Author Topic: ramrod hole drill (Read 14175 times)

Red Owl · « **on:** February 15, 2009, 02:27:28 AM »

I am making just one stock and sort of hate to have to buy a ramrod hole drill bit just for a single job. I've been thinking if there was some cheap, home made alternative- maybe a drill fitted into plain rod etc- anyone have any ideas?

LynnC · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2009, 04:58:45 AM »

Search the archives in shop made tools and I'm sure you'll find plenty of info on RR drills you can make. ................................Lynn

billd · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2009, 05:02:51 AM »

I made one by turning down the shank end of a brad point drill and drilling a matching hole in a piece of drill rod. Then pinned it together. All I had to do was deepen a hole about 3/4" but it worked real well.

Where are your from?

Bill

Dphariss · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2009, 10:23:56 AM »

Quote from: Red Owl on February 15, 2009, 02:27:28 AM

I am making just one stock and sort of hate to have to buy a ramrod hole drill bit just for a single job. I've been thinking if there was some cheap, home made alternative- maybe a drill fitted into plain rod etc- anyone have any ideas?

How much is the stock worth?

Dan

northmn · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2009, 01:01:34 PM »

I made a drill out of a piece of 5/16" round stock and formed a spade bit on the end. It worked but I had to go slow. As Dan asked, how much is it worth, It may pay to send it off or get a good one made.

DP

elk killer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2009, 02:47:45 PM »

depending on where you are,,,and for just a 1 time job,,i have several..
might loan you one,,but could make one for the cost of shipping it,

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2009, 12:02:16 AM »

Here are the ones I use. Take a piece of drill rod and shape the end like a small spade bit. I have been using this type for years with good success. The trick is go slow and only drill about 1/2 to 3/4"" at a time if that much AND clean out the chips after each 1/2-3/4". Hope this helps.

Tim C.

Benedict · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2009, 12:11:56 AM »

I have made them out of a spade bit. I cut off the tip and cut a slot in a piece of cold rolled stock and riveted the tip of the spade bit into it. I have made and used a 5/16, 3/8, and 7/16 drill bits made this way. You do have to go slow but I have not noticed that they wander if you keep the chips clear. You might want to solder it but mine work fine. Sorry I do not have pictures. I hope my description is clear enough, if not let me know and I will see if I can get pictures.

Bruce

docwhite · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:46:16 AM »

Mine are a bit more trouble to make but they last forever. I taper the end of a peice of drill rod and the butt end of the correct drill, put the drill rod in the headstock of my lathe and the drill in the tailstock jaws, they weld them together. Finish is just a matter of getting rid of the extra material and rounding out. This way the drill holes are always straight and easy to cut. DOC

northmn · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:54:11 AM »

Quote from: docwhite on February 16, 2009, 03:46:16 AM

Mine are a bit more trouble to make but they last forever. I taper the end of a peice of drill rod and the butt end of the correct drill, put the drill rod in the headstock of my lathe and the drill in the tailstock jaws, they weld them together. Finish is just a matter of getting rid of the extra material and rounding out. This way the drill holes are always straight and easy to cut. DOC

I welded mine together by laying them in a piece of angle iron. they worked and as you say they last forever. One I made out of regular hardware store black steel by forming the spade bit. It worked, just slower. All of them have to be backed out to clear chips once you get deeper. Some folks lube them to help with any heat. Crisco works when I tried it.

DP

DP

Steve Bookout · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2009, 05:51:17 AM »

I inherited a couple of home made ramrod hole drill bits that had been brass brazed together. They worked fine for a while, but the stresses and heat generated eventually caused joint failure. It is not a pretty thing to have a brad point bit broken off halfway up the forearm and even less so after you try to extract it. In fact, it just turns plain ugly.

Cheers, Bookie

Red Owl · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2009, 04:37:10 AM »

Well I can't find any drill rod around where I live so that limits my options. I can get square tubing with a 3/8" inner diameter and I am thinking the square tubing will allow me to accurately file a slot in a 3/8 mild steel rod and also accurately drill cross pin holes. I am thinking of a spade (?) type bit where I cut off the tail and fit the flat part into the slot and then pin the parts together- maybe epoxy glue as well. If this is done within the square tube it seems the parts ought to line up okay.
The spade bit I am thinking about is what you would use to put a door knob in a door- that type of bit. Some have cutting prongs on the outside which would seem preferable.
Now, as I understand matters- put in your ramrod pipes- they hold the drill in place and use a hand drill- not electric- and only do a few turns and then remove the chips. Sounds like it may take an hour or two to drill the hole.
If anything I am saying is wrong- if there is a better way- all help appreciated. Thanks.

