Am looking for a way to make a 1 1/2" dia. hole, ~1 1/2" deep with
minimal bottom indentation (flat-bottomed hole). I have a 1/2 hp drill
press and a 3/4 hp lathe.
38 mm is also acceptable.
I want to make the hole in one pass. This is not a critical appearance
item but, of course, better is better.
What is my best choice of drill bit and who, if you know, has them for
yesterday delivery?
Bill
--
I'm not not at the above address.
http://nmwoodworks.com
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> What is my best choice of drill bit and who, if you know, has them for
> yesterday delivery?
I like Lee Valley forstner bits, and in my experience they ship quite
quickly. (However I'm in NY, same state as their shipping warehouse,
but regardless, they process orders quickly).
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=42245&cat=1,180,42240
I've also found Harbor Freight forstner bits to be not too bad -
obviously not as good as LV's, but really acceptable. May be a good
choice if you're going to grind off the center nib. You could get a
full set of forstners from HF, including a 1 1/2", for a little more
than you'd pay to LV + shipping.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40062
If you're going to be drilling a lot of holes, though, the LV would
definitely be worth it.
Hope this helps,
Andy
On Jul 22, 4:54 pm, BillinDetroit <[email protected]> wrote:
> Am looking for a way to make a 1 1/2" dia. hole, ~1 1/2" deep with
> minimal bottom indentation (flat-bottomed hole). I have a 1/2 hp drill
> press and a 3/4 hp lathe.
>
> 38 mm is also acceptable.
>
> I want to make the hole in one pass. This is not a critical appearance
> item but, of course, better is better.
>
> What is my best choice of drill bit and who, if you know, has them for
> yesterday delivery?
>
> Bill
3 approaches come to mind.
1) quick-and-dirty: for a small number of holes, for cheap and good
enough results grind a spade bit to what you need.
2) go buy a forstner bit. see other replies.
3) plunge router, straight bit with template guides and template. this
is the slowest, best results and second cheapest (not counting the
router...)
On Jul 22, 4:54 pm, BillinDetroit <[email protected]> wrote:
> Am looking for a way to make a 1 1/2" dia. hole, ~1 1/2" deep with
> minimal bottom indentation (flat-bottomed hole). I have a 1/2 hp drill
> press and a 3/4 hp lathe.
>
> 38 mm is also acceptable.
>
> I want to make the hole in one pass. This is not a critical appearance
> item but, of course, better is better.
>
> What is my best choice of drill bit and who, if you know, has them for
> yesterday delivery?
>
> Bill
3 approaches come to mind.
1) quick-and-dirty: for a small number of holes, for cheap and good
enough results grind a spade bit to what you need.
2) go buy a forstner bit. see other replies.
3) plunge router, straight bit with template guides and template. this
is the slowest, best results and second cheapest (not counting the
router...)
Lew Hodgett wrote:
> BillinDetroit wrote:
>
> > Am looking for a way to make a 1 1/2" dia. hole, ~1 1/2" deep with
> > minimal bottom indentation (flat-bottomed hole). I have a 1/2 hp drill
> > press and a 3/4 hp lathe.
>
> How many ways can you say "Forstner bit"?
>
> Lew
>
>
I was hoping I'd overlooked something. An inch and a half Forstner into
a small piece (no two alike so fixturing is 'iffy') might make for an
interesting work holding exercise.
I wanted to avoid that.
Bill
--
I'm not not at the above address.
http://nmwoodworks.com
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Andy wrote:
>> What is my best choice of drill bit and who, if you know, has them for
>> yesterday delivery?
>
> I like Lee Valley forstner bits, and in my experience they ship quite
> quickly. (However I'm in NY, same state as their shipping warehouse,
> but regardless, they process orders quickly).
> http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=42245&cat=1,180,42240
Yeah, Andy ... a BIG help!
Compare the Lee Valley prices with these.
http://www.toolcenter.com/MULTI-SPUR_BITS.html
My eyes are getting old ... so maybe I just can't see where the >$50
difference comes in. The Lee Valley bits even look to have a heavier
shank. The expensive bits MIGHT have a heavier black-oxide coating but
black-ox work is jobbed out by the pound and is just for pretty ... it's
an anti-oxidant coating, no more, no less.
"Made in Austria" might carry some weight ... but, for a $50 per bit
difference, I don't care if they were made by the Keebler elves! A
couple thousand holes from now I might regret those words, but a couple
thousand holes from now I'll probably just buy another LV drill and keep
on truckin'.
Hey Lee ... with minor hand sharpening, I'm expecting at least 2,000
holes in medium hardwood out of those bits --- think I'll get it? ;-)
Maybe someday I'll try that other bit, but for today, I'm placing an
order with LV. Those other bits are for guys who have laser cross-hairs
on their hand drills.
Bill
--
I'm not not at the above address.
http://nmwoodworks.com
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Doug Miller wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, BillinDetroit <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Lew Hodgett wrote:
>>> BillinDetroit wrote:
>>>
>>> > Am looking for a way to make a 1 1/2" dia. hole, ~1 1/2" deep with
>>> > minimal bottom indentation (flat-bottomed hole). I have a 1/2 hp drill
>>> > press and a 3/4 hp lathe.
>>>
>>> How many ways can you say "Forstner bit"?
>>>
>>> Lew
>>>
>>>
>> I was hoping I'd overlooked something. An inch and a half Forstner into
>> a small piece (no two alike so fixturing is 'iffy') might make for an
>> interesting work holding exercise.
>>
>> I wanted to avoid that.
>
> No vise? No clamps? Can you drill the hole first, in a larger piece, and then
> cut off the small workpiece you need?
