[CR]drilled or pierced?

(Example: Bike Shops)

Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 18:16:18 -0400
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "WD Baseley" <wdb@pobox.com>
In-Reply-To: <40BCFC56.1050407@peterwhitecycles.com>
References: <87vfibknoh.fsf@fletcher.sonic.net>
Subject: [CR]drilled or pierced?

At 05:59 PM 6/1/2004 -0400, Peter Jon White ushered forth:
> The SR brake levers had holes drilled before the flat sheet of aluminum
> was formed into the lever shape.

I had heard that the holes were pierced, rather than drilled, which I took to mean that the holes were done while the material was at an elevated temperature. From my admittedly partial knowledge of metallurgy, I believe that would have a markedly positive effect on the strength of the levers. Was my leg being pulled when I was told that they were pierced?

Curious,
Dave Baseley in cicada-ville Berks County PA