MAINTENANCE &  INSTALLATION SUGGESTIONS MANUAL 

Hole-O-MagicTM
MASTER ASSEMBLY

  "Tools for Successful Manufacturing"

HOLE-0-MAGIC MAINTENANCE SUGGESTIONS

 BACKGROUND:  The Hole-O-Magic Guide is rapidly becoming one of the best methods to consistently produce accurate one size, fur free holes in fiber reinforced plastic materials. The maintenance suggestions is being presented to help you get the maximum operations benefits of this type of tooling. The Hole-O-Magic Drill Guide is a devise not a drill bit. A drill bit requires attention only when it is dull or broken. The Hole-O-Magic Drill Guide is not the same. It has parts that wear and need lubrication to achieve the maximum benefits from this state of the art tooling aid.
PURPOSE:  The purpose of this report is to provide a suggested routine for keeping the Hole-O-Magic Master Assemblies operating longer and also to provide a basis for a check list for the individuals who use and/or supervise the use of these tools. If the Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly Drill Guide is followed they will make money for you every day!
SCOPE: This maintenance recommendation is limited to the Hole-0-Magic Master Assembly Drill Guide. Cutter re-sharpening and operation techniques are specifically excluded and are the subject or similar reports. The proper installation of the Hole-O-Magic Master Assemblies has not been debugged and is "work in process" while producing parts that are to specific manufacturing requirements. This report is broken into two parts:
1.*Production shop floor preventive maintenance.
2.*Supervisory or setup maintenance.

ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY: Someone in each organization MUST have responsibility for the proper maintenance of the Hole-O-Magic Master Assemblies. Continual use of the Hole-O-Magic over a period of time without the proper maintenance could result in getting less productivity from your tools. Management commitment to the importance of this program will significantly increase cost and productivity.
PRODUCTION FLOOR DAILY MAINTENANCE: Each Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly should be inspected by the operator and or the immediate shop floor supervisor at the beginning of each shift. The following areas should be included in each inspection. This list is not meant to be complete for each operation, but a good general list upon which to build a complete program. In each instance where an unsatisfactory condition is found the immediate solution is to remove the Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly and replace it with a unit that has been recently inspected and found to be in good working condition. We do NOT recommend that the operator be given the job of replacing the Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly parts. If the operator becomes involved in the replacement of parts in can become an overly time expensive operation. Production operators are to produce products.
Instructiions:
1. Hold the Hole-O-Magic Drill Master Assembly and gently move the Hole-O-Magic Hex Nut side ways, up and down and rotate it.
2. The hex nut should move freely between the fingers. If not, use WD-40 or similar lubricant to loosen areas.
3. The hex Nut should not move easily from side to side. If it does it may indicate that the Slip Fit Bushing body, Hex Nut, or the cutter shaft are worn and need replacing. Remove and replace Master Assembly.
4. You should be able to move the Hex Nut up and down in the Master Assembly but you should have constant resistance to movement. The Compression Control Spring inside the body of the Hole -O-Magic Master Assembly is to hold the Hex Nut firmly at the extreme up position. Looseness is caused by a Compression Control Spring that has become overheated. Remove and replace the Master Assembly.
5. The Hex Nut is firmly held by shank of the Hole-O-Magic cutter. If the cutter shank has worn down the square power Notch in the Hex Nut will feel loose. Remove and replace the Master Assembly.
6. Hold the Hole-O-Magic Dust Cover an try to move the entire Master Assembly. The hold down screw may have become loose and needs tightening. Tighten the Lock Screw.Hole-O-Magic Lock Screw: The Hole-O-Magic Lock screw holds the Master Assembly so that holes are produced in the same location.  Inspect the Lock Screw to see that it is in place and tightly holding the Master Assembly. tighten the Lock Screw if necessary.
In some cases, installing the Lock Screw my not be firmly seated and the Master Assembly can move in and out a short distance, although this is not the ultimate execution, it will work well provided that the Master Assembly fits into the hole very snug. As the hole wears the amount of play will increase so that the hole location will be effected. If you have this type of installation make sure that the holes produced are within tolerance.
Hole-O-Magic Dust Cover: The dust cover is is to protect the moving parts inside the Master Assembly from abrasive fiberglass cutter dust. The Dust Cover also acts to center the cutting shank and aids in the lubrication of the Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly. DO NOT Clean the Dust Cover by blowing air inside the tiny hole near the top. This hole is for the application of a light lubricating oil (WD-40). If air is blown into the hole fiberglass dust will enter causing damage.
- If the Dust Cover is melted, it is a good indication that the Master Assembly was run without adequate lubrication and the entire unit should be replaced. In some instances just the contact area is destroyed where the Thrust Bearing and Depth Control Spacers press on the top of the Dust Cover. Replace the entire Master Assembly.
Hole-O-Magic Carbide Cutter tip: Inspect the cutter tip for chips or nicks. Especially, the point of the cutter. Rough handling can cause the point of the carbide to break off, though the cutter will continue to cut, eventually the cutter will not cut to size and will completely destruct itself. Tools damaged should be replaced. Remove and replace the Master Assembly.
- The cutting edge of the cutter is frequently covered with a whitish dust. The cutting edge can be wiped with a damp cloth to remove the dust. If the cutting edge does not have a clean look and seems to cut harder that usual check to see if the cutting edge is dull. Another clue to cutting edge condition can be found by running the drill at a slightly slower speed than normal and checking the hole that is produced for being fur free and on size. As the tool wears, the condition of the hole wall will become rough and the end of efficient cutting is near. If the cutter is replaced soon enough it is much easier to re-sharpen to extend the life of the tool, otherwise replace the tool.
Hole-O-Magic Driver Coupler:  The purpose of the Driver coupler is to provide rotational torque and penetrating thrust for the Hole-O-Magic Cutter. If the Driver coupler contacting surface is rough or worn it can not provide the dependable torque and thrust necessary for all day drilling. The Driver Coupler should be considered the expendable part of the tooling. Frequent changes to new Driver Couplers should be planned. Change of Driver Couplers are less time consuming and not as expensive as the Hex Nut or Master Assembly, especially considering the time required to replace these parts. Replace worn Driver Couplers.
Fixture: The locking mechanisms of the fixture should be inspected to ensure that tools are secure prior to machining, also the clamps and clamping mechanisms may need lubricating at this time.

