I was drilling the last hole (to insert brass rod as hinges) in my project - cleaning them out after varnishing actually - and the 1/16" drill bit broke just below the surface.
Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this mess? The jewelry box top is oak that has been veneered over on the outside and trimmed with ebony. It is 1/2" thick and the hole is in the side, near the back. I am highly motivated to repair this rather than try to make a new top.
Suggestions please.
Woodchip
Got any pictures ?
Nearest thing I've had to that was a wooden hinge with brass rod in it as a pin. I sawed and whittled the cheek of the hinge piece a little shorter, so that I could grab the end of the drill and pull it out. Then I chewed up the other three faces to match, and made brass washers to fill the gaps. It looked "obvious but deliberate" once I'd finished.
How much of the bit did you break off?
Anyway, the first thing that comes to my mind is to verrry carefully drill a new hole absolutely as close as possible to the original one, then stick something like a small finishing nail in there and try to wriggle the thing toward the new hole. You might then be able to get the jaws of some really thin needle nose pliers in there to pull it out, if it's not broken off too deeply.
Then drill a 1/8" hole and a 1/8" hole on the other side, and buy some new brass rod.
Another thought is to drill in from the inside, verrrry carefully, just to a depth where you expect to find the drill bit. Having thus gained access to the side of the thing, try to wriggle it out with something until you get enough of it out to get a bite on it. Drill a matching hole on the other side, and fill them with plugs and spot refinish, considering yourself lucky that at least the signs of your mishap are on the inside, where the owner will be so dazzled by her array of fabulous jewlry that she'll never notice.
FWIW, I have two projects in years past with pieces of broken drill bits still in them. Last was just a few weeks ago. Trying to remove one can cause more damage and make the repair more difficult. If it is in a highly visible place and the repair is going to be an eyesore, it may be time to bite the bullet and redo the top .... Judgment call and nothing else.
What about supergluing the bit back together? Seriously, put a dab on the broken shaft, stick it in there, let it set for a minute, then carefully back the bit piece back out. If memory serves, superglue doesn't bond all that well to wood, so the wood bond should break before the metal one does.
You might want to experiment a little with superglue and wood before you do this for real, I guess. :) No doubt someone else will soon be along soon to point out what a stupid idea this is...
-BAT
I'd get a two-fingered tap extractor like one of those shown on Walton's site and a small tap wrench. This tool has two small fingers that slide down into the drill bit's flutes. You can then carefully back out the broken bit.
Phil
Paul Andersen wrote:
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.