We continue to deal with the equipment with which you can work on wood. In general, wood can be drilled with different drills, in the last article we analyzed efficiency, figured out how and where it is recommended to use it.
There are a lot of types of wood drills and very often it happens that they are ideal for some jobs, while not suitable for others at all. That's why House master must understand what and how to drill a tree. Today's article will be about a screw drill, also called a twist drill.
It is made of wood and will help out in cases where it is necessary to drill deep hole. For example, you have a log house through which you need to stretch water pipe or bundle of cables. But only twist drill deal with thick wood. Of course, nothing prevents you from trying to use the usual one, however, as I said, drilling them is inconvenient and not a fact that it will be possible to complete the job.
As you can see, the tip is made in the form of a thin thread, which helps to screw the drill perfectly into initial stage drilling. Chip ejection occurs due to the helical edges (like any drill or brace), so drilling is easy. The shank is most often 6-sided, so the tool is securely fastened in the chuck of a drill or screwdriver.
It is necessary to work with such a drill at low speeds, so it is best to use it with speed control or a powerful screwdriver with a high tightening torque.
But it is best, if possible, to use a low-speed drill with a speed of up to 800 (I recommend a rebir drill).
The most common use of such equipment is the fastening of logs. Workers who assemble log cabins often come to our store and they buy "spirals" with a diameter of 25-28-30 mm and a length of 450-600 mm. As you know, in order to fasten the logs of the log house to each other, it is necessary to drill them from above and insert iron fittings into the hole made. It is very important that the hole is drilled deep, which is why a long drill is needed.
The length range is as follows:
- 220 mm
- 450 mm
- 600 mm (the most popular).
To make holes in a tree with a diameter of 30 mm to a depth of 600 mm, you need a very powerful power tool, so we recommend using a drill with at least 1000 watts (and that is unlikely to be enough), as well as screwdrivers with a torque of at least 36 Nm. Of course, the most preferred option is a low-speed drill, which has a power of 1200 watts, you can’t imagine better for such work. It is very powerful and easily scrolls such a thick drill through solid wood.
The prices for such "consumables" are rather high, at least they are much more expensive than forstner drills and drills. For example, 22 * 600 costs around 300 rubles. And the thickest ones come with a price tag for a piece of rubles. They are taken only when it is necessary to drill a hole in the log house under sewer pipe and so on.
However, given that the drill is powerful and heavy, it performs specific work, then you should not bother about the price. Because all the same, nothing else can drill through 3 logs at once.
Drilling a hole with a drill bit
At first glance, when there is a question about how to drill a hole in wood, most people have no doubts: you think that wood is not metal and is easy to drill. Yes, this is partly true if you want to make not a hole in the wood, but a banal hole. And in order to drill a hole in wood correctly and efficiently, you need to listen to the advice of processing masters. wooden structures, who are also called wood modelers.
Rules for drilling holes in wood
The rules are definitely simple, but following them will save you time, frustration, and Consumables in the form of wooden blanks and ready-made parts. So, what you need to pay attention to:
- Before drilling, you need to accurately mark the place for the hole.
- Choose the right one cutting tool. This refers to drills for working with wood, countersinks, spade drills with a drilling depth limiter and annular cutters of the desired diameter.
- When drilling, the tool (mostly a drill) must be held strictly vertically.
- Use drills designed for specific material only.
- Wooden parts must be firmly fixed in a vise.
- The cutting tool should be pressed tightly, but with a uniform force.
Drilling holes in wood
Countersinking the screw head hole
Let's start drilling simple holes for a screw or. Usually these holes are small in diameter and it is not difficult to drill them. The only thing to do is to countersink the hole before drilling, that is, turn the surface of the wood under the screw head. To do this, fix the wood tightly and make a recess in it with a countersink a little more than the height of the screw head or self-tapping screw. After that, firmly pressing the drill of the desired diameter to the surface, drill the hole you need.
There are situations when you need to drill a "blind" hole under tenon connection. To do this, you need to use a drill with a limiter, which is put on the drill according to the size of the drilling depth.
It is more difficult to make holes in large diameter wood, as the use of conventional cylindrical drills chip the surface of the material, spoiling it. appearance. To successfully cope with this task, blade drills and annular cutters are used.
Drilling with flute drills
Fountain drill
For successful work when drilling with spade bits, secure the wood firmly in a vise and press the tip of the bit against the surface of the material. Then drill (at low speed) a hole until the tip of the drill appears at the bottom of the wood. Stop drilling and remove the drill bit from the hole, then turn the wood over, clamp it in a vise and drill the hole on the other side. This will prevent the bar from splitting when drilling.
Hole cutter drilling
Hole cutter for wood
An annular cutter is used for drilling holes in wood with a diameter of more than 38 mm. Drilling begins with a pilot drill of small diameter, structurally connected with the cutter in one piece. This ledge serves as a guide for the annular cutter.
