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Help needed - pilot holes


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I need some expert  help. I am trying to cut come very finely detailed portraits using two stacked sheets of 1/8" ply. The tiny drill bit that I use will only penetrate one layer of the wood. I have not been able to find any drill bits and the reduced-size chuck to hold them. Do any of you know how to solve this? Where to get the needed tools?

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Mike"s workshop (now owned by Wooden Teddy Bear) has small bits.   there is also a little chuck he sales that you can hold small bits with, them chuck the little chuck into a bigger chuck.  Scrollsawer, Woodebn Teddy Bear, most scroll saw accessory places sell the little bits.

 

Hobby stores that have supplies for model trains are also good places.

Edited by Scrappile
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I need some expert  help. I am trying to cut come very finely detailed portraits using two stacked sheets of 1/8" ply. The tiny drill bit that I use will only penetrate one layer of the wood. I have not been able to find any drill bits and the reduced-size chuck to hold them. Do any of you know how to solve this? Where to get the needed tools?

I've tryed mike and they do work but don't drop them.i bought two from him and the price was right.My last one was from lowes for $28.00.very well built and can handle your needs.fits in your drill ,battery drill or drill press,im impressed with it!

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I use one from Mike's and it holds the tiny bits well. The next one I get will be of better quaility though. The bits tend to not spin true, but as soon as they touch the wood the stay straight. My Dewalt 14.4 holds the tiny bits well also so if I miss a hole at the drill press I can get it while sitting at my saw. I believe Dremel makes a drill bit chuck too and it's pretty easy o make a home made drill press for it.

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I need some expert  help. I am trying to cut come very finely detailed portraits using two stacked sheets of 1/8" ply. The tiny drill bit that I use will only penetrate one layer of the wood. I have not been able to find any drill bits and the reduced-size chuck to hold them. Do any of you know how to solve this? Where to get the needed tools?

Another possibility to hold the bits truer than the small chuck from Mike's Woodworking would be a small Pin Vise. Starrett makes some that are very true and they can then be chucked in a drill press drill chuck. Number size drills can be bought from some hardware stores and Home Depot sells a set of number drills for around ten bucks (21 drills I think). I don't own them so I can't vouch for their quality but I can vouch for the Starrett Pin vises. I have a set of them. Love them.

Edited by oneleggimp
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I drill with dremel tool and dremel plunge router.  I tried the drill press adapter but did not care for it.  Bits are still available through Mike's Workshop.  I got the plunge router from Amazon 4-5 yrs ago.  The only limitation with the router is how far you can reach without moving. Most of the time I place a wide board in my lap, place the wood to be drilled on that and start punching the holes with the bit barely clearing the underside.  One day did forget to place backer wood in lap before drilling.  Did that once only.  The burning and red mark went away in a day or so. 

 

Larry

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".... I believe Dremel makes a drill bit chuck too and it's pretty easy o make a home made drill press for it...."

I have a rotary tool, similar to Dremel, (Black and decker) mounted in a Dremel drill press accessary that I use to make entry holes when doing inlay work.  I have it set to a 6° angle for this.

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I'm lucky, my drill press closes to near zero so tiny drill bits are no problem. I have a 1984 harbor freight drill press, I wanted to upgrade a while back but couldn't find a drill press in my price range that could hold tiny bits.

I also use a dremel plunge router setup for drilling small holes. Best money I spent in the shop in a long time. I can put a hole anywhere on a piece and it is straight.

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Well, I guess I'm as lucky as Edward and MrsN, I own three drill presses and the chucks on all of them close down small enough for these tiny drill bits. I usually purchase my bits in a small drill bit box, it has twenty or so different size bits, and I use all of them over time. Some bits are to small even for the finest blade, but, they work great for the smallest of detail holes that might be needed to finish off a masterpiece.

Len

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Kind of late to responding, but maybe it will help somebody so I'm going to share my two cents.

 

I got these a while back: http://www.harborfreight.com/high-speed-steel-micro-drill-bit-set-30-pc-61526.html

 

They really seem to work well, and I haven't had any break on me yet. An easy fix to make it fit in your chuck if it doesn't close small enough is to take a little painters tape or something like that and wrap a little around the top of the bit. That will give it the extra thickness you need.

 

It's kind of a...."budget" way, but it works pretty well and drills straight once you have it setup right.

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I get mine from a place called bens scroll saw online.  He has all the sizes I need as I need really small sizes.

 

I use 1/8" bb for all my stuff and use a jewelers drill for the holes.  Works great and no special chuck needed as its designed for this size but.

 

I use #72's.  They can be used with a 2/0 reverse blade and smaller.

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