What type of drill bit?

[Warren White]

What is the type of drill bit that is best for drilling out pen blanks? Brad point? Regular (whatever they are called)?

Lots of smart people on this forum; thanks in advance for your input.

 

[lorbay]

For me it's regular as I have found that brad points go off centre really fast. I always start off with the short centre drills first.
Lin

 

[Oldredbeard]

For me it's regular as I have found that brad points go off centre really fast. I always start off with the short centre drills first.
Lin

I do exactly the same.

 

[Paul in OKC]

Regular here too.

 

[lwalper]

Drilling on the lathe I seem to have better luck with standard twist drill bits. Using the drill press the brad points seem to drill straighter -- something to do with the spinning wood?? The brad point seems to wander off along grain lines where the twist drill tends to cut through them.

 

[ed4copies]

Sharp is always good.

I can sharpen twist bits on the Drill Doctor. So, those are the type I usually use.

 

[smik]

Standard twist drills.

 

[t001xa22]

Warren, as stated by the folks here that are much more versed on the craft than I am, twist bits are much more stable and predictable to use than brad point. I only drill out using the lathe now, instead of a press. The only way I can use a brad point with any success is drilling wood by doing a light starter hole in each end. With twist bits, it seems that the exit bore can be more easily controlled without so many times of having a "blow out". As Ed referred to, sharp bits are a really important key to success.

 

[Mack C.]

Fastenal.com carries the Norseman Twist Drill bit with a 135° split point, with no breakthrough even on acrylics. I don't normally drill acrylics all the way through, just had to try it though!

 

[NittanyLion]

I find that brad points cause blowouts, especially on brittle acrylic and any segmenting with aluminum. They are also hard to sharpen. You can do it by hand or on a sander, but it's easier to use twist bits, a drill doctor and keep them razor sharp.

 

[wob50]

That is great info also brad bits in metric is a little hard to come by at my stores around here but the twists are almost everywhere.

 

[low_48]

I bought a carbide brad point from Woodcraft when I first started turning pens around 2002. It has a really fast twist, and drills like no other. It does such a nice job, I start all blanks with it, then use twist drills to get to the correct size. Still does a fantastic job, and it's 12 years old. Maybe I need to turn more pens!

 

[79spitfire]

I find that sharp is my preferred drill bit....

I also drill out 99% of my blanks on the lathe. When using the lathe, the brad pointed bits seem to stay on center. I suspect it has to do with the fact the wood is spinning. I also have not had as many blow outs. I did have one with Corian, but it was a smallish piece, and I knew I was asking for it....

 

[dartman]

For pens I use both styles.I use the brad point for wood and regular for resin and acrylics and corian. I also use a starter bit before the sized bit.

 

[PenPal]

With some of the worlds hardest and unusual timbers I prefer and use drill point drills made in the USA still cheap as and the very best. When i spent a long time building with 6 inch 3/8 walled steel posts they enabled me to drill more safely and easily off a ladder at height in fact for all seasons in all places the DeWalt Extreme 2 drill Point drills have a small drill point lead then shallow lands developed so long ago for difficult metals.

I buy them here easily their range is extensive getting hundreds of drillings with them amortised over all my preference. Its all well and good sharpening repeatedly other drills but by then the other important parts of drills needed for clean cutting are stuffed all you acheive is the point and lands.

Like the ancient man at the seaside when he held the guy underwater and pronounced when you want to breathe as much as you did just now you will put the effort in yourself.

A very low number of commercial drills are really accurate in their true size when I have the need I buy top stuff at least one under and one over my calipered choice.

I always mike my brass blanks or use a go no go guage with them before I rough them or choose them.

OK so much for the basic necessities I drill on the drill press have never changed drilling speed from fairly high often drilling continuousl hunderd or two blanks at a time. All electric motors are rated for cycles ie so many switching operations on and off over a stated time.

My drill press is unimpressive but the first things I did was chuck the rubbish bearings, the horrible underpowered motor for a one HP 240 single phase motor and I switch the drill on once in a session this needs care and easy fastening XY vice with horizontal vees through and vertical allowing easy as centering blanks cut to get the best grain.As a sparky for 60 yrs I tested my motors for the start current 40 brief amps is not uncommon at start even the drill start instantaneous though it is often the mains power here is up to 250 volts single phase. Progress has come to drills with variable speed and soft start another wonderful choice.

Rarely have a break at exit in a blank never put a waste wood under.