>
It's for lathe turnings and the branch sections are already cut to
approximate length (two years ago). My chuck won't fit into a 1.5" dia.
recess. I'm gonna try turning -> drilling -> reverse and jam chuck to
remove the foot. I'm not in love with jam chucks, either.
Might have to invest in a set of jaws and a second chuck if I am going
to turn many of these (and I hope to turn a ton.)
Bill
--
I'm not not at the above address.
http://nmwoodworks.com
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I have used a Forstner bits with half way decent results HarorFreight
carries an inexpensive set that has the size that you are looking for. Also
Cummins Industrial Tools has a good set of Forstner bits as well.
Steven Raphael
Ithaca MI
http://www.geocities.com/steven_raphael/woodturnings1.html
"BillinDetroit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Am looking for a way to make a 1 1/2" dia. hole, ~1 1/2" deep with minimal
> bottom indentation (flat-bottomed hole). I have a 1/2 hp drill press and a
> 3/4 hp lathe.
>
> 38 mm is also acceptable.
>
> I want to make the hole in one pass. This is not a critical appearance
> item but, of course, better is better.
>
> What is my best choice of drill bit and who, if you know, has them for
> yesterday delivery?
>
> Bill
> --
> I'm not not at the above address.
> http://nmwoodworks.com
>
>
> ---
> avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
> Virus Database (VPS): 000758-3, 07/22/2007
> Tested on: 7/22/2007 7:54:46 PM
> avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2007 ALWIL Software.
> http://www.avast.com
>
>
>
You mentioned needing the bit yesterday. If you live in a sizeable city you
should be able to find a Forstner bit there. Check with the local hard wood
lumber yard, Grainger's, Sears?, or just about any Woodworking supply store.
"BillinDetroit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Yeah, Andy ... a BIG help!
>
> Compare the Lee Valley prices with these.
>
> http://www.toolcenter.com/MULTI-SPUR_BITS.html
>
> My eyes are getting old ... so maybe I just can't see where the >$50
> difference comes in. The Lee Valley bits even look to have a heavier
> shank. The expensive bits MIGHT have a heavier black-oxide coating but
> black-ox work is jobbed out by the pound and is just for pretty ... it's
> an anti-oxidant coating, no more, no less.
>
> "Made in Austria" might carry some weight ... but, for a $50 per bit
> difference, I don't care if they were made by the Keebler elves! A couple
> thousand holes from now I might regret those words, but a couple thousand
> holes from now I'll probably just buy another LV drill and keep on
> truckin'.
>
> Hey Lee ... with minor hand sharpening, I'm expecting at least 2,000 holes
> in medium hardwood out of those bits --- think I'll get it? ;-)
>
> Maybe someday I'll try that other bit, but for today, I'm placing an order
> with LV. Those other bits are for guys who have laser cross-hairs on their
> hand drills.
>
> Bill
>
> --
> I'm not not at the above address.
> http://nmwoodworks.com
>
>
> ---
> avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
> Virus Database (VPS): 000758-3, 07/22/2007
> Tested on: 7/22/2007 11:00:15 PM
> avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2007 ALWIL Software.
> http://www.avast.com
>
>
>
BillinDetroit wrote:
> It's for lathe turnings and the branch sections are already cut to
> approximate length (two years ago). My chuck won't fit into a 1.5" di=
a.
> recess.=A0I'm=A0gonna=A0try=A0turning=A0->=A0drilling=A0->=A0reverse=A0=
and=A0jam=A0chuck=A0to
> remove the foot. I'm not in love with jam chucks, either.
If you have a drill chuck for your tailstock (or borrow the one from yo=
ur
drill press) a Forstner bit should be no problem at low rpms. I've dri=
lled
holes that way in blocks that were only about 1/4" wider diameter than =
the
bit. Slow and easy does it.
--=20
It's turtles, all the way down
Check out a Forstner bit. They are designed to do just what you describe.
It will leave a small dimple in the bottom center of the hole and, if that's
objectionable to you, you could grind off the centering nib from the bit.
They are readily available and most good hardware stores carry them
as does the woodworking stores such as Rockler and Woodcraft.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16954&filter=forstner
Art
"BillinDetroit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Am looking for a way to make a 1 1/2" dia. hole, ~1 1/2" deep with
> minimal bottom indentation (flat-bottomed hole). I have a 1/2 hp drill
> press and a 3/4 hp lathe.
>
> 38 mm is also acceptable.
>
> I want to make the hole in one pass. This is not a critical appearance
> item but, of course, better is better.
>
> What is my best choice of drill bit and who, if you know, has them for
> yesterday delivery?
>
> Bill
> --
> I'm not not at the above address.
> http://nmwoodworks.com
>
>
> ---
> avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
> Virus Database (VPS): 000758-3, 07/22/2007
> Tested on: 7/22/2007 7:54:46 PM
> avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2007 ALWIL Software.
> http://www.avast.com
>
>
>
In article <[email protected]>, BillinDetroit <[email protected]> wrote:
>Lew Hodgett wrote:
>> BillinDetroit wrote:
>>
>> > Am looking for a way to make a 1 1/2" dia. hole, ~1 1/2" deep with
>> > minimal bottom indentation (flat-bottomed hole). I have a 1/2 hp drill
>> > press and a 3/4 hp lathe.
>>
>> How many ways can you say "Forstner bit"?
>>
>> Lew
>>
>>
>
>I was hoping I'd overlooked something. An inch and a half Forstner into
>a small piece (no two alike so fixturing is 'iffy') might make for an
>interesting work holding exercise.
>
>I wanted to avoid that.
No vise? No clamps? Can you drill the hole first, in a larger piece, and then
cut off the small workpiece you need?
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.