Hello;
I had to Explain this to my wife the other day, then I realized I’ve never heard of anyone talking about this on the forums.
In a nutshell; Don’t throw out your broken drill bits. Especially the smaller ones.
Why? Have you ever made your own marking gauges? What are you using for the pin or cutter?
A nail will work….. but a sharpened bit of drill rod will work better!
My wood lathe copy device came with a crappy (soft) cutter. Which just happened to be shaped from 1/4” diameter rod, exactly, not almost 1/4”. In my broken bit’s there was a piece of 1/4” just long enough. some careful grinding and I was good to go.
So keep a little container to drop any stubs you end up with into. and when you need a little piece of good steel there it will be ready and waiting.
be well, count your finger
K
-- Kai SaerPren
9 comments so far
Don W
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19752 posts in 3487 days
#1 posted 10-25-2015 11:52 AM
This is why I don’t throw anything away. Someday I may use it. It drives my wife nuts! (another advantage)
-- http://timetestedtools.net - Collecting is an investment in the past, and the future.
CFrye
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11110 posts in 2759 days
#2 posted 10-25-2015 01:04 PM
YUP! Save EVERYTHING!!
-- God bless, Candy
greenandwhite_owl
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13 posts in 1934 days
#3 posted 10-25-2015 01:56 PM
you and me are the reason there is no ROOM for nice things Kai.
-- ~Kate - - Fiber is fiber be it wood or wool.
cutmantom
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407 posts in 3955 days
#4 posted 10-25-2015 08:34 PM
I have probably a dozen pieces I have saved over the years, only problem is I don’t remember where they are
handsawgeek
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663 posts in 2315 days
#5 posted 10-26-2015 01:42 PM
Darn, and I just threw away a broken 1/8 bit a couple weeks ago! Thanks for the tip. I will remember this the next time.
-- Ed
helluvawreck
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32122 posts in 3786 days
#6 posted 10-26-2015 02:02 PM
There is all kinds of scrap out there that you can use to make tools with including old or broken drill bits.
helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
-- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
stefang
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17040 posts in 4254 days
#7 posted 10-27-2015 06:00 PM
Great tip. I have a bad habit of saving everything including broken drill bits and then I forget I have them when I actually could use them or they get thrown away in cleaning rage.
-- Mike, an American living in Norway.
NormG
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6508 posts in 3923 days
#8 posted 10-28-2015 04:23 AM
My wife say if I purchase any more wood, well you can visualize it.
Great idea on the drill bits
-- Norman - I never never make a mistake, I just change the design.
Lazy_K
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131 posts in 3110 days
#9 posted 10-28-2015 01:28 PM
NormG= make her something?
-- Kai SaerPren
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