Reddit mentions of Pin Vise Hand Drill Bits(20PCS), Micro Mini Twist Drill Bits Set with Precision Hand Pin Vise Rotary Tools for Wood, Jewelry, Plastic etc (0.6-3.0mm)

Haha, you don’t “need” to drill the barrel. It’s kind of a running cliche or inside joke that the model is worthless if you don’t drill it. That’s obviously incorrect but I love to drill mine and find that it adds one more bit of realism to the model.

I have this very simple hand drill. Not sure if it’s permitted to post but I bought mine from amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJ6VD2P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_N8NRCbBQ407GQ

I'd recommend getting a hand-drill like this.

Not a power-drill, and not the cranking type of hand-drill. You want the type you hold and twist like a screwdriver. It gives you more control and you can go at a snail's pace to make sure it's perfect until you build more confidence.

These are some of the best minis I've ever seen, so your hand control is already top notch. Don't sell yourself short, you'll be drilling out barrels with the best of them.

It's ok lol, I had the same question (started in March)

I used one of these to drill a small hole in its foot: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJ6VD2P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BsIiDbXZK8B5K

I then used a cutting plier to snip off part of an office clip. Then you can use a vise grip to force it into the cork at a decent depth, depending on how long you snipped it.

I put a bit of glue at the tip of the clip that's sticking out of the cork, and also a bit in the foot hole I drilled. Glue them together, and voila. Make sure you use both hands to hold it in place while the glue bonds, for a few seconds.

If you decide to do this for separate parts instead of a wholly assembled model, you can skip the hole drilling step. I.E. if you want to have a head, arm, weapon etc, just glue them directly to the tip of the office clip. You can very easily snap it off when you're done painting. Be sure to glue it to a place where that part won't be visible once the model is assembled.

I used a hand pin vise drill https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07FJ6VD2P?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

The drilling went really well and wasn't too hard but getting started on the shoulder was tough because it was round. It kept slipping off but eventually it stuck. The holes the biggest drill bit made fit these magnets perfectly https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B076CJL649?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

Did this break due to being cross threaded and over-torqued? If not, you may have to get a small hand drill to drill out a portion of the center of the broken stud and then use a small gauge screw extractor. DO NOT USE POWER TOOLS(can too easily slip, put too much pressure or generate too much heat and fuxx your board) ! I would also shield the area around the hole with cardboard or something to reduce chance of skidding and then gouging the board.... I'd only go this route if it's not cross threaded and your case has a side window.

https://www.amazon.com/Pin-Vise-Precision-Jewelry-0-6-3-0mm/dp/B07FJ6VD2P/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=micro+drill&qid=1559268934&s=gateway&sr=8-3

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if it was cross threaded, you could consider safer options such as a riser or extension to relocate the SSD module.

https://www.amazon.com/Ableconn-M2MN-151M-NGFF-M-Key-Riser/dp/B07D6YMBLN/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=m.2+riser&qid=1559269086&s=gateway&sr=8-15 OR

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https://www.amazon.com/NGFF-M-2-Flexible-Extender-Cable/dp/B07CYY9ZKJ/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?keywords=m.2+riser+card&pd_rd_i=B07CYY9ZKJ&pd_rd_r=e7f21b50-8506-4c4c-a2cf-bdb212f400e2&pd_rd_w=smWG4&pd_rd_wg=JaiSN&pf_rd_p=a6d018ad-f20b-46c9-8920-433972c7d9b7&pf_rd_r=3763Z56RKP07T9YEDJMH&qid=1559269175&s=gateway

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If the drive is a NVME.

https://www.amazon.com/Sintech-M-Key-Extention-Cable-20CMS/dp/B07DZCCGJN/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=nvme+extension&qid=1559269892&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Yeah it's called a pin vice. I make a tiny little hole first with hobbie knife so the drill doesn't slip.

Here's an example https://www.amazon.com/Pin-Vise-Precision-Jewelry-0-6-3-0mm/dp/B07FJ6VD2P/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=pin+vise&qid=1563815381&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1 (the one I bought is not longer sold so can't speak to that specific one's quality.)

this is the one i got :)

For magnets, order this:
https://www.amazon.com/Pin-Vise-Precision-Jewelry-0-6-3-0mm/dp/B07FJ6VD2P

And then these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BHHNBWQ

You may want/need to double up the magnets for extra security on the arms and hands (like, two stuck in a row), but it's really easy once you do it. I was terrified of magnets and now I put them in everything.

Edit: And super glue is plenty strong to hold the magnets in place. Just make sure you don't have any other magnets or magnetic metal around when you glue them (this includes your hobby knife). I...say that from experience...

if you try the mini drill method a pin vise is what your looking for.

I used a full sized power drill like an absolute madman on my xv8's & riptide.

Just take your time and use pilot holes and you'll be 100% fine. (though yes next time I magnetize I'm just going to buy a hand drill, Amazon has one for $12)

A power drill seems insanely overkill for this purpose. I used a pin vise when I retooled mine, and it was not difficult at all.

This isn't specific to IWM—all metal models are prone to breaking from weight putting a strain on the glue, and not all designs are built with physics in mind (e.g. lots of stuff is top-heavy). The old Warhammer 40K Eldar Avatar and War Walker come to mind (metal lascannon pretty much fell off if you looked at it). A lot of BT models are the same, particularly some of the newer ones that are larger, heavier, more detailed (i.e. more parts), and aren't built directly into a base, like the Mad Cat MKII, Scylla, Sagittaire, etc. Say what you will about the looks of the old single or 2-piece models: they didn't break (because they were just... 1 or 2 pieces)—detail comes at a price. This is one of the reasons some people prefer plastic over metal, but with BT, your options for plastics are extremely limited unless you want to get 3D-printed MWO-style mechs from a third party.

The solution? Drill and pin!

Get yourself a pin vise, drill tiny holes in your models' various parts, and glue in some brass wires ("pins") to help hold the pieces on.

I do this with pretty much all my miniatures, even if they don't technically need it, just for peace of mind. It was intimidating the first time I did it, but it's honestly pretty easy.