OK you may say tutt tutt or whatever it suits repitition blank making from real timbers and so called plastics. The drill press etc are dedicated but has served me so well for 25 yrs now another very safe thing this time is to use the threaded rod to lock the drill chuck in the column morse tapers are great but get a sideways thump and all hell can break loose.

Thankfully I only break out rarely with my preferences suggest you make your way looking at the needs, possibilities. Tools over your way are dead cheap IMHO look at Australias purchasing power total country population less than one big city over your way, mail order a way of life.

Have a beaut new year its full of promise and in my eighty years I will try to do the same. Recent purchase of Ringed Gidgee the third hardest timber in the world typical of day to day blanks that need holes in them.

Kind regards Peter.

 

[lrawlins]

Depending on what I am drilling into I may or may not begin with a center drill. After that I prefer to use 135 degree split point drill bits. They are primarily used for metalworking. I have not had blow out problems in either wood or acrylics.

I also drill on the lathe using Nova chuck and pen jaws.

Bye

 

[Mack C.]

Depending on what I am drilling into I may or may not begin with a center drill.

After that I prefer to use 135 degree split point drill bits. They are primarily used for metalworking.

The Fastenal bits I mention in my post #9 are 135 degree split point drill bits to be used when drilling wood only. They are not a metal drilling bit.

 

[BruceA]

I've used a Colt 5 Star Brad Point 27/64ths for a couple hundred Sierra blanks, and it does an awesome job. No problems with bottom blowouts ever. I bought mine at Woodcraft some years ago, but they no longer have that size. I found it here: Drill Bits - COLT 5 STAR BRAD POINT DRILL BIT - 27/64, although they're out of stock presently. I haven't heard back on my request from today for incoming status. The tip design on this model is fantastic for drill press use with blank in a vise.

 

[Warren White]

OK, what have I (we) learned...

lorbay, oldredbeard: short center drill first
Paul, ed4copies, smik, NitttayLion: Regular bit
lwaper: on lathe, standard drill press, brad point
t001xa22: regular, with light starter hole
Mack C: Norseman 135 degree split point

So, the consensus is regular drills. Can you expand on the starter hole? How deep, what size bit?

Thanks for all who helped me understand the issue.

 

[Mack C.]

Mack C: Norseman 135 degree split point

So, the consensus is regular drills. Can you expand on the starter hole? How deep, what size bit?

Thanks for all who helped me understand the issue.

While I have a #2, 3, & 5 centre drill, I find using the 135* split point bit there is no need to drill a starter hole.

DeWalt has bullet point drill bits that appear to have centre drills incorporated in them.

 

[farmer]

Drill bit

What is the type of drill bit that is best for drilling out pen blanks? Brad point? Regular (whatever they are called)?

Lots of smart people on this forum; thanks in advance for your input.

The best is a gun drill.

You will need a Engine lathe and a air compressor.
and about 150 bucks for the bit............

Gun drill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Farmer

 

[robertkulp]

I have a few of Colt's 5 Star Pen Bits and love them. Started with brad points, but they have all kinds of problems, as has already been mentioned. The Colts are expensive, but worth it.

 

[Larry Hansen]

I use the Colt bits and drill on my lathe. I bought the set of 5 for penturners on Amazon. Never had a blowout yet. Love the bits. I found that I need to spray distilled water on them as I drill since they get very hot drilling acrylics. Using this method there are long strings of material rather than chips.

 

[79spitfire]

lorbay, oldredbeard: short center drill first
Paul, ed4copies, smik, NitttayLion: Regular bit
lwaper: on lathe, standard drill press, brad point
t001xa22: regular, with light starter hole
Mack C: Norseman 135 degree split point

So, the consensus is regular drills. Can you expand on the starter hole? How deep, what size bit?

Thanks for all who helped me understand the issue.

If I do use a starter hole, I find the center point drill bits (the short 60deg bits) do a fine job.

 

[Jerry944t]

When I first started, a few years ago, I used to buy "starter kits" for the particular kit I was using. Usually the kit contained the proper bushings and brad point drills.

As the brad points get dull I am replacing them with decent quality twist drills for the numerous reasons posted.

I also drill all blanks, no matter the material, on my lathe, set at it's lowest speed. Good luck!

 

[nativewooder]

Since I am retiring and selling out, I have a set of the Colt Pen bits for sale.

 

[robertkulp]

Since I am retiring and selling out, I have a set of the Colt Pen bits for sale.

Barry,

What bits do you have and how much? How much usage have they seen?

Thanks