I need to change the lock and deadbolt on my hollow metal door, and I need to expand the existing hole where the deadbolt is. How do I do that?
you need a hole cutter with a metal cutting blade. One of your contributors mentioned that you can only do this with a pilot hole - that's true. all you need do is clamp some 1/2 inch scrap plywood over the hole and mark for your pilot hole - then drill through both the wood and the door.
Adam, I use my 'Dremel' with a 1/2 sanding wheel to do just this. Take a pencil and slowly go around the small hole on both sides of the door and make a line to the size hole you require. Then using safety glasses, 'slowly' grind the hole to the pencil line you drawed around the smaller hole with your 'Dremel' on high speed. 'Slowly' is the key here Adam, you don`t want to cut the sandpaper on the wheel. If cut then just replace it with a new sanding pad. It may take about 10-15 minutes to do this whole DIY project but you can do it. Hoped any info. here helped you with your DIY project.
I'm not sure, but I think a small rotary tool (like a Dremel) could do it. It may take a few minutes. My husband used mine on a small stainless steel rod on our boat motor.
tapered reamer ( a big one) or a hole cuter but you need to center those or a metal rasp or burr on an electric drill, but be careful one slip when cutting metal sheet can take a finger off -wear leather gloves
Since a hole saw requires a pilot hole to work and enlarge the hole, the only thing I can think of would be to use a jigsaw with a small metal blade. You will have the trace the size of the new hole out on both sides of the door.
