Magnetic Drill Archives

In this day and age, most buildings use steel frames that the average saw or drill can’t penetrate. Apart from being as thick as tree trunks, steel beams are also quite heavy and won’t fit on the average drill press work surface. To drill holes into metal obelisks, you’ll need a magnetic drill press.

A magnetic drill press – mag drill for short – is a portable drill that adheres to ferrous metal and punches holes into the piece with a drill bit. The most common bit used is an annular cutter which cuts the circumference of the hole.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at one of the most highly rated mag drills out there – the EVOMAG28 from Evolution Power Tools. This is an industrial-grade tool that’s built to take punishment in stride. The user-friendly control panel makes it one of the most enjoyable mag drills out there.

Enough with these vague statements about why the EVOMAG28 is so awesome. Let’s take a closer look at the tool’s most prominent features.

Power

The EVOMAG28 is equipped with a heavy-duty 1200W motor that can reach a maximum speed of 570 RPM. This is not as powerful as numerous other models, but what we love about it is that at its moderate price range, it’ll deliver all the power you’d need to drill through thick steel beams effortlessly.

Even though this is a heavy-duty tool for its price range, it’s not something that you could use for super-demanding steel-drilling projects. If you need something for regular use on huge construction projects, perhaps the EVOMAG28 is not a viable option.

Magnetic Force

The 50 x 80 x 165-mm magnet base provides 2,860 pounds/foot of magnetic force. This is more than sufficient to keep the 40-pound tool adhered to ferrous metal surfaces without the slightest risk of dipping or dropping. The tool can be used in all orientations – horizontally, vertically, and even upside-down – to let you drill after setting up the steel framework of your construction project.

However, like any electric mag drill, it’s unwise to rely fully on the magnetic base to keep the unit adhered to metallic surfaces. That’s why Pro Evolution Tools has included a handy strap to use as a form of extra insurance to prevent the tool from being introduced to the ground at high speeds.

Stroke Length

The EVOMAG28 has a maximum stroke length of 6 inches so drilling through half-foot pieces of metal is a breeze. The tool only comes with 2-inch bits straight out of the box so if you need to drill anywhere from 2 to 6 inches deep, know that you’ll need to invest in longer bits.

Cutting Capacity

We talked about the depth at which the tool can drill. Now, for the width of the hole, the EVOMAG28 can drill between 7/16 to 1-1/8 inches. Once again, this isn’t the widest you’ll find in a mag drill, but as an entry-level tool, this is a lot wider than you’d get from comparable models.

Construction

The one thing we and numerous customers constantly praise about the EVOMAG28 is its construction. The 19 x 19 x 13-inch mag drill weighs roughly 38 pounds fully assembled (dry weight minus the coolant reservoir – more on this later). It’s compact, lightweight, and is extremely easy to transport. Positioning the tool in any orientation is effortless.

For a mag drill in its price category, we feel that the overall construction of the tool is something to appreciate. The tool is made of durable materials that won’t warp or bend during transport and can even withstand falls of up to five feet or more (according to a couple of customers).

Built-in Coolant System

The problem with drilling through metal is that it produces a heck of a lot of heat which could potentially ruin the drill bit and even the tool’s motor. Lubrication is crucial to prevent premature death of any mag drill, which is why we absolutely love the fact that the EVOMAG28 comes with a built-in coolant reservoir and delivery system which shoots ample amounts of coolant/lubricant right at the drill bit and surface of your work.

However, the coolant system doesn’t work when the tool is upside down (blame gravity) which means you’ll need to manually dip or splash a coolant on the surface of your work. Keep your eyes and mouth closed while doing this.

Accessories

Out of the box, the EVOMAG28 comes with a 6-piece cutter kit (1/2-inch all the way up to 1-1/8-inch cutters), and a chuck and key for replacing drill bits and cutters. The only problem is that the kit doesn’t include a Weldon shank adapter for the chuck. For most people, this won’t be a deal-breaker, but for those of you who absolutely need the adapter, prepare to shell out a few bucks to purchase the adapter separately.

Left/Right Handles

This tool comes with a 3-handle lever that can be attached to either side of the tool. This not only accommodates both left- and right-handed users, but it’s also a handy feature when there’s not enough clearance on one side to swing the handle freely.

Warranty

The EVOMAG28 comes with a 3-year manufacturer warranty. This is the standard coverage that companies provide for their entry-level mag drills, but it’s impressive to have protection for 36 months after purchasing the tool. From the experience of a couple of customers, some of their products had problems straight from the box, but Pro Evolution Tools handled all of these in a timely manner. Excellent customer service!

Verdict

Essentially, if you’re expecting the Evolution Power Tools EVOMAG28 Magnetic Drill to perform as well as $1,000 models, then don’t hold your breath. It provides ample power for a light- to medium-duty metal-drilling jobs. Its built-in coolant system works great at providing enough lubricant to the drill and workpiece when operating the tool horizontally and vertically but not upside-down. The only problem we have with the tool is that the Weldon shank adapter is not included in the kit. Don’t bother asking the company to send you one since, if you read the box carefully, it’s not supposed to come with one. Other than that, it’s an amazing budget-friendly mag drill that we highly recommend.

