best way to bore a grease hole

[Vomitus]

quote\;"The mind is a mysterious thing. We are connected, all in different ways, to the larger world.";/quote
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[Dennis Glazener]

Dennis; the pictures are interesting, the work maybe a little nerve wrecking, but i'll give er a try. got to try in find a spoon bit.

I have used the flat, spur tipped wood bits like this one . On one I used my little bench drill press. Had it fastened to the corner of my shop work bench and was able to swivel the head out over the floor. I rigged up a way to clamp the rifle stock at an angle and used one of these bits to drill an angled hole into the stock. Then took a gouge and widened it where I could put a patch on my thumb and wipe it out the back of the grease hole. Worked great.

On others I clamped the stock on the work bench and used regular twist drill bits to drill the angled grease hole. Started with smaller bits and worked on up to around 3/4" if I remember correctly. Then use a gouge to finish it up.
Dennis

[54ball]

 I bet when done it looked a lot like this.



 

[54ball]

 I hope I'm not hijacking but I have a question about the MG square grease hole.

  Its hard to tell from the pics in the museum since it is full of grease but is the bottom of the square grease hole flat or ramped to the rear?

 I assume it was just carved out with bench chisels.

[Dennis Glazener]

The sides are straight down and the ends are "ramped" like an old fashioned mortar box.
Dennis

[Kermit]

Spoon bits are great tools. They will bore holes at an angle too--why chairmakers use 'em. Highland Hardware has them in either a set or by the each if you just want one size for those grease holes.

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/search.aspx?find=spoon+bits

You'll feel so righteous drilling an olde tymey hole with an olde tymey bit too.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

WOW Highland is proud of those bits too!!!   I think I can find another way since I won't be doing 3 or 4 per month!! 

[Acer Saccharum]

You can find them at yardsales, antique shops, etc. If I find any reasonably priced ones, I'll pick them up and sell them here. What size, 3/4 to 1" ?

[Kermit]

The Highland bits are by Clifton! If cheaper is better than gooder, here:

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?c=&p=57713&cat=51&ap=1

They're okay bits, but they stop at 5/8".

[bluenoser]

The Highland bits are by Clifton! If cheaper is better than gooder, here:

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?c=&p=57713&cat=51&ap=1

They're okay bits, but they stop at 5/8".

Those are really cobby looking bits compared to the antiques I have seen and owned.  The originals I have seen are of much lighter (one might say more delicate) construction.  I suspect the thick walls would negatively affect the cutting action.

Laurie