Drilling a Square Hole

[Rangertrek]

Thought you might find this interesting.
Somebody finally figured out how to do it!

Well, my attachment won't load. Will have to try again.

 

[Constant Laubscher]

A mortise drill make square holes, or is this different?

 

[Rangertrek]

Not a mortise drill. A Japanese drill that actually drills a square hole.
Will try to find a new link to the video and get it uploaded.

 

[srf1114]

There is an antique tool that does this. Don't remember the details but it was on the New Yankee Workshop once. It was a hand tool.

 

[studioso]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5AzbDJ7KYI

 

[cwolfs69]

square hole drill

back in my machinist days we used to use something called a watts drill to make square holes. we even had hex hole drills also. you had a square guide you fastened to the end of the material. the drill, for the square had three cutting edges. operated similar to a wenkle engine. i believe the hex drill had 5 sides but not sure. that was a long time ago, about 20 years. if you go to this web site you can look at one of them and watch a video.

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2009/10/07/square-holes-drilled-with-a-watts-drill-blows-my-mind/

check it out. if i remember correctly it worked pretty well.

 

[hebertjo]

You can use a broach to create a square hole. Beall Tools sells them in three sizes.

http://www.bealltool.com/products/other/broach.php

 

[ttpenman]

Might have been on New Yankee but I remember seeing Roy Underhill on the Woodwrights Shop use one. Odd looking tool, set up like a breast drill. The bit danced around following a square template IIRC.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

 

[IPD_Mr]

I would think something like this would have a huge tear out problem in wood. The other thing I see is that you still have an arc in the corners. I think for the time being I will stick to a mortising machine, although the concept is interesting.

 

[Rangertrek]

Found the right link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY-aCu6erP0

This is the one I was trying to get uploaded.

 

[Paul in OKC]

back in my machinist days we used to use something called a watts drill to make square holes. we even had hex hole drills also. you had a square guide you fastened to the end of the material. the drill, for the square had three cutting edges. operated similar to a wenkle engine. i believe the hex drill had 5 sides but not sure. that was a long time ago, about 20 years. if you go to this web site you can look at one of them and watch a video.

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2009/10/07/square-holes-drilled-with-a-watts-drill-blows-my-mind/

check it out. if i remember correctly it worked pretty well.

Did the same thing years ago. Bit was in a floating holder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY-aCu6erP0

This is the one I was trying to get uploaded.

Guy in the shop showed me this one yesterday.