Brief Description: Right counterballance weight drilling problem
I had worked at cutting the lead weight per the plans with a hacksaw blade and then smoothing it out with a file. Lead sucks to cut. You have to go slow and let it cool often. Once the excess was removed I placed it into the counterballance skin/rib assembly for drilling. I made sure to use a slow speed electric drill and stepped up my drill bits slowly to a #12 sized hole for the bolt.
You have to be real careful because you are drilling blind through the lead trying to hit the front flange of the rib. A level on the drill assisted me. I had good clearance for the nut on the bolt and good edge distance on the first hole.
On the second hole I went too fast and broke a 3/32 drill bit in the middle of the lead...DOHH!
I searched VAF and found that others with the same problem just bought another weight, but I had worked hard on shaping this one. I figured I could drill beside the broken bit, knock it out with a punch and then pour molten lead into the hole and re-drill.
I ended up with a cloverleaf botched hole in the lead and got the drill bit out. Then I poured some new lead in the hole, flied it down where it spilled up, and re-drilled very carefully. I was concerned about the cold joint between the new lead and old lead, but the part is sandwiched between the skin and ribs, plus there is a bolt through the hole so any flakes of lead wiould hold in place with the bolt.
