Elgrande Problem

[nightowl]

I am trying my first Elgrande kit. I purchased a 33/64 drill bit as the directions instructed but the hole is so tight that the tube will not fit. Has anyone else had this problem? I even went to Woodcraft and bought extra sets of Elgrande tubes. Same result.

 

[rsmith]

I had the same experience, I thought it may have just been a cheap bit (clearance at WC), but haven't yet gotten a nicer one. Glad to hear it's not just me. I guess I'll have to measure the tube with some calipers, it is most likely a metric size that doesn't convert exactly to 33/64...

 

[pensmyth]

Hi David,

I've had the same problem a couple of times and I took a piece of 80 grit sand paper from my disk sander that is sticky on one side (keeps it from sliding on the file) and tore a piece off enough to wrap around one of my rat tail files. A couple of twists on either end of the blank and the tube fit fine.

Andy

 

[ed4copies]

That converts to 13.1 mm.

Perhaps the 13.3 mm----some vendor was offering that size, cause I think I have one.

 

[ed4copies]

IF you use the sandpaper approach, be careful to keep it straight. Otherwise you sand the two ends more than the middle and the piece shatters as you turn it (DAMHIKT----others have TOLD me!!)

 

[wdcav1952]

Ed is right, the 13.3 mm drill is now the standard for the El Grande family.

 

[nightowl]

Thanks everybody. I'll get out soon and get one. IAP members are the best.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Occasionally I'll have a tube that fits tight after drilling with the called for size drill bit... I found that some woods will drill tighter than others... I've always put the drill bit back through the hole and then worked the blank up and down the drill bit, using the flutes to sorta ream the hole out a little... usually doesn't take very much... then the glue will sorta act like a lubricate to slide the tube through and into place.... be careful that the tube will slide into place and not hang up with the glue... you can get into a situation where you have a tube protruding from the blank if the glue sets quickly.... (or so I've heard... not that it's ever happened to me :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin

 

[bitshird]

Thanks everybody. I'll get out soon and get one. IAP members are the best.

It's not a size that is readily available, Arizona Silhouette and Bear tooth wood offer them.