In Summary: Visually check each Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly to see that it is complete and not loose. If you have any doubt, remove it and replace with a Master Assembly in good working condition. Use a new Driver Coupler at the beginning of each shift.

ROUTINE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT:
All Hole-O-Magic Master Assemblies should be removed after 6-8 weeks for general cleaning and inspection. The operating environment for the Master Assembly is very abrasive. Complete removal and inspection is the only to prevent loss production time on the shop floor. The frequency of removal should be gauged by the number of parts run and whether unscheduled replacements are taking place during shift operations.
- Hole-O-Magic Cutters will cut between 2 and 3 thousand inches of material between sharpening's. If properly maintained all other Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly parts should last for several years re-sharpenings. Accurate maintenance records should be maintained for each fixture. The supervisor who keeps this will be able to pin point location or operator problems as they develop. This should be a simple record but the responsibility of one person.

In Summary: keep records to establish a performance history for replacement parts requirement and production standards.

MAINTENANCE SUGGESTIONS WHEN A MASTER ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR ANY REASON:

Take apart and clean: On a clean and proper work bench take the units apart by knocking out the Hole-O-Magic Lock Pin  with a 5/64" drift pin. After taking apart, clean all parts in a solvent solution that will cut the accumulated dust and oil. We recommend that the cutters be separated from the other parts prior to putting the other Master Assembly parts into the solvent. The cutters should be handled very carefully due to the possibility of damaging the cutting edges. DG-106 Sub-micron tungsten carbide cutting edge material is very hard and abrasive resistant, it is also very brittle and will break with only a small amount of mishandling. Great care should be taken to prevent the cutting edges from hitting each other.
Inspect: After cleaning, examine all parts for wear and replace if necessary. Special attention should be given to the Compression Control Spring. This part is designed to provide the force necessary to remove the cutter from the hole after cutting and needs to be close to its original strength to function properly. After squeezing the spring it should have a pressure of approximately 18 pounds. We recommend taking a new spring and comparing the amount of force necessary to compress the spring to a solid. If the spring has been subjected to elevated temperatures it will be very soft. A soft spring MUST be replaced.
Thrust Bearing Depth Control Spacers: The thrust Bearing Depth Control Spacers are very inexpensive items and their replacement is usually good a idea. The wear pattern is a depressed ridge around the outside edges. This indicates not enough lubrication was present during use and the metal to metal contact is causing wear.
NOTE: Upon reassemble, the Dust Cover should just cover the top the Slip Fit Bushing Body.
If not, add one or more Depth Control Spacers so that cutting dust does not enter.

