Drilling in Kettle and Rust Worries

[awoitte]

Hi,

I'm going to be drilling into some of my kettles to prep for a HERMS project I'll try to be completing sometime in the next few months.

I see that with a lot of the DIY videos/talks with drilling there is a lot of mention with regards to sanding/smoothing of the hole once drilled. If I'm drilling into for example a SS blichmann or megapot, is there any post-drill work I need to do aside from smoothing out so the whole doesn't begin to rust or anything like that? I'm not familiar with much metal work.

Thanks!

 

[kristiismean]

you need to go low and slow, use vegetable oil, and clearly clean up afterword.

Blichman or megapot, i would use a 3/4 punch kit. They sell them at harbor freight, about 24 dollars, and they will do a few holes, but you will also need a unibit and punch to use it since you have to drill a pilot hole. (the better punch kit if you search is called greenlee.

but even if you punch hot, as long as you don't leave your weldless bulkhead on there for weeks afterword, I don't think you would have any trouble

 

[awoitte]

you need to go low and slow, use vegetable oil, and clearly clean up afterword.

Blichman or megapot, i would use a 3/4 punch kit. They sell them at harbor freight, about 24 dollars, and they will do a few holes, but you will also need a unibit and punch to use it since you have to drill a pilot hole. (the better punch kit if you search is called greenlee.

but even if you punch hot, as long as you don't leave your weldless bulkhead on there for weeks afterword, I don't think you would have any trouble

Thanks for the advice! I've already drilled one hole myself, just wanted to be sure there wasn't any special treatment required post-hole making to remove the potential for rust to grow.