Skill's Question -- drilling

[Dan Racette]

I must be daft.

I would like to create a hole and a counterbored top to the hole, but I'd like to do it in two steps without a drill press.

I have a bit and brace and an egg beater. The bit and brace has the 1/8" pilot that I need, and the egg beater has the 1/2 forstner for the flat bottomed counterbore. Is my only reference for center the 1/8 pilot and the point on the forstner, or am I missing a secret step?


Would be appreciative of being corrected by anyone.

Dan

[Prashun Patel]

I'd drill the counterbore 1st, then the pilot thru the center of that.

[glenn bradley]

+1 counterbore then pilot. I would use the brace for the counterbore though.

[Edward Miller]

I must be daft.

I would like to create a hole and a counterbored top to the hole, but I'd like to do it in two steps without a drill press.

I have a bit and brace and an egg beater. The bit and brace has the 1/8" pilot that I need, and the egg beater has the 1/2 forstner for the flat bottomed counterbore. Is my only reference for center the 1/8 pilot and the point on the forstner, or am I missing a secret step?


Would be appreciative of being corrected by anyone.

Dan

I imagine your 1/8" pilot is a twist bit of some variety? I would use the eggbeater with that one, and the brace & bit with the forstner. But I agree with the others--counterbore, then drill your hole.

[Jim Koepke]

I may be missing something here.

If the counter bore does not have to be pretty on the bottom, I would drill it with an auger bit, then do the 1/8 inch hole. A good sharp auger will leave a clean edge at the top if a medallion or screw top will fill the hole.

If a good flat is wanted at the bottom of the counter bore, I might still get the hole started with the auger just deep enough to guide the forstner bit.

The 1/8 inch hole would then be drilled. This would be done last since the lead screw on a 1/2 inch auger would be too small to get a bite if the small hole was drilled first. For a larger auger, the small hole might be drilled first.

This is one reason there is a big box of scrap wood in my shop. When a question like this comes along, the fun of experimentation takes over. Then what was just scrap gets thrown into the box for the wood stove.

Fire wood can warm a person more than once. When you collect it, when you cut it, when you chop it and finally when you burn it.

jim

[harry strasil]

+1 for counter bore size first.

For drilling straight holes with a brace and auger bit, I use a shop made guide .



Of course the guide holes were bored with a Neanderthal Drill, LOL ie Beam Borer.

[Dan Racette]

Would there be any difference in methodology if I needed it closer to a machinist's level of tolerences? I mean the re-finding center, order of drilling, etc.

[harry strasil]

That's the way I did it with my Bridgeport MIll or Turning lathe in steel, no difference exept one medium is much harder than the other. And in metal you often drill progressively larger holes to cut down on heat build up in the tool. And with a Mill, you often rough the hole with a drill bit and square the bottom with an end mill.

[Prashun Patel]

If you really need it to that kind of tolerance, I'd use a drill press - or use a countersinking bit (assuming the bottom o'the bore doesn't have to be flat).

Which brings me to the question:

whatcha tryin to do, exactly? Might help with the right kinda suggestion.

I suppose if you wanted to make a lot of work for yrself, you could drill a 'pre-pilot' with a 1/16" bit or finer, just deeper than yr counterbore. Then drill yr counterbore. The prepilot'll mark the spot perfectly for yr 1/8". Of course, if you're talking any kind of depth on the counterbore, those skinny bits can get squirelly and they ain't long either.

[Dan Racette]

If you really need it to that kind of tolerance, I'd use a drill press - or use a countersinking bit (assuming the bottom o'the bore doesn't have to be flat).

Which brings me to the question:

whatcha tryin to do, exactly? Might help with the right kinda suggestion.

I suppose if you wanted to make a lot of work for yrself, you could drill a 'pre-pilot' with a 1/16" bit or finer, just deeper than yr counterbore. Then drill yr counterbore. The prepilot'll mark the spot perfectly for yr 1/8". Of course, if you're talking any kind of depth on the counterbore, those skinny bits can get squirelly and they ain't long either.

If I could get into a drill press I'd be golden. (or a mill). Where I'm staying on center.

I think you may have nailed it, with the "progressive pilot hole". I'm thinking I'd have to pilot very small, drill the counterbore, then using the remaining part of the pre-pilot to drill the rest of the hole.
I'm trying to drill a counterbore to sink in a brass insert over a smaller hole that I can't get up to a drill press.

D

[harry strasil]

well, I hope you do a test run before starting on the real thing.

[harry strasil]

you could have done it many times over since the time from your first post.

[Dan Racette]

you could have done it many times over since the time from your first post.

If I was in the shop, yes.

But I'm not.

And I will give it a try when I get home, and can get some shop time. I was just wondering if there was some secret of nimh. Kids need to go to the skating rink and that sort of thing.

Dan

[Eric Brown]

Jr in your post on drilling holes you have a picture showing a board clamped with a very nice looking wood bar clamp. Would you please start a thread showing details of this and other workholding devices you have made?
Greatly appreciated.

Eric

[Dan Racette]

Well, see, junior, I can always count on you to make my day.

A simple pre-drilled block the same diameter clamped to my work would be the ticket, I think! I didn't see those pics yesterday!! Like I said, I'm feeling like I'm not "seeing" it! I needed a kick in the pants to make me see what I was missing.

Dan