Drilling 1'; hole in sheet metal - but the drill won't sit still - what can I do?

I have these shop lights made out of thin metal that came with a plug in cord. I am removing that cord and hard wiring them in. I bought a 1'; hole saw that is appropriate for metal - but it just slides around on the surface ';D-oh!';





How can I get these holes into the metal (the small hole for the cord is not big enough)





Tips for the drill, as well as alternate ideas are welcome.Drilling 1'; hole in sheet metal - but the drill won't sit still - what can I do?
my dad would have used a centre punch... like these guys all say.





How thick is the metal? If it's not too thick, put a piece of wood behind it, anchor it to your bench and take a 6 inch spike and hammer the hole through. Of course, if the metal is too thick, you will have to use the drill.Drilling 1'; hole in sheet metal - but the drill won't sit still - what can I do?
The reason the metal is sliding around is that the drill bit is too small to keep the hole saw stationary.





There are several solutions;





A- Buy an appropriate size knockout punch at an electric supply store.





B- Clamp the piece you are trying to cut the hole in, to a scrap piece of metal or a piece of 3/4'; plywood underneath. That will provide a center hole for the drill bit. If you can't clamp it, stick it down to the plywood with double sided tape.





C- Put a wheel collar on the bit. I think that will work. The existing hole is about the same size as a 1/4'; wheel collar.
First Hole saws are not normally used to drill electrical penetration hole for the connection of conduit etc. in thin sheet metal.. the proper tool and one that you will probably use again and again on other projects is called a UNI BIT or step bit it is avail. at HD or the like and cost around 15 bucks most common sizes start at 1/8'; and will drill to 1 1/8'' in 1/8'' increments... it looks like a stepped cone. good luck The shavings from one of these are usually very hot so wear protective gear especially if drilling overhead!!!
Center punch the hole, using a 1/8'; drill make a pilot hole, then follow with your hole saw. Better to forget the hole saw and use a 1'; hole punch. That's what an electrician uses. It makes a clean hole, no burrs. Buy it for a little money. It has two pieces that tighten with a bolt and sheer through the metal. Any electrical supply sells them. No electrician wants metal shavings near his work.
i guess most of the people dont know what a hole saw is. yes one other person mentioned it. a hole saw set with guide drills is the best. once they get throught they hold the whole thing it place. another option is if possible, clamp a piece of thin wood, 1/2 inch, to the front and back. once the saw is through that the wood will hold the hole saw where you want it and help keep the back side clean.
lol Get you a hammer and a hand drive frame nail. Use these to make a hole or rather, just an indention in the metal. That should hold your drill bit in place. Good luck with your project.





lol @ Warrior. Yeah, me, too.
GO back to home depot and get the kind of 1in hole bit with a metal drilll bit in the center, it will protrude about 1/4 in and once you drill the hole the center bit will hold the rest in place
I am an electrician who deals with this often. I use the uni-bit. They are basically several bits within one. They are a bit pricey bet very handy to have around. Try a pawn shop, might find a good deal.
You need a center punch. This is a pointed punch thats puts a little ding in the metal so your drill bit on your hole saw has somewhere to sit. A Nail will work, just put a ding in it where you want to drill.
Are you sure your drill is in the forward spinning mode and not reverse? I've done that before.
use a center punch. grab it and pound it with the hammer to make a little dent into the metal