bought 2 more just to be sure if I lost one I'd have another. To use it you need nothing to hold it in place on the main, just push it against the main where you want the hole, support the mainline from under it, and pull the trigger. perfect, neat hole, every time.