Twist drills & Brad point drills

[corgicoupe]

An experienced turner recently advised using twist drills for pen blanks, saying he found them less likely to follow the grain and wander off course. Has anyone found this to be true?

 

[lorbay]

Yes twist drills much better than brad point for drilling blanks. I always start with a centering drill.
Lin.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

A sharp well shaped drill bit will give you the best results. I haven't found a good quick affordable way for me to sharpen brad point drill bits myself.


I keep my twist drills nice and sharp using a drill doctor. I don't use brad points in my shop.

Ed

 

[mecompco]

I'll take a jobber bit anytime over a brad point. I do always make it a point (pun intended) to use a center drill first. Just MHO.

Regards,
Michael

 

[Chasper]

I use brad points until they get dull, then I sharpen them into twist drills. I rarely use a center drill.
I've noticed that thinner bits like 7mm will tend to wander, especially if you drill fast. I haven't noticed that brad points wander more than twist drills.
Unless it is wandering so far that it comes out the side of the blank, or if you need it perfectly centered for a segmented blank, it doesn't matter much if it wanders a little.

 

[KenV]

A moment or two at the coarse grinder, followed by a pass or two through the drill bit sharpener (Grizzly, Tormek, or Drill Doctor) and the brad point is sharpened as a twist bit.

 

[corgicoupe]

I guess I'll get a few twist drill next trip to the hardware store. Thanks, folks

 

[lwalper]

Twist drill bits for me. I also try to drill from the center of the pen to the outside ends of each blank. That way at least the middle of the pen has a better chance of matching grain patterns. Let the bit wander off on the ends and it doesn't seem to make as much of a difference.

 

[homemade]

Where can I get long shank twist drill bits?

 

[corgicoupe]

Select Ace Hardware stores.

 

[Herb G]

Where can I get long shank twist drill bits?

Don't make the mistakes I made & try to drill a long (5") blank all the way thru with a single go. Cut the blank in half if you're making a 2 part pen, then drill each half.