Benedict · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2009, 05:16:55 AM »

Quote from: Red Owl on February 19, 2009, 04:37:10 AM

Well I can't find any drill rod around where I live so that limits my options. I can get square tubing with a 3/8" inner diameter and I am thinking the square tubing will allow me to accurately file a slot in a 3/8 mild steel rod and also accurately drill cross pin holes. I am thinking of a spade (?) type bit where I cut off the tail and fit the flat part into the slot and then pin the parts together- maybe epoxy glue as well. If this is done within the square tube it seems the parts ought to line up okay.
   The spade bit I am thinking about is what you would use to put a door knob in a door- that type of bit. Some have cutting prongs on the outside which would seem preferable.
   Now, as I understand matters- put in your ramrod pipes- they hold the drill in place and use a hand drill- not electric- and only do a few turns and then remove the chips. Sounds like it may take an hour or two to drill the hole.
   If anything I am saying is wrong- if there is a better way- all help appreciated. Thanks.

That is pretty much what I did but did not use square tubing or much of anything else to line it up as I recall. I just cut a slot with a hack saw and file. The spade bit was a regular spade bit with the shaft cut off and pinned in the slot. I have used those drills for quite a few guns and never had a problem.

Bruce

Red Owl · « **Reply #13 on:** February 19, 2009, 06:47:08 AM »

I can get the bit for $2.50 and the rod for $4.00 so I think I'll go that route and do some test drilling to see how it works.

On the spade bit you used, some have a triangular center point and then the sides go out and are square. Others have the same center but the corners have cutting prongs. It seems that the cutting prongs would be best. Sorry about the terminology of the parts of the bit, hope you understand what I am trying to convey.

Darrin McDonal · « **Reply #14 on:** February 20, 2009, 11:11:39 PM »

Well this does lead to the question I have been thinking for a while. What are good sources for these types of drill rod stock?
Darrin

Brian · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2009, 03:58:18 AM »

But it all comes down to what Dan said - how much is the stock (and work done to date) worth to you? I'd be reluctant to "make do" and take a chance on messing up the stock.

Randall Steffy · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2009, 06:04:29 AM »

Darrin,
Try this link for drill rod. MSC/JL Metalworking
http://metalworking.mscdirect.com/CGI/MWSRCH?N=749&SWITCHPREF2=MTL

meshoot1 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 22, 2009, 01:45:43 AM »

.A friend of mine braught me a stock he said he ruined by drilling hole off center to right of barrel,but it did not come out of side.I glued a walnut dowel in,but recut inside of barrel channel with a router.put a fiberglass rod in with plenty of release and epoxied apiece of wood back in under barrel.No one can see it and has lasted 10 years are more.Would a router work with a box core bit.

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #18 on:** February 22, 2009, 02:04:06 AM »

Quote from: Darrin McDonal on February 20, 2009, 11:11:39 PM

Well this does lead to the question I have been thinking for a while. What are good sources for these types of drill rod stock?
Darrin

Go to a machine shop they will cut you off what you want. I'm sure for a price they will make the drill for you too.
Or just go to Lowes or a similar building supply store and buy a 48" length of whatever diameter rod you need, grind it to shape and use it. You may have to touch it up a couple of times but for a one time job it will work.

Tim C.

fm tim · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2009, 04:47:37 PM »

As an upper limit to what you should spend making one, Track of the Wolf drill with shipping is about $45.00

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:52:28 PM »

Here is a little better pic of the bits I posted before. Maybe you can get a better idea of how they are ground.

Tim C.

Dphariss · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:53:35 PM »

Quote from: fm tim on February 23, 2009, 04:47:37 PM

As an upper limit to what you should spend making one, Track of the Wolf drill with shipping is about $45.00

And will drill a straight hole.

Dan

slowtrack50cal · « **Reply #22 on:** February 26, 2009, 03:19:03 AM »

could anyone post some pics of the spade-type drills?

?

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #23 on:** February 26, 2009, 04:21:28 AM »

http://power-tools.hardwarestore.com/54-383-spade-drill-bits/spade-drill-bit-650239.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=650239&utm_campaign=googlebase

Benedict · « **Reply #24 on:** February 26, 2009, 06:09:50 AM »

Here are the drills that I made. There are 3 sizes, 5/16, 3/8, and 7/16. They are made by taking a length of hardware store rod of the correct diameter and a spade bit of the same size. The bit is cut from its shank and placed in the slot cut in the end of the rod. I riveted them in place. These drills have each drilled a number of holes and none of them have wandered. I drive them with a brace and have not bothered to shape the end for the brace. You DO need to clear the chips often but for a few guns it is a reasonably priced way to do. Sorry about the blurred pictures but I think you can see well enough to see what is going on.

Bruce

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Author Topic: ramrod hole drill (Read 14175 times)

Red Owl

billd

northmn

docwhite

northmn

Red Owl

Red Owl

meshoot1

slowtrack50cal