Blowout to Salvage

[egnald]

Hello all,

I mentioned in a couple of posts this morning that I had a blowout in one of the Alumilite blanks that I was drilling even though I was using a 60-degree bit made specifically for drilling plastics. The event happened, as many do, just as the bit broke through the bottom of the blank. In the picture you can see the hole in the base of the clamp use to hold the blanks in for drilling. The hole was from a previous blank that I also forgot to put a backing board under. With no backer to support the blank, the big caught as it was exiting and sent a crack up the blank and blew a big chunk out.

I was using a 10.5mm drill for a Magnetic (like the Zen) kit and just realized that there is enough good blank left that I should be able to carefully bore it out to 27/64 (10.7mm) and use it on a Gatsby / Sierra style pen. I just happen to have a few of those kit around. So, maybe all is not lost.

Dave

 

[howsitwork]

unlucky Dave.

I use a fresh bit of board under blanks to prevent this as also had it happen to me .

Good luck with the rescue

 

[RGABEL]

I believe it was RJB that showed leaving the blank a little longer and not drilling through. You then cut to length which prevents any chance of blowout. I have been doing this method for awhile now.

 

[bugradx2]

I believe it was RJB that showed leaving the blank a little longer and not drilling through. You then cut to length which prevents any chance of blowout. I have been doing this method for awhile now

I do the same, seems to work pretty well for me as long as I'm paying attention and properly mark depth on my drill bit and don't drill short!

 

[Ray-CA]

Didn't over heat the blank while drilling? Have you thought about drilling a pilot hole first?

Ray

 

[gbpens]

You may be able to add contrasting accents at each end of the blank and salvage the whole project.

 

[Hippie3180]

You could use a center drill and then drill them out in the lathe. I've never had a blow out doing that, but you could use a bit of painters tap on the headstock end to prevent blow out/tear out.

 

[randyrls]

Dave; Yes; I cut all synthetics about 1/4" longer than needed. Use the tube to sharpie mark the drill bit. Drill from the center of the both blanks outward toward the nib and cap end until the mark disappears into the blank. Then trim off the UNDRILLED end of the blank. This eliminates the breakage on drill bit breakthrough. *BUT* I find other creative ways to destroy blanks.

 

[Muddydogs]

Get that blank cut off and redrilled. It's to cool to just trash. Your plan should work out fine.