Slip Fit Bushing Body:The slip fit bushing body is the most difficult item to check for wear because the inside diameter can be dirty with dust and oil and not allow smooth sliding of the parts. There are two inside gage pins available to help in finding out if the bushing has worn and needs replacement.
- Use the HM-001 3/16" Slip Fit Bushing Body Gage Pin for all of the cutter sizes one half inch or less. the Gage Pin should be inserted from both ends of the Bushing Body. If the Gage Pin can be pushed through the Slip Fit Bushing Body, the part needs to be replaced, to continue use of the worn Bushing Body will result in making the hole location and smoothness less than what you would expect from a Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly in good condition.
- Use the HM-002 1/2" Slip Fit Bushing Body Gage Pin for all Hole-O-Magic Cutter sizes over one half inch.  If the gage pin can be pushed through either end of the Slip Fit Bushing Body, the part will need to be replaced.

Hole-O-Magic Cutter Shank: The shank is made of M-2 High Speed Steel hardened to 60 Rockwell C.  Industrial quality twist drills are made of the same material and hardened the same way. The shaft over a period of time will begin to wear faster than the shank. To avoid damage to the shank and other components. Use  an adequate amount of lubrication to reduce the wear and avoid the surface area to become hot and possibly melt. The melted material will ball up an cause a rough condition on the shank. This rough condition is easily felt with the finger nail and in severe cases you can see discoloration and gouges in the surface with the naked eye. Light stoning with a grinding stone can remove the small build ups, but if large areas or deep scratches develop the cutter should be replaced.
Lubrication: The small hole in the top of the Hole-O-Magic Dust Cover is for applying a small quantity of light lubricating oil when needed. We have found WD-40 to be a good lubricant. After the parts have been freed up, the carrying agent for the WD-40 evaporates and a small residue will provide a smooth lubricating action without a large build up of oil. This reduces the danger of contaminating the piece parts being machined. A high pressure grease in small amounts is recommended.

In Summary: All parts should slide easily if properly assembled, lubricated and cleaned. if you find it necessary to force a part together, review the assembly operation to that point for possible problems. Cutting edge protection should provide for the cutters and assembled Hole-O-Magic Master Assemblies during storage and movement around the plant. The DG-106 sub micron Tungsten Carbide Cutting edge material is very hard, but also very brittle and easily broken if gently bumped together. Hole-O-Magic Driver Couplers HM-004 should be used to drive the Hole-O-Magic Assembly Hex Nut.  The Hole-O-Magic Driver Couple is designed to limit the depth that it will engage the Hex Nut HM-003 and HM-114 this limits the force a pistol grip type drill motor can exert on the shaft of a Hole-O-Magic Cutter, thus preventing damage and breaking. After approximately 20 degrees of misalignment, the Driver coupler will disengage from the Hex Nut without harm to the assemblies. The Driver Coupler has been designed to be the disposable perishable part of our Drill Guide System. 


Hole-O-Magic Mounting: Use a press fit Bushing Liner. A drilled and reamed hole may be used, if there is not a close fit, allowing  the hole location to shift. The recommended tolerance between the fixture and the Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly is +.0002" and + .0007".  A bushing Plate can be used if a jig ground is reamed accurately. Epoxy potting a plate or bushing liner into the fixture is a successful and economical method of mounting. The Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly should always be held firmly. One Hole-O-Magic Lock Screw is normally adequate, but two should be used for maximum security whenever possible.
Piece Part Holding: All overhang (flying fixtures) should have a positive work piece holding contact points on both sides of the piece part within 6" of each Hole-O-Magic Assembly. Each hole location should be supported within 6 inches. Outside arm extensions should have work piece holding contact points on both sides of the work piece.  In addition to improving precision hole location and preventing the flexing of thin sections will improve hole quality for both size and appearance. Hole periphery chipping, miniature delaminations and cracking are eliminated as work piece flexing is controlled.
Chip Removal: Consideration should be given to chip removal. Plastic composite dust can collect behind the Hole-O-Magic Cutter and interrupt its spiring-loaded free withdrawal movement unless the dust is removed. the Hole-O-Magic Bushing liner should not rest on the piece part. The drilling dust is not problem when drilling downward but provisions for dust removal must be made when drilling upwards. Channels in the fixture will allow the dust to  fall by gravity and is sufficient if a large enough escape path is made. Small vacuum ports is proximity to the hole having proved successful and is probably the most efficient technique used.
Operator Consideration: Consideration for operator fatigue and for efficient production at (Least Fatigue Operation Zone) should be planned. This is the zone between the operators "hips and shoulders" with the drill motor parallel to the floor. If the operator is required to operate the drill motor outside the (Least Fatigue Operating Zone), and or at an angle to the floor, the operation becomes more difficult to perform. This condition exist in all types of hand operations, because of the ease of penetration with the Hole-O-Magic Drill Guide System, operators report less fatigue than with other hand drilling operations.
Length of Stroke: Standard Hole-O-Magic Assemblies have a normal stroke of 0.6" the distance from under the clamp ring to the cutter point varies with the size of the cutter and included angle. All Hole-O-Magic Master Assemblies are designed to produce a 1/2" effective stroke. It is recommended that initial fixturing allow for adjustments to shorten the required effective stroke. Upon reasonable allowance for tip clearance, the work piece should be as close as possible, but not in actual contact with the cutter. Under these conditions the Hole-O-Magic can be re-sharpened the maximum amount of times and still produce a full sized, full depth hole. Other stroke lengths are available (See Twin-Spring Extra Length Hole-O-Magic Master Assemblies and Cutters), but it is recommended that standard length Hole-O-Magic be used where ever possible because of immediately availability and cost. One time fixturing modifications are usually less expensive than making special tooling. If you need extra forward stroke, please contact us so we can meet your special requirements.
Minimum distance between hole and center line is 0.625": To achieve this minimum distance, the Slip-Fit Bushing Body Clamp Ring must be modified. The un-modified minimum spacing dimension is 1.00". For cutter diameters greater than 1/2" please consult Customer Service and ask to speak to one of our technical engineers.
HOLE-0-MAGIC MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS AND SERVICE