Here are some tips from the pros that will surely help you when drilling holes in wood:
a) for vertical drilling, you can set the square parallel to the drill;
b) if you often have to do carpentry work, get a special stand for a drill, which allows you to hold the tool strictly vertically, controls the depth of the holes;
c) be sure to use a vise when drilling to avoid splitting the wood;
d) so that the outlet does not have chips, place it under wooden detail waste bar and drill them together. Especially, this is applicable when making holes in a thin board;
e) if you do not have a drilling depth limiter, wrap the drill in the place of restriction with bright electrical tape or molar tape.
Often when working with wood and materials based on it, it becomes necessary to drill an even round hole. You can use a jigsaw or a milling cutter, but such a tool is not always at hand or it is simply inconvenient to do the work with them. A wood dancer can make the task easier.
What is a wood ballerina
Circular adjustable drill "ballerina" - a device that is designed for drilling round holes large diameter. The tool has simple design. It is a shank with a transverse rod, on which movable carriages with cutters are fixed. The bar has markings, according to which you can set the required spread of the cutters relative to the center of the intended hole. A core drill is fixed in the middle of the shank. It serves as a centering element and a support for drilling.
In addition to designs with two cutting elements arranged symmetrically, there are ballerinas with one cutter or even three. In the latter case, they are located on the basis in the form of a disk with grooves.
Tool functionality
A high-quality ballerina is made of high-strength steel, which makes it possible to use the device in working with soft and hard rocks wood.
This tool has an adjustable drilling diameter. This allows you to make holes of almost any diameter. The drilling range limitation depends on the size of the ballerina. Manufacturers produce fixtures with the following cutter spread limits:
- from 30 to 120 mm;
- from 40 to 200 mm;
- from 40 to 300 mm;
- from 40 to 400 mm.
The maximum drilling diameter is limited by the bar on which the cutters are attached. Minimum - shank thickness.
The ballerina drill can be used in any place where the use of a jigsaw or manual router will be uncomfortable. For example, it can be assembled and installed furniture, in the details of which it is necessary to drill a neat hole, given the limited space. Another example is an uneven (convex or concave) surface. It is unlikely that it will be possible to do everything evenly and accurately with a jigsaw or milling cutter. It will be difficult to control the tilt of the tool relative to the surface. The ballerina can easily cope with such a task.
Features of working with the tool
The principle of working with a circular drill is simple. A hole is drilled with a centering drill, and then cutters are included in the work. They gradually make a narrow groove, gradually cutting through the material in a circle to the full depth.
The materials used in working with the ballerina are varied: wood, fiberboard, chipboard, MDF, drywall, plastic. One thing in common - the thickness of the part should be no more than 15-20 millimeters. This parameter is limited by the length of the incisors. Usually the manufacturer indicates the maximum drilling depth on the packaging. When trying to drill through thicker material, problems with ragged edges can occur.
The use of a tool with a single cutter is characterized by runout. This is due to the lack of balance relative to the longitudinal axis of drilling. Especially the runout will be felt when cutting holes of large diameter. Cut holes with a drill at low or medium speeds. When working on drilling machine no such problems arise.
Also, a laminated or veneered surface can cause inconvenience during operation. After passing through the decorative layer, drilling proceeds without problems.
feature circular drill can be considered the possibility of adjusting the diameter. The distance between the cutters can be set on a scale on the bar, or more precisely with a caliper. This is convenient if you need to make a hole without gaps for a pipe or a round part.
The spacing of the incisors relative to the center is adjusted separately. It is necessary to expose the cutting parts as accurately as possible. This will get rid of extra effort during operation and prolong tool life.
How to choose the right one and what to look for
Choosing a quality circular drill is quite easy. The main thing is to know the main points that you should pay attention to in the first place, but also not to lose sight of the little things.
construction, very important point: a wood ballerina can be with one incisor or two or more. For frequent use, it is better to purchase an option with two or three cutting elements. It is easier to work with such devices and the quality of the processing performed will be at an acceptable level.
It will not be superfluous to be able to replace individual parts. Inexpensive circular drills may have a one-piece shank with a non-removable center drill and stem.
Metal, strength and ability to withstand workloads depend on its quality. quality tool made of high strength steel or alloys. The shape of the shank and holders of the cutters is machined. The bar is usually stamped and made of the same metal.
Cheaper options often use soft metal or alloys that can be brittle. Under load, parts can deform or break. Such a tool will not last long and it will also be difficult to achieve accuracy from it.
Workmanship, the main feature is the absence of backlash and distortion. All parts must be fitted to each other and securely fastened with fixing screws.
The marking of the bar of a high-quality ballerina is stamped. Sometimes divisions are highlighted with bright paint for better visibility.
Cutters, high-quality cutting elements are made of hardened tool steel. On the holders they are fixed with rivets or by soldering. Solid cutters with holders (made from the same metal) dull quickly and are not durable.
The manufacturer, when choosing any tool and consumables, preference should be given to well-known and long-established brands and brands. The most common are Topfix, Stayer, Irwin, Strum.
Purchasing an adjustable circular drill for household use, or if you need to drill a few holes, is completely justified. This eliminates the need to purchase an expensive tool that may only be needed a few times.
