Wexmar provides deep hole drilling services for shafts, manifolds, valve bodies, and fittings that need long, straight holes. We drill deep holes on our Mazak and Doosan CNC lathes, where the rotating part helps hold a hole on center, and on our Mazak horizontal machining centers for cross-drilled passages in prismatic parts. For engineers searching for a deep hole drilling machine shop or deep hole drilling near me in the Northeast, our Canastota, New York shop near Syracuse handles this work directly.
What deep hole drilling is
A hole is generally considered deep once its depth passes about ten times its diameter. At that point chip evacuation, coolant delivery, heat, and drill wander become the main problems. Deep hole drilling uses pilot holes, long-series carbide drills, controlled peck or chip-breaking cycles, and conservative feeds to keep chips moving out of the hole and the drill running straight. The goal is a hole that meets its diameter, straightness, and position requirements from entry to exit without drill breakage.
When a buyer needs deep hole drilling
- Hollow shafts, spindles, and tubes drilled from solid bar
- Hydraulic manifolds and valve bodies with long intersecting passages
- Coolant, lubrication, and air passages through long components
- Instrumentation housings and probes with long center bores
- Pins and rods that need a through hole for wiring, fluid, or weight reduction
Wexmar machines for deep hole work
Deep holes on the axis of a round part run on our CNC lathes: Mazak Nexus QT200, Nexus 250, Nexus 100-II, 200 MS, Multiplex 6300Y, and Nexus 450-II, plus Doosan Lynx 2100A lathes and the Boss 552. Drilling with the part rotating tends to keep the hole centered and reduces run-out at exit. Cross-drilled and off-axis deep holes in blocks and manifolds run on our six Mazak horizontal machining centers, where the pallet indexes to drill passages from several faces so they meet accurately inside the part. Long, slender parts under 32 mm may run on our Maier Swiss machines. See the machine list for details.
Planning intersecting passages
In manifolds, long passages often have to meet other drilled holes at specific points. We plan the drilling order, entry points, and pilot depths so that intersections are clean and burrs at the break-through can be reached and removed. Intersecting holes are one of the reasons we pay close attention to deburring in fluid power parts.
Typical capabilities
| Item | Typical capability |
|---|---|
| Depth to diameter ratio | up to about 20:1 routinely; deeper by review |
| Hole diameter tolerance (drilled) | +0.003 / -0.000 in typical |
| Hole diameter tolerance (drilled and reamed or bored) | ±0.0005 in |
| Straightness / drift | depends on depth and material; reviewed per print |
| Bore finish (drilled / reamed) | 125 Ra / 32 to 63 Ra |
These values are typical. For holes much deeper than about 20 times diameter, tell us the requirement and we will review whether it fits our equipment before quoting.
Materials
We drill deep holes in carbon and alloy steels, 300-series, 400-series, and PH stainless, Nitronic 50, Inconel, Monel, Hastelloy, aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, titanium, and engineered plastics. Stainless and nickel alloys work-harden and need consistent feed to avoid rubbing, while aluminum and copper need chip control to prevent packing. Our programmers adjust peck strategy and feeds to each material.
Design notes for long hole drilling
- Allow a drill point angle at the bottom of blind holes unless a flat bottom is truly required
- Give a straightness or exit position tolerance that reflects function rather than a general tight tolerance
- Where possible, let long holes break through so chips and coolant can exit
Quantity fit
Deep hole drilling fits prototypes through production. For prototypes, we select standard long-series drills wherever possible to avoid special tooling cost. For production, we establish a proven drill cycle and tool life so every part in the lot is drilled the same way. Second-shift capacity supports longer runs.
Inspection deliverables
Deep holes are checked with calibrated pin gages and bore gages, and hole position and exit location are verified on our Brown & Sharpe CMMs when required. We provide CMM reports, AS9102-format first articles, material certifications, and heat-lot traceability under an ISO 9001:2015-aligned quality system. More on our inspection and quality page.
Getting a quote
Send a drawing that shows hole diameter, depth, straightness or position callouts, and material. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote before release. Call (315) 400-2654 or email ron@backwell.com, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern.