Way back in junior high school, I remember swatting pterodactyls and riding to school on a mammoth, we made lamps. We would drill a hole through a solid piece of wood and then carve, mutilate, the body of the lamp. Mount a socket, add a cord and wham you had a lamp for your mother to hide in the attic and quietly sell, I’ll give you $10 if you make this lamp go away, in a garage sale.
What I’m looking for is the specialized drill bit used to drill through the end grain.
It is not a flex bit. I use these in electrical work. Those are just a regular bit, twist, auger or masonry, attached to a long and flexible shaft. These are 3′ to 6′ long and very handy for old work but, alas, not what I’m looking for.
It is not a “bell hangers” bit. A regular, twist or auger, bit that is forged long. About 24″ long and quite stiff.
It is a shaft, about 3/16″ in diameter and about 3′ long, with a twisted shell shaped tip. About 1/4″ diameter. In profile the tip has about a 30 degree cone that rounds and then tapers back a bit. In profile it looks much like a boat tailed spitzer bullet. Around this a a sharp edged groove is cut in a spiral pattern.
The idea is that this specialized bit will not follow the woods grain and works with the sharp tip digging into the end grain and then the sharply tapered spiral pulls in the wood fibers from the side and shears them off.
Someone said that they once saw a bit like this on the “Woodwrights Shop” on PBS. I have e-mailed everone I can think of and searched the web for this unique drill bit without success. It would help if I had an actual name. So any ideas will help.
Replies
Contact Lee Valley Tools, if you haven't already.
I looked through the Lee Valley catalogue but I only saw the twist type installer bits. I haven't built a lamp since Jr High woodshop 1972. Mom said it got lost in a move but I can't seem to remember moving...
I think the 1/4" Spade style installer bit will do the job for you. It may take some repeated plungings to clear the sawdust but the sharp point should keep the bit running straight and true.
Just a thought, wish I could help more. Have you tried the same post in Knots?
Turtleneck
Its not a smile- its a cramp
the type of bit you are looking for is called a spoon bit, i have no idea where to find them, and your friend was right about seeing in on the " woodwrights shop".
james.
i have bought the short ones used before, if you could find on you could weld it to a long shaft to get the length you need.
Heard it called spoon bit also, easiest way to get one is to forge it yourself likely.
Are you looking for one of these augers (I know the kind you mean; heard it called "finger-nail auger" and "clam-shell auger"; but, I haven't seen one, new or used, since I was a kid); or, are you just trying to drill that type of hole ? A long brad-point, or a ships-auger for very long holes, will do the job.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Try asking this over in Knots. I think that turners sometimes use those bits.
Also try;
http://woodenthreads.org/
http://www.woodcentral.com/newforum/msgset.shtml
There are lots of turners on those forums.
http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com/search.asp?7=spoon+bits&1=Go
These are spoon bits...I've used what you're describing, too. It's similar to a spoon bit, but the one I used was chucked in a lathe and the lamp was fed into the bit. I know I've seen one in a turning catalog, dang if I can find it!
EliphIno!
4lorn1,
Try the "spearzit" bit from Labor $aving Devices, out of Colorado (lsdinc.com).
It's not pretty, but the spearzit bit won't wander if it hits a knot, and it won't go off track following wood grain.
Some of the other stuff on the website is pretty neat--wire running tools of every kind. Most of it works as advertised.
Cliff