paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,537
- Reaction score
- 89
Small sized drill bits only "drift" if you push them too fast through hardwoods. Go slow and they won't drift. I use the existing hole to align my drill bit, with the barrel out of the stock, and the hanger in its dovetail. Witness marks on the fence and barrel guide me in positioning the the bit when the barrel is placed back into the stock for drilling the new holes in the wood. I will use a smaller drill bit size on the first pass, to make sure I have "Hit " the hole centered. The most I have had to do is to make a slight adjustment before using the same sized drill bit as was used to make the original hole.
Sometimes, I find that the original hole was drilled through the hanger at a slight angle, reflecting a problem with the level of whatever platform or table held the piece when it was drilled. Sometimes, you have to shim the wood up to get the same angle as the original stock and pin holes were in when drilled. In other cases, I had to drill the hole a bit larger to get it squared to the bore.
I don't worry a lot about Hitting the Exact mark, only how well I am positioned in relation to the bottom flat of the barrel. I like to elongate the hole in the hangers to a "slot" to allow for expansion and contraction of the wood during the seasons, so there is always some side "slop" built into the hanger holes. That "Slot usually takes care of "near misses".
I learned to do this, drilling holes in wood slabs for handles on knives. I always used the existing hole in the tangs as guides, of course, doing first a sdlab for one side, and then the other. However, that was back when I didn't have a drill press, and did those slabs by hand.
The first time I glued a chunk of antler to a tang, and had to hit an existing hole in the tang, I admit this was a bit of a "sweat" to do. However, with witness marks as my guide, using a drill press, I got the hole centered the first time. My pins were very small in diameter- a piece of welding rod made of nickle and copper.
I later made patch knives using laminated steel blades, bought commercially, that had very hardened tangs. The holes in the tangs had to be drilled separately, with the holes for the pins drilled later. I did "cheat" a bit, by first drilling my holes in the antler, then using that hole to "spot" the tang to locate the hole to be drilled there. I had to heat the tangs red hot in order to drill them.
I do agree that for new builders, or for people who simply don't have much experience using a drill press, it probably will be much easier to simply buy or make new hangers, and drill the stock first. Then, drill the hangers, using the holes in the stock as your guide.
I drilled several thousands of holes in wood working in a wood shop in HS, when I was only 15, so I have to recognize that my level of experience is different than a lot of the members on this forum. However, with the guide lights now available on power equipment, I don't see how someone could miss, today. :hatsoff:
Sometimes, I find that the original hole was drilled through the hanger at a slight angle, reflecting a problem with the level of whatever platform or table held the piece when it was drilled. Sometimes, you have to shim the wood up to get the same angle as the original stock and pin holes were in when drilled. In other cases, I had to drill the hole a bit larger to get it squared to the bore.
I don't worry a lot about Hitting the Exact mark, only how well I am positioned in relation to the bottom flat of the barrel. I like to elongate the hole in the hangers to a "slot" to allow for expansion and contraction of the wood during the seasons, so there is always some side "slop" built into the hanger holes. That "Slot usually takes care of "near misses".
I learned to do this, drilling holes in wood slabs for handles on knives. I always used the existing hole in the tangs as guides, of course, doing first a sdlab for one side, and then the other. However, that was back when I didn't have a drill press, and did those slabs by hand.
The first time I glued a chunk of antler to a tang, and had to hit an existing hole in the tang, I admit this was a bit of a "sweat" to do. However, with witness marks as my guide, using a drill press, I got the hole centered the first time. My pins were very small in diameter- a piece of welding rod made of nickle and copper.
I later made patch knives using laminated steel blades, bought commercially, that had very hardened tangs. The holes in the tangs had to be drilled separately, with the holes for the pins drilled later. I did "cheat" a bit, by first drilling my holes in the antler, then using that hole to "spot" the tang to locate the hole to be drilled there. I had to heat the tangs red hot in order to drill them.
I do agree that for new builders, or for people who simply don't have much experience using a drill press, it probably will be much easier to simply buy or make new hangers, and drill the stock first. Then, drill the hangers, using the holes in the stock as your guide.
I drilled several thousands of holes in wood working in a wood shop in HS, when I was only 15, so I have to recognize that my level of experience is different than a lot of the members on this forum. However, with the guide lights now available on power equipment, I don't see how someone could miss, today. :hatsoff:
