cheap, sleazy trick on homemade Pentel step drill

[redfishsc]

I will find out very soon if this trick works, but I was reading Don's article on making the step drill for the Pentel pencil.

Now, I was one of the guys who bought the step way back in the group buy, like 6mos to a year ago.

Then I lost the friggin' thing[B)]...........


So, I've been putting it off b/c I don't have time during the week to go and find 1/4 steel rod to make the step-bit, and I don't keep the needed 1/4 steel rod laying around.....or do I?

Of course! A mandrel! Sure, they aren't really cheap but if you have an extra one, it's not worth the gas to go find 1/4" rod.

BY THE WAY it also happens to have the 60* cone in the end of it so a punch isn't necessary to drill the 5/32" hole dead-center to fit in the 5/32" bit. Yes, I'm using the threaded end, which makes for a strange looking drill bit but who cares?


I drilled that puppy just now, didn't even cut the mandrel short-- left it long. It drilled as straight and true as it could. It's cooling right now and I'll epoxy it together very soon. Was much easier than I thought.

We'll see how this puppy works after I head to Lowe's for the 6" long 1/4" bit.

 

[Draken]

Very intriguing, please do let us know how it works out. If it works, I may have to borrow this idea.

 

[Chuck Key]

Doing it that way I believe you will also need a 17/64 bit for a total of three. The tube end will not fit in a 1/4 hole, at least it would not fit for me.

Chuckie

 

[redfishsc]

Chuck, you are right about having to ream out the clicker end a bit, but it can be done by rechucking with the right sized bit and shooting reaming out the hole about an inch deep.

 

[badger]

pictures would help me visualize, and please let us know if it works.

 

[redfishsc]

Badger,

You can see a pic of this type of bit in Don's tutorial. The one I made only looks different in that I drilled out the threaded end of a mandrel where the 60* cone was, so there are threads just at the end of the 1/4" rod where the 5/32" bit sticks out, but the threads are a moot point.


Here's a link to the article, with all the pics you'll need:

http://content.penturners.org/articles/2004/pentel.pdf

 

[Chuck Key]

Originally posted by redfishsc

where the 60* cone was, so there are threads just at the end of the 1/4" rod where the 5/32" bit sticks out, but the threads are a moot point.

Another possibility is to eliminate the drilling and glueing for the 5/32 bit altogether by picking up a six inch 5/32 bit. You will just need to be sure it is positioned at the point left by drilling with the 1/4 inch bit when you start the 5/32 hole.

 

[Draken]

Where is a good place to find these 6" drill bits? I'm still itching to try using the mandrel I bought at the NOVA IAP Picnic.

 

[redfishsc]

I bought the 6" 1/4" bit at a local hardware store (well, it was a 12" bit but I cut it in half and will use the leftover as a mandrel).


They did not have the 6" 5/32" bit so I decided to improvise and make one out of a spare mandrel.