The Smoking Yeti wrote:I was gonna go try freehand drilling a pipe just now- all I've got is a Tim West spade bit, will I have trouble drilling with that profile? Should I make I modify another bit on my grinder?
It can be done, but I don't think it will be fun. I've tried it. It sort of worked. There's a constant risk of losing a hand, and that's unnerving.
The issue is not the profile, it's the bit style. A spade bit has no inherent properties to add stability to the hand drilling process. The half-round shape of the spoon bits prevents wobble which is why they are best suited to the job.
The Smoking Yeti wrote:Eek. Any suggestions for me? This is kinda how i'm gonna have to drill my pipes and I lack BP bits- is there an alternative that'll work?
ground silver & deming bits are better than spade bits but not the best for freehand drilling. When they grab they grab hard and will rip your arm off. I'll tell you that I'm not man enough to try it and I eat nails for breakfast.
The Smoking Yeti wrote:Eek. Any suggestions for me? This is kinda how i'm gonna have to drill my pipes and I lack BP bits- is there an alternative that'll work?
Ken Lamb sells a set of 4 he's showing 3 sets in stock now.
You can't hand drill with a spade bit. At least, not that I know of, unless there is some magic juju involved, because a spade will just dig into the chamber sides and yank out of your hand, most likely. I'm confused by this talk about lathes being too fast, though, because both my wood lathe and my metal lathes will drop down to <500rpm and I hand drill on both at that speed semi-often. ??
UberHuberMan wrote:
Sweet. Those may be my next splurge!
I have a set, they drill great. I have been using mine in the tailstock, no freehand drilling yet. Leaves a nice clean cut, no chatter, cuts easy.
Only complaint is that 22mm is still fairly small.
True that. I was disappointed to see he didn't offer up to 25mm. However, I don't anticipate drilling a chamber that size very often. I wonder if he'd sell two out of the set for half price...
Ken will sell or make you whatever size you want. Or I think so, guess I shouldn't speak for him but he has done so for me in the past. As for price, he furnishes top of the line bits to be shaped and some of those large ones cost $40 or more so the end price is quite reasonable. Lamb bits cut like butter. bob gilbert
I do believe I will have a few extra pieces left over after all the orders are filled... once I know what I have, I'll post a list.... also, I have started a waiting list for another run and five people have already put their names down... if interested let me know and I will add your name... I'm sure it will take some time to get enoough people, and that gives everyone time to save the extra money to purchase them.... anyway- just a thought.......
TreverT wrote:You can't hand drill with a spade bit. At least, not that I know of, unless there is some magic juju involved, because a spade will just dig into the chamber sides and yank out of your hand, most likely. I'm confused by this talk about lathes being too fast, though, because both my wood lathe and my metal lathes will drop down to <500rpm and I hand drill on both at that speed semi-often. ??
Trever, that's purely the voice of inexperience talking, at least on my account. I remember reading (more than once) that wood lathes were too fast. Mine being a popular model, I just assumed that meant 500 RPM was too fast for safety. I guess the best thing for me to do is a bit more research so I don't remove any of my own parts, and then give it a whirl.
BDP wrote:I do believe I will have a few extra pieces left over after all the orders are filled... once I know what I have, I'll post a list.... also, I have started a waiting list for another run and five people have already put their names down... if interested let me know and I will add your name... I'm sure it will take some time to get enoough people, and that gives everyone time to save the extra money to purchase them.... anyway- just a thought.......
BDP wrote:I do believe I will have a few extra pieces left over after all the orders are filled... once I know what I have, I'll post a list.... also, I have started a waiting list for another run and five people have already put their names down... if interested let me know and I will add your name... I'm sure it will take some time to get enoough people, and that gives everyone time to save the extra money to purchase them.... anyway- just a thought.......
Thanks Guys,
Brad
I'll keep an eye out for that list!
Same here!
Talking about handdrilling with spade bits: it can be done, I've done it a few times. You just have to make sure the drilling motor you use is less powerfull than you are and really grip on to your workpiece.
Massis wrote:
Talking about handdrilling with spade bits: it can be done, I've done it a few times. You just have to make sure the drilling motor you use is less powerfull than you are and really grip on to your workpiece.
Yoiks. I've seen it done in videos and have toyed with it, but all my motors here are 1.5hp and up - I think the weakest one I have is the 1/2hp on my Taig and even that's enough to break fingers. As I have to make a living with my functioning hands, I'll leave the spade bit hand drilling to you guys.
Got my spoon bits and they work really well so far. I was goofing around with them and produced this for the first pipe made from them:
