Newbe drilling question

[Bill]

I'm assuming that if trying to drill overlapping 3/8" holes in the side of 2by4 stock, that using forstner bits will be much easier than using ordinary drill bits. This is true, isn't it?

Bill

[routerman]

[Bill]

Actually, I'm just drilling 3/8" out to hog-out the wood for a mortise before I come back with a 1/2" diameter router bit. I'll build a decent jig to help sure nothing goes wrong...and drilling out most of the wood to be removed seems like a worthwhile "extra" step to take.

It appears that the secret to woodworking is in contemplating, in advance, and dealing with every single possible thing that could go wrong! Your comments at your site seem consistent with that! :)

Thanks, Bill

[Jerry - OHIO]

I find if I go out and try something and fail,I find a different way to do it. That' called learning. Aren't you over yeur 'WHY, WHY, WHY,DADDY' stage in life ??

[Bill]

Most definitely not! I spend more time failing than succeeding. I'm lucky doorways are cut taller than I am and are open half the time! : )

I get up in the morning and go to bed at night asking WHY, WHY, WHY! I doubt I'll outgrow it--at least, I hope not. If I do, I might die.

Bill

[Bill]

Jerry, the reason for the question was because a family member asked what I wanted for Christmas. I was thinking of saying a Forstner bit. My drill press is schedule to arrive in January. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Bill

[J. Clarke]

Is your router seriously underpowered or something? If you were mortising by hand I'd see a point to this, but if you are using a router anyway, just go through with a 3/8 bit first--be a lot less effort than drilling overlapping holes.

[J. Clarke]

A good set of Forstners is worth having regardless.

[Larry Jaques]

There's absolutely no need for that, Bill. Router bits have been doing those for years and years without drilling. If you feel the need so deeply, go pick up a chisel mortiser.

HF or the one I got from Griz: It appears that the secret to woodworking is in contemplating, in

You forgot "And then proceeding to -do- some of them."

-- Education should provide the tools for a widening and deepening of life, for increased appreciation of all one sees or experiences. It should equip a person to live life well, to understand what is happening around him, for to live life well one must live life with awareness. -- Louis L'Amour

[Larry Jaques]

Y'all might be wantin' ta gets you a better attitude, son.

-- Education should provide the tools for a widening and deepening of life, for increased appreciation of all one sees or experiences. It should equip a person to live life well, to understand what is happening around him, for to live life well one must live life with awareness. -- Louis L'Amour

[tiredofspam]

[Swingman]

A set of Forstner bits is nice to have on hand ... one of the items worthy of buying in "sets".

Forstners work well in a hand held drill also, don't necessarily need a DP to use them.

[J. Clarke]

I thought about saying that, but a straight bit will work if he already has one--may need to make a couple or three passes though.

If Bill is going to go out and buy a spiral bit for this, I'd _strongly_ recommend steel, not carbide--it's one of the few places where I'd make that recommendation. The reason is that carbide spiral bits are solid carbide, not steel with carbide flutes, and while they're very hard, they're also brittle and _real_ easy to bust (and by that I mean into two or more pieces in a way that is not repairable). Somebody with a lot of experience with the router and spiral bits can use carbide first time out, but Bill's trying to learn and for that steel will be more forgiving. I wish someone had told _me_ that before I busted a few hundred bucks worth of carbide spiral bits.

[Bill]

FWIW, I already bought a Amana Carbide-tipped 2" plunge bit (#45426). Swingman gave me a little education on router bits this summer. Someone else I belive suggested hogging-out some of the wood first. Still seems like a good idea to me as these are not "upcut" spiral bits.

Bill

[Bill]

I was just fixin' to get started DOING when I was talked into rewiring my whole "shop"! : ) Admittedly, I didn't realize, even as I started, just how much it needed it. In the process, with the help of the kind folks here I installed a sub-panel, wired 11 electrical boxes, installed insulation, installed about 500 square feet of drywall, ..., fixed a RO-water purification system, replace a garbage disposal. Admittedly, I could do more woodworking if it weren't for my job. One this is constant--I try to learn something new everyday! :) Oh, and I'm not a tool-collector--just like Roy!

BTW, this week I started reading: Tool-Making Projects for Joinery and Woodworking, by Olesin. Lots of details. Starts off by showing how to make 3 different kinds of mortising guages, for instance. No blacksmithing techniques in the book. Advises cutting a circ-saw blade with a hack-saw to make cutters. Nice book for anyone who wants to do (perhaps put on your Christmas list?).

Bill

[Bill]

Thinking that you may be right, I was considering buying the 7-piece set Freud FC-107 (currently $140):

[Swingman]

I would go with the steel versions, Bill.

Also, if you plan on doing any cabinetry, you will also want to buy a premium steel 35mm Forstner bit for drilling door hinge holes.

I think I paid $40+ for mine some ten years ago and it has drilled lots of hinge holes for cabinet doors. It is one Forstner I would replace immediately if it were lost, stolen or damaged.

FWIW ...

[Bill]

>>

Em.. I had read that the 1 3/16 bit was for "European Style" cabinet door hingle holes. Evidently, from your post, 35mm is the size I would require (instead). Without a good use for the big bit, it is difficult to justify the set price. I'll look again. Thank you for your help.

Bill

[FrozenNorth]

>>>>>>>>> Personally, I would go with the steel versions, Bill.

You need the metric sized bit for those absolutely. Makes those hinges a piece of cake to install, and I just measured by hand with a tape measure and a square for the offset and drilled them with a cordless.

Only hung about five doors with mine, just around my house, but two were eight feet tall, three hinges per door, went up flawlessly.

[Lew Hodgett]

set does not include a 7/8" bit, need to buy it as a loose item.

SFWIW, for sizes below 5/8", a brad point drill does a better job of clearing waste.

IMHO, a brad point drill bit set for smaller sizes is a high priority.

BTDT, have the T-Shirt.

Lew