Help with drilling Celtic knots

[Aces-High]

So I've been messing around with Celtic knots for the last couple of days and I just tried to drill my first one to make a pen. It broke apart as I was trying to drill the hole. Any hints?

 

[ed4copies]

Wrap the blank with surgical gauze and secure it with thin CA--LOTS. You will turn this all off, anyhow. BE CAREFUL when drilling to stay in the CENTER of the image--you want to mark top and bottom BEFORE adding the gauze.

 

[Aces-High]

I should mention that I am using metal to make the design.

 

[leehljp]

I should mention that I am using metal to make the design.

Do you mean an "all metal" pen, or just the celtic knots?

Take it slow on the drill feed and don't use brad points. Think slow feed. You don't rush those. Drill a tad, and back out, drill 1/8 inch and back out. Keep it cool. Use gauze and thin CA as Ed wrote.

 

[KenV]

Reinforcement on the blank will reduce failures while you practice technique.

Popsicle sticks under the gauze helps.

Try structural epoxy with surface roughened metal to reduce separations.

 

[Gwatson50]

It might help not to cut all the way through the blank when cutting the blank for the knot...cut almost all the way through for each part of the knot. Try to make sure the material for the knot is the same size as the kerf and it should glue up pretty well...still with metals you have to go slow as they conduct the heat so well.


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[chartle]

Reinforcement on the blank will reduce failures while you practice technique.

Popsicle sticks under the gauze helps.

Thats what I do. I CA some small stir sticks on the sides.

Also OP watch for heat. If you CA it will unglue the joint. Particularly metal that can spread the heat.

 

[Aces-High]

Yes, all metal knot.

I should mention that I am using metal to make the design.

Do you mean an "all metal" pen, or just the celtic knots?

Take it slow on the drill feed and don't use brad points. Think slow feed. You don't rush those. Drill a tad, and back out, drill 1/8 inch and back out. Keep it cool. Use gauze and thin CA as Ed wrote.