Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 11 of 11
Thread: Drilling for 25mm dowel
-
20th August 2019, 01:46 PM #1Novice
- Join Date
- Aug 2019
- Location
- Brisbane
- Age
- 65
- Posts
- 10
Drilling for 25mm dowel
G'day all
I am a bit of a newbie to woodwork and lacking some knowledge. I am making a simple frame for a friend of mine who does weaving. It involves inserting a number of 25mm dowel pegs into a rectangular frame. I don't own a drill press and I am hoping to get some advice on the best way to drill the holes (by hand)so the dowels fit tight. I am have tried both an auger bit and spade bit but both seem to create a hole that it sloppy. It does not seem to matter if I use a cordless drill or brace and bit.
Thanks in advance
-
20th August 2019 01:46 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Age
- 2010
- Posts
- Many
-
20th August 2019, 02:16 PM #2.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,756
How tight a fit are you after? Do you still want the holes to be removable by hand?
-
20th August 2019, 02:31 PM #3
Drilling by hand often results in less than ideal holes.
However, as you have a brace try using an adjustable bit. This device allows you fine tune the diameter of the hole.
Irwin adjustable bitNothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.
-
20th August 2019, 02:46 PM #4.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,756
Another approach is to successively grind away a small amount on the sides of a spade bit and trial drill the hole.
-
20th August 2019, 02:51 PM #5Novice
- Join Date
- Jul 2011
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 14
When using a brace it can help to clamp a bit of scrap wood on top that you drill through first and this holds the auger bit nice and steady as it goes through the work piece. Might also be worth measuring you auger bit and dowel with some calipers to see if the width is a good match as what is advertised on the packaging can just be an approximation.
-
20th August 2019, 03:17 PM #6
I've always done this with a good quality Forstner bit , e.g. Colt
Useful trick if you're buying shop-made dowel material (e.g. Bunnies) - drill a hole using your bit of choice in a piece of scrap timber, take it along with you, then rummage through their stack of dowels until you find a length that is a good fit in the test hole. There's a surprising variability against nominal diameter.....
-
20th August 2019, 09:51 PM #7SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Oct 2015
- Location
- Ringwood, VIC
- Posts
- 575
And a '25' mm bit might really be a 1" bit... Which is 25.4mm [emoji849]
Russ
-
21st August 2019, 12:33 PM #8Novice
- Join Date
- Aug 2019
- Location
- Brisbane
- Age
- 65
- Posts
- 10
Hmm, I will have to check that. )
-
21st August 2019, 12:34 PM #9Novice
- Join Date
- Aug 2019
- Location
- Brisbane
- Age
- 65
- Posts
- 10
I will be gluing them but still want them to be tight fitting so they are all straight (plumb) on the frame.
-
21st August 2019, 03:18 PM #10Novice
- Join Date
- Aug 2019
- Location
- Brisbane
- Age
- 65
- Posts
- 10
Thanks for these tips
Thanks to everyone for the the various tips and advice. I will be chasing up an adjustable bit and using the scrap piece to keep the bit steady. In the meantime, I am going to drill the holes at 22mm diam, scribe a line around the dowels at the depth of the hole, and pare the dowels to that gauge line until they just fit the 22mm hole. Bit labour intensive but I think it will get the job done.
-
21st August 2019, 05:00 PM #11SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jul 2014
- Location
- Brisbane
- Posts
- 932
They're a bit pricey but the TCT forstner bits from Timbecon are really excellent. They're out of 25mm but do have 24mm in stock which would align with your plans to pare down the dowels.
Similar Threads
-
Dowel Jointing - 9.7mm Dowel & 10mm Brad Bit
By D-Type in forum FURNITURE, JOINERY, CABINETMAKING - formerly BIG STUFFReplies: 3Last Post: 3rd April 2019, 09:25 PM -
GMC Dowel Drilling Machine
By Malcolm Eaton in forum TRITON / GMCReplies: 3Last Post: 31st May 2017, 06:16 PM -
Cross Dowel Drilling Jig
By NCArcher in forum HOMEMADE TOOLS AND JIGS ETC.Replies: 0Last Post: 12th August 2012, 02:58 PM -
Jig for drilling dowel holes
By tergar37 in forum HOMEMADE TOOLS AND JIGS ETC.Replies: 16Last Post: 17th June 2009, 02:59 PM -
where to buy 25mm MDF
By b.d in forum WOODWORK - GENERALReplies: 3Last Post: 31st January 2009, 04:52 PM