Thread: Enlarging holes in saw plate?

Hi Snaf.

I put a new handle on a 4ppi thumbhole ripsaw, which I rambled on about on here.

A rat-tail file was good for enlarging a hole in one direction ... a bit like a hand-held nibbler

I had issues trying to make a new hole with what I have on hand. A (cheap awful) masonry bit did an excellent job, once there was a tiny hole through the plate for it to enlarge. I suspect one should work easily to enlarge an existing hole.

Cheers,
Paul

I use a chainsaw file. Don't worry about extreme accuracy. You want a little bit of play in the hole, anyways, so that there is room for some expansion and contraction of the wood. The handle is largely held onto the plate by friction, not the fit of the bolts in the holes.

Like Isaac I have used a chainsaw file.

stepdrill.jpg
These are $10.99 inc postage on fleabay- may be worth a shot...

Originally Posted by pmcgee

... A (cheap awful) masonry bit did an excellent job, once there was a tiny hole through the plate for it to enlarge. I suspect one should work easily to enlarge an existing hole.

A masonary bit was a good idea born of necessity, Paul. You can buy accurately-sized multi-purpose carbide-tipped 'builders' drills'. I keep forgetting the brand, but they are available in most hardware stores. Not cheap, but useful for all sorts of jobs. Don't use any cutting fluid - they don't like that, & cut through saw plate perfectly well dry - I use them a lot in my saw making. You can pursuade a regular HSS bit to cut through saw plate, but they don't like it at all, & it will need major surgery after 3 or 4 holes.

As others have said - a chainsaw file will do the job quite well. It doesn't have to be deadly accurate (many old saws have over-large holes), but if you're lucky, you can find a file that is just the right diameter & 'screw' it through the hole like a reamer, which will preserve the concentricity of the existing hole...

Cheers,

I use a round file but if you want a more accurate fit, a dremel or battery powered drill and a conical stone will do this quite easily. Tackle from both sides to get a more even shaped hole.

It *was* a chainsaw file I used rather than a rat-tail file as such.
I remember going to get the "Stihl" drawstring bag.

The masonry bit was a tip either from you Ian or you Bob.