Walking Bit....

[gothycdesigns]

I have been making some key chains for hand out gifts and stocking stuffers. When drilling using the 7mm bit recommended for pen blank drilling, it is wanting to walk to the right. The drill press and bed are both level in all directions. The shank of the bit is perched in all the way. I start drilling in the center and by end with slow passes, I am left with a 1/8" on one side.

I am holding the blanks in a vise and made sure the blanks are straight. What can I do to at least gain a little more center. I understand that bits may walk, but can a bit be to soft or flexible??

What have others done to correct it. I can not set up to drill on the lathe, but have to use the press and not wanting to even drill a regular handheld drill.

Thanks,

Ray
~Gothyc Designs

 

[skiprat]

Hi Ray, could be the drill bit. If it is sharpened off centre, it will drift. I have a very cheap drill press and found that on full depth, there was a lot of slop. I did mod it to get rid of it though.
If the bit is blunt, you will need to put more pressure as well, this will make the bit flex a bit and then drift.
Most chucks on drill presses are fitted with a morse taper. I was lucky and mine was the same as my lathe and so I do it like that now.
Also with my cheap drill press, the bed had some flex in it as well. I cant fix that, so I just clamp a bit of wood to the side or front of the bed and the other end of the wood rests on the workbench.
Hope this helps

 

[ctEaglesc]

Ask Santa for a Drill Dr.It sounds like you have a dull bit.
Ultimately it is cheaper and less frustating than either buying a new bit or shapening by eye.
If you get one of the better models you can make "split bits" and from my experience they drill truer than any other style of bit I have tried.

 

[JDPens]

Drill Dr, huh?
That would probably be the problem with our press as well. My brother and I have had trouble with several of the last few 7mm kits we drilled. The drill bit would shift towards us before it bit into the wood. [B)] It doesn't make much of a difference when making slimlines, but could be disastrous if making a larger kit (ie. Baron).

When you say "better model" do you have a specific one in mind or are there several?

 

[Skye]

The Drill DoctorXP Series are the ideal sharpeners for the home workshop and
serious do-it-yourselfers with the sharpening power needed to restore dull or broken drill bits, including <b>split points</b> creating a self-centering bit for less drill bit wandering.

I think anything above the DD350X will sharpen split points.

 

[C. Scott]

Hey Skiprat,

If you don't mind sharing how did you mod your dp?

 

[skiprat]

Don't want to hijack your thread Ray,[:I]Sorry!!

Chris, I stripped the DP down till the bones and found that the rack was only supported in two sloppy holes in the cast body. I bent up an aluminium plate to fit between the body and the rack. ( no precision needed, just vise and hammer ) This created a third bearing point. I then drilled and tapped in the thickest part of the body ( on the corners ) and screwed in two bolts to push the plate against the rack. I only tighten the bolts by hand of course or the rack won't move.
The pic shows where I put the bolts.
Hope this is useful

<br />

 

[Rifleman1776]

Brad points work best for me when doing end grain drilling and boring. Find the center, put slight pressure on the bit then turn on drill press. Easy to keep sharp too. A little honing with a flat diamond stone on the inside of the cutting edges brings them right back. Only takes seconds.

 

[ctEaglesc]

FWIW I converted all my brad points for pens to split points.

 

[olsenla]

I also agree that one of the best things you can do to prevent this problem is get a Drill Dr. I was having a lot of problems with getting accurate holes in blanks. When I sharpened the bits on the Drill Dr. and then split the points---even the cheap Harbor Freight bits drill like a champ.

Larry

 

[C. Scott]

Thanks Skiprat! I'll have to tear into mine when I'm done using it for awhile.

On the subject of bits. I have one bit that is the parabolic flute. I love it! It is absolutely the best bit I have. I like the fact that it runs at a higher speed. I also have a few split point and brad points which are good, but the parabolic is the best IMHO.

Regards,

C. Scott