This week we’re talking about making holes in metal— twist bits, step bits, annular cutters, hole saws, mag drills, and plasma cutting for steel, plus the tips and techniques for smooth cutting.

In this episode:

• Choosing twist drill bits in mild steel, including how to avoid binding or snapping bits
• Differences between high-speed steel, cobalt, and coated bits and which we prefer for shop vs. job-site work
• Using cutting fluid (oil-based vs. water-based)
• How step bits work for enlarging holes and deburring, including practical thickness limits
• Using annular cutters (and mag drills) for larger-diameter holes
• Hole saws for thin sheet and larger openings, including limitations on precision and thickness
• Thermal methods (plasma, laser, oxyacetylene) for cutting holes when drilling isn’t practical
• Basic layout, punching, and other ways to keep bits from walking
• Alternative approaches for oversized holes (angle grinder, chain drilling, dies, and traditional blacksmithing methods like punching or slitting and drifting)
• Practical notes on drill speeds/feeds and reading chip color as a temperature indicator
• Listener question on how to get started with alternative fuels for engines

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Welcome to the Greenhill Forge Podcast, with Eric from the Greenhill Forge YouTube channel, and my buddy Amal, a fellow builder of many trades.

In this podcast we’ll talk about where the real world meets experiments in alternative energy, wood heating, metal fabrication, off-grid engineering and self sufficiency, so expect discussions about workshops, tools, fabrication, building, homesteading, and what it actually takes to make those dreams real.

We’ll answer a question each week, so send yours to us at https://forms.gle/zNzKTtjDnBEupLBQA

WATCH the podcast on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@GreenhillPod

LISTEN on all your favorite podcast platforms.

See you next week!

CHAPTERS

00:00:40 Twist Drill Bits

00:03:54 Drill Bit Materials and Coatings

00:11:13 Cutting Fluid

00:15:03 Step Bits

00:22:53 Annular Cutters

00:32:40 Hole Saws

00:39:23 Plasma, Laser, and Oxyacetylene Cutting

00:43:08 Layout and Center Punching

00:44:37 Alternative Methods for Large Holes

00:51:51 Drill Speeds and Chip Color

01:00:51 Tips of the Week

01:03:32 Listener Question: Getting into Alternative Fuels

This week we’re celebrating Halloween by talking about how we’re planning on surviving the hypothetical zombie apocalypse!

In this episode:

• Water- practical ways to store and filter it
• Rule-of-threes survival priorities and the hardest seasonal months
• Best animals for long-term food and work
• Community and the need for specialists who produce surplus calories
• Food production and calorie-dense crops
• Food preservation methods that work without electricity
• The importance of salt
• Overlooked basics
• What we’ll run out of
• Mental fortitude, physical fitness, and outdoor practice versus pure gear-based prepping

_______________________________

Welcome to the Greenhill Forge Podcast, with Eric from the Greenhill Forge YouTube channel, and my buddy Amal, a fellow builder of many trades.

In this podcast we’ll talk about where the real world meets experiments in alternative energy, wood heating, metal fabrication, off-grid engineering and self sufficiency, so expect discussions about workshops, tools, fabrication, building, homesteading, and what it actually takes to make those dreams real.

We’ll answer a question each week, so send yours to us at https://forms.gle/zNzKTtjDnBEupLBQA

WATCH the podcast on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@GreenhillPod

LISTEN on all your favorite podcast platforms.

See you next week!

CHAPTERS

00:02:49 Water and the rule of threes

00:05:32 Realistic collapse scenarios

00:08:10 Surviving the first two years and lean months

00:09:23 Water storage and filtration

00:15:03 Food storage, cooking, and fuel

00:18:40 Animals for food and work

00:19:55 Community size and specialization

00:22:24 Potatoes, grains, and calorie density

00:22:54 Seed saving and heirloom varieties

00:29:14 Fertilizers, companion planting, and composting

00:30:55 Dentistry and health realities

00:31:38 Food preservation methods

00:36:57 Salt as a critical resource

00:38:58 Clothing, shoes, and textiles

00:46:08 Soap, toilet paper, cordage, and tools

00:49:42 Prepping strategies and location

00:55:34 Communication without modern infrastructure

00:58:45 Mental fortitude and physical fitness

01:12:22 Tips of the Week