Lubrication: Hole-O-Magic Master Assemblies are packed with a non migratory high pressure/Temperature wax like lubricant. This lubricant will not run out on the work piece, causing subsequent painting problems. Chip dust can become a thickening agent in the lubricant. There is a small hole in the Dust Cover (HM-005) for spraying a light solvent penetrating oil we recommend WD-40 because it will not leave an oily residue) for freeing the thickened lubricant.  When a Master Assembly Unit is taken apart a small amount of good grade high temperature wax lubricant should be put on the Compression Control Regulator Spring coils. (HM-006). A few drips of a penetrating solvent oil should be applied to all Master Assemblies weekly.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:  Lubricate immediately if a Master-Assembly feels warm during operation

Mounting: During set up, the fit of the Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly should be checked. A slip-fit is all that is required.  A loose Master Assembly will cause hole location variations, size control problems, and hole appearance irregularities. If the Hole-O-Magic cutter is hit on the edge during removal from the fixture, the tungsten carbide cutting edges will chip or break. The Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly is removed by twisting and lifting on the clamp ring or knurled head only. Do not force the Hole-O-Magic Master Assembly. Careful cleaning of the Bushing Liner will aid in positioning.
Disassemble and Reassemble: First Knock out the 5/16" Lock Pin (HM-008) holding the Hex Nut on the Cutter Shank: Care must be taken during this operation because removal of the lock pin releases the spring tension of the Compression Control spring Regulator (HM-006)). It is recommended that hand and eye protection be worn while handling the Hole-0-Magic Cutters. The  Disassembly should be made in a walled container (box or large can) so that spring loaded parts do not hurl out and scatter around the work area. Next, clean parts thoroughly with a penetrating oil solvent.  We recommend WD-40. All worn parts are unserviceable Slip Fit Bushing Bodies and Cutters should be replaced .
Repair parts are available for all Hole-O-Magic Assemblies. Care should be exercised in ordering shanks, two sizes are available 3/16" and  1/4". When ordering Slip-Fit Bushing bodies be sure to check the hole size and the body seat diameter that fits into the fixture and secured by the Lock Screw. This dimension varies from 1/2" to 1". Now securing the Hex Nut to the Cutter Shank with the Lock Pin requires that all component parts be in correct sequence. Holding pressure is applied to compress the spring so that the notched square end of the shank protrude through the Thrust Bearing and Dust Cover. The notched side be faced up and the Hex Nut held so that the two  pin hole openings can be seen when looking directly down at it. Slide the Hex Nut on to the Cutter Shank and insert the Lock Pin. The use of Channel Lock Pliers is recommended to squeeze the Lock Pin. Lubricate as described.
Custom Reconditioning and Sharpening Service is available: Return your used, broken, dull or cannibalized Hole-O-Magic's to us for reconditioning. We will clean, re-sharpen and lubricate each tool and provide replacement parts for a small service fee. Regrind prices are determined by the Cutter Size. The "like New" appearance and performance are only a fraction of the original cost.


Return to Table of Contents

International Carbide Corporation
Last Update February 8, 2007