Drill Bits to Use

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I bought some kits from Woodcraft, Slimline uses a 7mm drill bit, I have one.

Looking at Berea kits and they indicate that you need a "J" bit.

7mm = .2756 in., J = .277 in.

That is two thousandth of an inch difference. Must I buy a J bit for the Berea kits or can I use my 7mm bit?
 
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RussFairfield

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And there are some folks who advocate a 9/32" drill (0.281), because there is more clearance. They usually recommend using a Polyurethane glue because it will expand to fill the larger gap.

The real advantage to using the larger drill and Poly glue is that the glue expands into the gap and retains a degree of resiliency that allows for wood movement. This will reduce or eliminate the cracking that is a problem with woods like Ebony.

Some folks also use a little water inside the wood with the Poly glue, and the extra clearance will allow for some wood expansion and the tube will still fit in the hole.

For what it's worth, I have never liked the 7mm bit because the hole is too tight a fit with the tube for me. The "J" bits are too difficult to find. The 9/32" is available everywhere when I need a new one. Even Home Depot has a 9/32" drill. I use the 9/32" drill on most 7mm pens with CA glue, epoxy, and Poly glue without water, all without any problems. I reserve the smaller diameter drills for those special cases where I want a tighter fit between wood and tube.
 

rjuhl

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I had a similar problem with the drill bit for the Berea Series 2000 American Rollerball. The recommended "V" bit yielded a hole that was so tight I could barely force the tubes into a couple of the blanks. It was tighter at the bottom than the top. I drilled another batch and let the bit dwell for a few seconds, but got the same results. I then orderd a "W" bit from Amazon and that solved the problem -- I used poly to glue the tubes.

V = .3770
w = .3860

Randy in Pittsburgh

PS - here is a link to a drill bit size chart:
http://www.saw-online.com/Tips/drill.htm
 
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Mudder

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Originally posted by RussFairfield
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And there are some folks who advocate a 9/32" drill (0.281), because there is more clearance.

I followed your advice, got a 9/32 brad point and Polyurethane glue and I have never looked back.
 
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