Hi
Have drilled holes with a 13mm auger, and have cut wooden plugs for them with a 13mm plug cutter. Needless to say the 2 dont match, the plugs are rather too small.
The plug cutter is absolute crap. It is extremely slow to cut, and reaches smoking point before producing even a shallow wood plug. Thanks Toolstation.
Regards, NT
Outside dia' of the hole cutter is 13mm, the resultant plug will be that LESS TWICE the thickness of the metal used to make the cutter - think about it...
Find a hole / plug cutter with the correct INSIDE dia' !
Auger bit is 13mm across the metal. It will have wandered a bit during drilling and unless the point and lead screw is absolutely dead center won't rotate about it's true center either.
Buy matched pair of plug cutter and drill? Use 12mm auger bit and sand/par down the plug to fit?
I've got two different types, and they both cut a plug of the size they say - anything else would be a nonsense.
I've always used twist drills since it usually covers a screw and they give the correct taper at the hole bottom. So I usually start with a slightly smaller one.
I've got two different types - one a set from Screwfix with four cutters, and others bought singly from my local toolshop with two. I've not found a problem, although I do use them in a drill press.
I quite agree, but I was just trying to point out what probably went wrong....
Er no they don't a twist drill is normally(*) 118 deg at the tip a counter sunk screw head is 90 deg...
(*) For general purpose use.
Nice theory, but I'd guess NT would be wise to that - after all they'd look miles out. My 1/4" plug cutter has an O/D of approx 1/2" which is near as dammit 13mm. You'd have to be near blind to think it would fit a
1/2" hole.
I measured the plug cutter, it is exactly 13mm inside dia. I guess the drill bit cut bigger than 13mm as it wandered, the cutter did smaller... result a hopeless failure to fit. But what to do now? I guess I need a 14mm or 15mm plug cutter!
Thanks, NT
Something like that - I should just have said taper. I just think it would be better than that made by most wood bits.
I did some trials on Beech skirtings last year with an American plug cutter from Isaac Lord (about £13.00) and using a drill press. The neatest holes I could drill were using a Forstner bit
Peter
Peter Taylor wrote
Sorry, I forgot this link. This was the plug cutter I used
Unfortunately, they don't appear to do a 1/2" size, which is the most common one I use.
I agree a twist drill isn't ideal, but if it's a choice of getting a plug to fit correctly or not, it's a decent compromise, given that most will have a set going up to 1/2".
Hi,
A plug cutter from a woodworking site would probably be better. Can you sharpen it in any way? Maybe there needs to be more rake behind the cutting edge.
cheers, Pete.
My lathe book shows how to grind a twist drill for wood drilling without 'rags'.
It has a small central point, two outer points, and slightly sunk cutting faces with a large backing off.
The author says "In spite of their somewhat complicated appearance these drills are quite simple to grind up". But I've only ever been able to do a bodged version.
Yeah, the angles on it are hopeless. I was just afraid to put any angle on it as the unsupported metal would then be subject to substantial downward forces and may bend. But maybe its whats needed. The cutting edge is almost 90 deg, and the bottom edge of the cutter is all level, that could be shaved back as well.
Meanwhile I'm stuck for a plug solution for my 13mm+ holes. :(
Regards, NT
Hi,
Thinking about it some more it may be better to remove some material before the leading edge rather than from behind it, to create a slight step between the two.
If you have a router and a straight bit, a jig with the right sized circle in it would allow a circular slot to be routed out.
Or if the holes are just over 13mm then perhaps a machine shop could drill or turn the inside of the plug cutter to make it big enough.
cheers, Pete.
You can buy them in any decent tool shop. The sheds also have them, but usually in limited sets.
Have you a chisel? Preferably sharp sharp. Cut you own from the wood you where going to use the plug cutter on.
Proper plug cutters that work are available from the bigger sheds and work fine even in hardwood.
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