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If you’re familiar with a drill press machine, then you already know how great a tool like that can be. A drill press can be used to drill deep holes into all sorts of materials. With a few adjustments, you can produce holes of identical widths and depths on numerous pieces effortlessly. The convenience of a drill press truly cannot be understated.

What is a Magnetic Drill Press Used for?

But what happens when your workpiece is far too large to place on the drill press work tableOr worse, what if the piece has already been fixed into the ground and is standing verticallyYour client can’t expect you to tear the whole thing down just to punch a hole into the piece, nor can you manage to drill a hole into it using a regular power drill. So what do you do?

You get a magnetic drill press machine. From drilling holes into standing I-beams and even metal beams hanging 20 feet off the ground, a mag drill can do it all.

What is a Magnetic Drill Press Machine?

If you haven’t heard of a magnetic drill press (mag drill for short) or just haven’t found a use for it, then you most likely won’t need it in the near future. A mag drill is a specialty tool used by the most hardcore metalworkers to drill large holes into metal pieces without disassembling the structure altogether. The four most prominent components of a mag drill are the drill stand, the motor, the chuck or arbor, and the magnetic base.

The magnetic base of the mag drill is what sets it apart from traditional drill presses. A drill press requires you to bring the workpiece to the tool, whereas a mag drill adheres to the metal piece using electromagnets to drill accurate holes in metal objects regardless of the tool’s orientation. Heck, you can even hang the tool upside-down, and the magnetic base will keep the tool from falling.

What are magnetic drills used for?

Why would you need a Magnetic Drill Press Machine?

Good question. If you’re a simple DIY hobbyist who’s just beginning to get into welding or hardly works with metal pieces, then you absolutely will not need to invest in a mag drill. For most home and garage workshops, a drill press with an annular cutter will suffice.

As for professional construction workers working on a large-scale project who simply cannot lug around large 1,000-pound metal beams, a magnetic drill press is the right tool to have. The convenience of taking the tool to the workpiece and not vice versa is something that anyone who has ever used a handheld circular saw knows about.

Types of Magnetic Drill Press Machines

Mag drills fall into three different categories – electric, pneumatic, and hydraulic.

Electric Magnetic Drill Press Machines

Electric mag drills can be further divided into corded-electric and cordless models. We can go into the whole “corded v. cordless” debate and end up nowhere, so to sum up: corded models have an uninterrupted source of power since they draw electricity from a power outlet, whereas cordless models provide maximum portability but limited runtime since they run off rechargeable batteries.

Whether you prefer corded or cordless, electric mag drill presses function the same and are to be used in the same circumstances. They are ideally used in dry environments since a droplet of water can cause the machine to go haywire.

What is the best mag drill?

Pneumatic Magnetic Drill Press Machines

Since pneumatic tools don’t have any electrical components, they are safe to use in wet environments such as unfinished buildings or leaky underground rooms. You must have an air compressor to provide this tool with enough compressed air to function. Pneumatic mag drills vary in specs and PSI requirements, so if you were to purchase one of these machines, make sure that your air compressor is up to the task or invest in one that is.

Hydraulic Magnetic Drill Press Machines

We mentioned earlier in this article that mag drills are specialty tools that not everybody will need, but hydraulic mag drills take it to another level. This type of mag drill is mainly used to do underwater drilling jobs since they have a leak-proof system that prevents water from damaging its sensitive components. If you need to metal beams several hundred feet under the surface of the ocean, then feel free to shell out a few thousand bucks for one of these machines. Or… you know… get another type of mag drill.

Why do I need a hammer drill?

Safety basics of using a Magnetic Drill Press Machine

Mag drills are pretty straightforward tools. All models will require assembly straight from the box, so take some time to study the instructions manual and not just follow internet tutorials.

The first thing you need to realize is that the magnetic base of a mag drill’s electromagnetic base only clings onto ferrous metals like steel and iron. Even though the drill press can be used to cut through non-ferrous metals like copper, aluminum, and zinc, the magnetic base won’t stick to them. You also need to ensure that both the surface ferrous metal surface and the magnetic underside are spotless. This will increase the chances of the magnetic base adhering to the object and not suddenly falling off.

Something that you should consider is getting a set of chains for you mag drill. When there’s a power outage or the battery’s run out of juice midway, the magnetic base will lose its adhering power, causing the unit to release its grip and fall to the ground. By using chains, you can prevent this from happening. The worst that’ll come out of it is a few scrapes on the tool’s casing, but at least the arbor or chuck won’t become dented in any way.

Magnetic drilling machine

Final Remarks

So what have we learned todayA magnetic drill press machine is an extremely versatile tool that’s used more for specialty tasks rather than in everyday life. A mag drill is meant to be used on stationary metal objects. With its electromagnetic base, it can hang vertically, horizontally, and even upside-down on ferrous metals, though we recommend purchasing a set of reliable chains to keep the unit from falling in case of power failure. Once again, it’s not a tool that the average DIY-er will utilize every day, but for large-scale construction jobs, a mag drill will pay for itself in convenience alone.