Replacement drill bit

[GRMiller]

It seems I lost my 7mm drill bit as many of my tools seem to grow legs and walk away. Can't get one locally so I do have to order if I want one. What I was wondering if anyone has ever used a 9/32 in place of a 7mm for slim line pen?

 

[lyonsacc]

a 9/32 is .2813 inches, a 7mm is .2756 inches. Only a difference of .0057 if my math is correct.

Chances are that won't be a problem.

It might even be a benefit if you are using an acrylic blank and want to paint the inside of the blank so the tubes don't show through the finished pen.

Dave

 

[watchman7]

Bill Baumbeck, former owner of Arizona Silhouettes, recommended using 9/32 drill bit for 7mm tubes in one of his videos. Definitely an advantage if you reverse paint the blank and paint the tube also.

 

[lyonsacc]

Forgot to add - use something other than thin CA to glue in the tube - at least medium or epoxy to help fill in any loose gaps.

 

[GRMiller]

I went and got Gorilla Epoxy 5 min and I will see how the 9/32 bit works. I am thinking of getting a brad point drill bit to see how that works on acrylics. The bits that come with the kits seem to wander to much for my liking. I just got my lathe center drilling set up from PSI and blew out another acrylic but it was a damaged one already so no great loss. So far I have done 5 pen pencil sets, 5 slim line, 5 trim line, 3 30 cal bolt, and 1 cancer awareness for the wife. I am setting up to do 4 Olive Wood from Beth for some church members who graduate next week for Lay servant class with cross clips and trim line body.
I was given 2 X 6 X 18 IN piece of Mahogany, and a but load of ash. Plus I have 200 board feet of Maple and trying to hook up some cherry.

 

[co_goose]

Be careful drilling the olivewood. Back out the bit often and clean off the bit as the wood chips stick to the bit. I didn't do that on my first blank and promptly shattered it to pieces. The rest of the blanks I would drill about 1/4" and then back out the bit and clean it off, drill another 1/4" and back it out again, slow and tedious, but it worked and didn't ruin the blank.

Goose