drilling ambidextrous holes on gearbox

[devbro]

apparently to have an ambidextrous selector, you would need this tiny hole on your gearbox.

now every gearbox I got or want to buy, does NOT have this hole. so here goes my question:

How easy is it to add it on my own? Will a simple drill tool do the trick? What are the risks in long run?

I really want this for my project now.

[RainyEyes]

This might interest you: http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=126429

[Ricochet]

A drill will work fine. Use a proper bit with lubricant to minimize the risks of cracking, warping and metal shavings. Afterwards gently emery-cloth the hole smooth. Your hole has to be exact, close won't cut it. Make sure that it'll work with the parts you've selected though, drilling a mechbox is easy, drilling a hole for no reason is also easy.

[ThunderCactus]

Use a split point drill at high speed and low feed on a drill press. Don't need any lubrication for pot metal. If you go too fast or use a typical twist drill with a big chisel edge, you'll oblong the crap out of that hole.
Problem is you need the exact location of that hole, and despite the loose tolerances in airsoft, I suspect you'll have to be within about .015"
So you'd need an ambi mechbox to measure anyway.

[Zeroroaster]

..or you can assemble the halves and go through the opposite side with an angle gauge and a center pin punch to locate. If you don't have machine tool experience, never mind. lol

[devbro]

the whole accuracy part worries me. I have the tools and drill bit for this purpose but I am worried if I it is not in the exact place it would cause problem. has anyone ever done this before?

[lurkingknight]

you need a drill press, also the issue is that the half shell will often not lay flat so that can throw off the squareness of your drill. If you have a sacrificial gearbox I would maybe try it, but if you have a nice shiny new gearbox, I'd be much more hesitant to try. Is it impossible to get the correct gearbox shell?