pipemakersforum.com

Hi all,
I joined months and months ago and just never got around to start posting questions, applying to college and graduating really took a lot of time. Anyway I’m here with a question.
I’m curious about who is using modified twist drills to drill their chambers. Where are you getting them? I’m only seeing them available from aliexpress from a brand called muxiang (I think?) and that website seems somewhat sketchy. Does anyone have experience with that site? And lastly I know that spoon bits are generally the safest bits for freehand drilling but is there anyone out there freehand drilling with these modified twist drills that I’m talking about?
Thanks for any info!
Sam

Have you got a link to the aliexpress bits? Curious to see them.

Don't freehand drill with a twist bit, you are asking for trouble.

Actually I found them. They don't look like great quality grinding. Price isn't bad though, might be worth a try.

Will probably just skip them and grind my own spade bits into chamber bits, really was hoping they might be suitable for freehand drilling as I only have one spoon bit made and something just doesn’t seem perfect about it. Guess I’ll need to keep trying to make it work properly

A while back (a long while back), I posted a how-to for grinding down silver and deming (reduced shank) bits. Essentially, you put them in a lathe and grind them down with an angle grinder. Dangerous, yes. Fun, no. Effective? You bet. Once profiled you go back with a grinder and make a relief behind the cutting edge, being careful not to put divots in it. You can use a dremel, grinding wheel, whatever. I generally drill 90% of the way with a 1/2" stubby drill bit, then finish with the modified drill bit.

KurtHuhn wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2019 8:41 pm A while back (a long while back), I posted a how-to for grinding down silver and deming (reduced shank) bits. Essentially, you put them in a lathe and grind them down with an angle grinder. Dangerous, yes. Fun, no. Effective? You bet. Once profiled you go back with a grinder and make a relief behind the cutting edge, being careful not to put divots in it. You can use a dremel, grinding wheel, whatever. I generally drill 90% of the way with a 1/2" stubby drill bit, then finish with the modified drill bit.

Holy crap, it's Kurt.

I'd made one from a big S&D bit but it scrubbed and burned and stuck, largely because I suck at grinding tools and don't know what the hell I'm doing (even when given clear instructions). I've since switched to the tungsten carbide chamber bits and have no intention of going back.

JMG wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 12:54 am Holy crap, it's Kurt.

Sorry I've been away so long. I'm happy to be back and making pipes again.

RickB wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:07 am tungsten carbide chamber bits

Do tell! Got a link?

KurtHuhn wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 3:36 pm

JMG wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 12:54 am Holy crap, it's Kurt.

Sorry I've been away so long. I'm happy to be back and making pipes again.

RickB wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:07 am tungsten carbide chamber bits

Do tell! Got a link?

Good to see you back, bud. Hope life is treating you well.

KurtHuhn wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 3:36 pm

RickB wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:07 am tungsten carbide chamber bits

Do tell! Got a link?

https://rawkrafted.com/tools/chamber-dr ... er-drills/
All the sizes and shapes you could ever want, pretty damn inexpensive, and they cut like butter and leave a really nice smooth finish - though I've learned that using them without a pilot hole works better (at least with my process/lathe).
Shoutout to @JMG for turning me on to them.

RickB wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 8:49 am

KurtHuhn wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 3:36 pm

RickB wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:07 am tungsten carbide chamber bits

Do tell! Got a link?

https://rawkrafted.com/tools/chamber-dr ... er-drills/
All the sizes and shapes you could ever want, pretty damn inexpensive, and they cut like butter and leave a really nice smooth finish - though I've learned that using them without a pilot hole works better (at least with my process/lathe).
Shoutout to @JMG for turning me on to them.

Now those guys look like they might be suitable for freehand work, is that true?

RickB wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 8:49 am https://rawkrafted.com/tools/chamber-dr ... er-drills/

Nalbonepipes wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 10:07 am Now those guys look like they might be suitable for freehand work, is that true?

For freehand drilling, you really want these:
https://rawkrafted.com/tools/chamber-dr ... poon-bits/

Multi-flute bits are unsuitable for freehand drilling (typically) because of they can grab. The spoon bits generally do not grab due to the large support area and 51% flute design.

KurtHuhn wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 10:29 am Multi-flute bits are unsuitable for freehand drilling (typically) because of they can grab.

What a bunch of girly-men... Just do some wrist exercises and you'll be fine.

I use a fairly big lathe (pic attached) and can stop it cold with my thumb & forefinger. With a wooden block to hold I can reverse its direction.

.

Well that’s what I get for not looking at the website enough- the spoon bits are similarly well priced from rawkrafted. Has anyone tried them who can talk about their performance?

I haven't tried the spoons bits (or any of them), but I'm also still a drill-first-exclusively scrub so I haven't tried any of them. At that sale price I'm giving the set a pretty hard look though, personally.

I wonder if those fluted drills are custom made for RK or are available on the open market. Might be nice to replace some of my homemade bits.

caskwith wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 3:54 pm I wonder if those fluted drills are custom made for RK or are available on the open market. Might be nice to replace some of my homemade bits.

I believe Yu Xuanjie sells them through his IG as well: https://www.instagram.com/yuxuanjie7603/?hl=en
Also has some other cool stuff on there, but I have no idea what it's like to order from him.

LatakiaLover wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 12:17 pm What a bunch of girly-men... Just do some wrist exercises and you'll be fine.

Instructions unclear. Limp wrist stuck in lathe...

Well I ordered a couple of the carbide bits to try out.