Hidden tang question

cbr900son

cbr900son

Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
1,010
Been doing a couple folders, balis and lots of full tangs then realized I never did a hidden tang. Do yall ever find the bit you need is too short to drill deep enough into the block?
 
yes but you can get really long bits at home depot for a few bucks if that is a problem.
 
Lowe's has some 6" and even 12" bits in different sizes.
 
Yeah i saw the longer bits and have a few but finding them under 1/4" seems to be the problem.
 
I've been thinking of doing a hidden tang as well. I've found drill bits as small as 1/8" and 12" long. I believe drill bits with a high diameter-length ratio are often referred to as "aircraft" or "aircraft length" drill bits.
 
Another trick, if you're trying to drill all the way through a long block- fix a point onto your drill press table for a center, sort of like a tailstock (i.e., clamp a drill bit or c-sink into your vise point up, etc.) then, with the centers of your hole marked on the block ends, set one center on the point, drill the other center from the top- then reverse the block, set the drilled hole on the tail center, and drill from the other side. The holes should meet perfectly in the center.

This can also help if your drill press doesn't have enough travel to drill all the way through. Or, you can drill as far as the press will travel, then retract the piece up along with the quill and put a block on the table, then drill farther. This would work with an aircraft bit.

Please disregard all of the former if you know it already, or if it doesn't make sense to you.
 
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