Drill bit blank

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Permalink Reply by Bob Harrison on February 14, 2010 at 9:46am

I have cut aluminum with a tapered square tool bit with no concave surfaces kind of like the round cutter in discussion. To my surprise it cut quite well. Real cutters have chip clearances on all the surfaces. I don’t think a concave face would help any, otherwise O’Brien would have used it.

Here’s a tip for grinding any tool bits on a grinder. The grinding wheel must be re-sharpened often with a wheel dresser. Grinding wheels get dull just like a wood chisel. When grinding wheels get dull, they get a little bit of a shinny look about them. The condition will make the grinder bog down like it does not have enough power and over heat the tool bit.

Hope this helps
Bob

. Matt Towe said:

Bob Harrison said:

I have been a machinist for 30 years and have never heard of this type of cutting tool. After seeing the video I'm hooked, what a great idea.
As far as round heat treated tool blanks go you can get them from most machinist tool suppliers in any size you would like, just google them..
Bob

But don't try to shape the tool steel with a cheapo grinder. Unless you have tons of time and patience.

Just looking at what I done I was also gonna play with the tool profile. I'm thinking that a concave tool shape would cut better than than just flat.

Thoughts?

Matt

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Permalink Reply by David Robertson on February 21, 2010 at 8:33pm

Hey im new to all this, but try Mcmaster Carr. Theres one here local to me. But they do ship. They have a bit of everything. I searched thier site and found drill blanks in lots of sizes and materials. Hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by Wade on February 21, 2010 at 10:36pm

I wonder if a rotozip bit would work for this application?

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Permalink Reply by Ben on February 22, 2010 at 7:47am

Update...I went and did some browsing at Harbor Freight. I found something that works for what I'm thinking. I found 3 extra long bits in I think 1/8, 1/4, and something else. Anyway, they're like 20 something inches long with only the last few inches cut for a bit. I figured this would give me the length that I was looking for to cut a bit deeper than your typical drill bit. I'll let you know how it works once I try it out.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Mitchell on February 22, 2010 at 9:07am

Hey Ben I have tried this and it works but you have to take shallow cuts....Try it in scrap and you'll get the hang of it in short order. Take care Jim

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Permalink Reply by Ben on February 22, 2010 at 11:42am

Thanks Jim. Patience I have...a band saw, I don't. Shallow cuts will get me there slowly but at least I'll get there. I hoping to have a bit of time to play with it today.

Jim Mitchell said:

Hey Ben I have tried this and it works but you have to take shallow cuts....Try it in scrap and you'll get the hang of it in short order. Take care Jim

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on April 18, 2010 at 9:00am

Has anyone considered using actual router bits in the drill press? Thats what I do. I lost all my routers and router tables in my recent divorce. Some how I managed to hold onto my drill press. (only cause she couldnt pick it up and carry it out of the garage) I chuck up router bits and use it like a vertical end mill.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Harrison on April 18, 2010 at 10:14am

Tracy,
I have used a router bit in a drill chuck on a milling machine and drill press. As long as you are cutting wood or plastic its just fine. Really the drill press would be like a wood shaper in this type of use.

Holding the item being cut, I have used the X Y table from Harbor Freight. For making small parts like nuts and bridges it would be tops.

Cheers :)
Bob

Tracy Kennedy said:

Has anyone considered using actual router bits in the drill press? Thats what I do. I lost all my routers and router tables in my recent divorce. Some how I managed to hold onto my drill press. (only cause she couldnt pick it up and carry it out of the garage) I chuck up router bits and use it like a vertical end mill.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on April 18, 2010 at 10:16am

Drill presses are actually too slow. The bits will chew the wood up.

-WY

Tracy Kennedy said:

Has anyone considered using actual router bits in the drill press? Thats what I do. I lost all my routers and router tables in my recent divorce. Some how I managed to hold onto my drill press. (only cause she couldnt pick it up and carry it out of the garage) I chuck up router bits and use it like a vertical end mill.

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on April 18, 2010 at 11:05am

I agree they are slow mine will spin up to 2860 RPM. But so far Im having good luck not chewing up wood. The most difficult aspect of using the drill press as a router is holding the wood and 'free" cutting material away. And remembering to feed in the right direction ...feeding right instead of left.

Wes Yates said:

Drill presses are actually too slow. The bits will chew the wood up.

-WY

Tracy Kennedy said:

Has anyone considered using actual router bits in the drill press? Thats what I do. I lost all my routers and router tables in my recent divorce. Some how I managed to hold onto my drill press. (only cause she couldnt pick it up and carry it out of the garage) I chuck up router bits and use it like a vertical end mill.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Harrison on April 18, 2010 at 1:01pm

All,

I made this gunstock and many others on a drill press using a X-Y table and a router bit. This is a common pratice of gunstock builders. The bit was spinning at about 2500 rpm's. Yes 10,000 rpm's would have been better, but this is what I had to work with.

I would never use a drill press or milling machine as a router without having the part being routed firmly held in a X-Y table. It is far to dangerous and this pratice could cut a persons fingers off.

Cheers
Bob

Tracy Kennedy said:

I agree they are slow mine will spin up to 2860 RPM. But so far Im having good luck not chewing up wood. The most difficult aspect of using the drill press as a router is holding the wood and 'free" cutting material away. And remembering to feed in the right direction ...feeding right instead of left.

Wes Yates said:

Drill presses are actually too slow. The bits will chew the wood up.

-WY

Tracy Kennedy said:

Has anyone considered using actual router bits in the drill press? Thats what I do. I lost all my routers and router tables in my recent divorce. Some how I managed to hold onto my drill press. (only cause she couldnt pick it up and carry it out of the garage) I chuck up router bits and use it like a vertical end mill.

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Permalink Reply by Artist Formerly Known as Matt on April 19, 2010 at 7:24am

Nice Bob!
I used the drill bit technique a couple of weeks ago to remove a depth of 1/4" from a 2x4 that was 10" long. (Making a very heavy duty sanding block for 40 grit).
I took my time and also used a fence. Worked very well and quicker than I expected.
1 trick I came up with. Since shallow cuts work best, I make a thin wedge to put under the depth gauge carrier on the drill.
Make a cut, tap the wedge for a bit more depth, make another cut, tap, cut, tap, cut ad infinito .....


Matt

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