Drilling Antler

[Fibonacci]

Is drilling antler hard on bits? I have been drilling wood and acrylics with no trouble, but ever since drilling a section of antler over the weekend, I can't seem to drill anything with the bit.

It feels like the bit is just dull.

Is antler generally that hard on bits?

 

[Rick P]

Depends, a standard twist bit doesn't seem phased but the Forstner and brad point bits don't like the stuff and dull faster than they do in wood.

 

[Fibonacci]

This was a brad point. I guess I will get another one.

I ruined 2 blanks today before deciding it was the bit.

 

[Rick P]

Oh bummer! Any chance you can use them as accent bands or in a segmented piece?

 

[paintspill]

i'm on my third antler pen and the last one killed my brad point bit.

 

[Chasper]

I've drilled hundreds of them with several different sizes of bits and never noticed the bits dulling. But I do sharpen my bits regularily. Bits do get dull from regular use, no matter what material you are drilling.

If the antler is a little green and the bit is a little dull, the chips may glue themselves together in a mass that fills the flutes and causes bit wobble which ruins the blank. Antler is somewhat hard to drill and there are many ways you can destroy a blank in drilling, but in my experience dull bits are way down the on the list of likely problems.

 

[Fibonacci]

I might be able to drill the blanks out for a larger tubed pen.

As far as the bit, I looked it over and it is clean, but really really dull. The blanks that I drilled with it are really badly chewed up inside and the holes are oversized on the top end.

 

[Woodlvr]

I had an issue the other day and after what Gerry stated maybe its time to bring out the dreaded Drill Doctor. I noticed that my Home Depot even carries them now and the adapter for larger drill bits.

 

[Chasper]

You need a Drill Doctor DD750X Drill Bit Sharpener to sharpen your bits and try this method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAEEaF8z2jM to drill antler

 

[Rick P]

Going slower and clearing the bit more often are definitely part of the equation.

 

[crabcreekind]

get the colt 5 star bits, i have drilled everything and it isnt any duller than when i bought it, and it cuts like butter, 7mm is like 10 bucks. So worth it!