Broken drill bit inside wood - how to remove

[PPatch]

I hope some of you have experienced this and know a way around it: A 1/16th drill bit broken off inside the stock. I was drilling the rear pin hole for a trigger guard, slowly doing it by hand and not forcing anything when the bit broke inside the wood. What I have now is the bit enters the left side of the stock, goes past the 1/4 inch trigger guard slot and about a quarter of an inch into the opposite side. 

I am thinking of grinding an old rusty pair of needle nose pliers’ I have to fit in the slot so I can hopefully back the bit out.

Anyone know of a simpler way?

[bluenoser]

Try a pair of forceps.  You can always thin down the tip if they are too wide.

Laurie

[PPatch]

Got it - the pliers' worked - thanks Laurie.

dave

BUT - if any of you have another method I would enjoy hearing about it.

[smart dog]

Hi PPatch,
Were you using an electric hand drill or a manual drill?

dave

[mountainman70]

You be a lucky feller,ppatch.When I break 'em 1/16 bits,its usually when drillin the barrel pins,and the wood is still square,and the infernal things break where there aint no slots.Congrats on gettin the thing out.Dave

[David R. Pennington]

One way when all else fails is to make a tiny hollow bit with the center drilled out the size of the broken bit. In essence it is a tiny tube with some notches filed in the end so it will cut. If the bit is broken below the surface, start the hole with a drill the same size inserted in the tube, then remove the bit and drill down around the broken bit with the hollow bit and when the wood around the broken bit is relieved it will come out. You then will have a hole a little oversized that you can plug and re drill.

[whetrock]

DP, glad to hear you got it out.

Now that it's out and all's good, I'll say that you are a braver man that I am for drilling that hole with a hardened steel bit.  I gave up on doing that a while back. Too scary for me. Now I make my pin hole bits out of finishing nails or other mild steel rod. I can torque them all day long while they are spinning and they will never snap off.

To make one you just have to file a simple spade on the cutting end. (It doesn't need to be smashed out. And you don’t want to harden it, either. You want to leave it mild steel.)



I wait to drill for my pipe pins, etc. until the stock is partially shaped. Just my preference. If I'm using one of these to drill a hole for a pipe pin, I drill with the spade bit until I hit the pipe tab. The mild steel isn’t hard enough to drill through the tab, but it is plenty hard enough to mark the tab (even on iron pipes). It dulls the spade bit a little, but the bit is easily sharpened again with a few licks from a file.

After marking the tab, I then pull out the pipe and drill the marked spot with a hardened bit (a different bit) while it is outside the stock. When the hole in the tab is done, I put the pipe back into its mortise, then use the spade bit to complete the hole through the stock. The point on the spade bit easily finds its way into the hole in the pipe tab, and with the spade bit I never have trouble with double drilling or enlarging the hole in the tab.

In my experience these little guys aren't bad about busting out the stock wood when they reach the other side and punch through, either. Not nearly as bad as a modern style twist drills.

Anyway, everyone has their own favorite way of skinning the cat. Maybe this will be useful to someone out there. (I realize you were drilling for a trigger guard pin, but I decided to go ahead and explain this for a pipe. Hope everyone made the leap with me....)  

Whet

[PPatch]

Hi PPatch,
Were you using an electric hand drill or a manual drill?

dave

Manual, using a pen drill dave, and not applying much pressure when it just snapped. A cheap Sears bit (should have known better). Its all done now though, nice neat hole and brass pin installed. Carving on the cheek now and that is fun -woodworking being the thing I enjoy most on this build cause THAT I know how to do... metal work, meh, not so much but I have learned a lot and haven't screwed it up. well, not SO much that I couldn't fake a fix. hehe

I was luckly Mountainman/sevenzero, I had that slot so I could reach the bit. Otherwise the cry'n in me beer would have been awful to behold. I have no clue how one removes a bit buried in the wood like you describe.

dp

[PPatch]

 

One way when all else fails is to make a tiny hollow bit with the center drilled out the size of the broken bit. In essence it is a tiny tube with some notches filed in the end so it will cut. If the bit is broken below the surface, start the hole with a drill the same size inserted in the tube, then remove the bit and drill down around the broken bit with the hollow bit and when the wood around the broken bit is relieved it will come out. You then will have a hole a little oversized that you can plug and re drill.

Genius!  I would never have thought of that.


Whetrock; Yes! Quite clear and I will give that a try on another build (all the holes are drilled on this one). Good tip!

dave

[Mark Elliott]

Until I recently got a set of gimlets,  I drilled all my holes with twist drills and an electric drill.   I would buy 1/16" and 5/64" drill bits by the dozen.   One other thing that you can try if you break a bit off inside a pin hole is to drill the hole from the other side until you hit the broken bit.  You can then use a pin to drive the bit out.   Although, I don't usually do it that way,   some folks do drill pin and lock nail holes from both sides toward the middle.   I probably should do that more often given that I never seem to go right straight through.  However,  if you look at originals,  they didn't much care if the holes where straight through.   So,  my guns are just as lop sided as the originals.

[PPatch]

Until I recently got a set of gimlets,  I drilled all my holes with twist drills and an electric drill.   I would buy 1/16" and 5/64" drill bits by the dozen.   One other thing that you can try if you break a bit off inside a pin hole is to drill the hole from the other side until you hit the broken bit.  You can then use a pin to drive the bit out.   Although, I don't usually do it that way,   some folks do drill pin and lock nail holes from both sides toward the middle.   I probably should do that more often given that I never seem to go right straight through.  However,  if you look at originals,  they didn't much care if the holes where straight through.   So,  my guns are just as lop sided as the originals.

Mark; I place a small block of hardwood on the opposite side of the wood and hold it firmly while the bit breaks out on that side. Been doing that for years on projects and never had a tear out. Gimlets sound like a good idea, think I will purchase a set. Twist bits combined with electricity are just too prone to breaking.

dave

[smart dog]

Hi Dave,
My experience has been that I broke more small drills using a hand drill than an electric one. It is too easy to flex tiny drill bits when turning a crank or spinning the drill by hand and simultaneously applying pressure. For me, using a lightweight electric drill (I have a small Makita that I've used for 30 years) has always been the safer way to go if I did not use my drill press.  I prefer the drill press whenever possible. I am glad you solved the problem.  If it is any comfort, I suspect we have all had the same problem at some time.

dave

[billd]

The smaller the drill the faster it has to run.  More RPM's but slower feed.  That little 1/16 bit should be going 3000 rpm's  or more.   It also loads up with chips real fast.  Pull it out of the hole frequently. 

Bill

[northmn]

The smaller the drill the faster it has to run.  More RPM's but slower feed.  That little 1/16 bit should be going 3000 rpm's  or more.   It also loads up with chips real fast.  Pull it out of the hole frequently. 

Bill

Basic to machine work etc.  Drills are supposed to be fed at so many feet per minute and small ones are to be fed faster.  The use of a drill press also helps.  Best to drill the holes before it is close to final finish.  I ahve used a couple of round toothpicks to fill mismanaged drill holes.

DP

[billd]

Dpeck. 

 I respectfully disagree that small one are to be fed faster.  Feet per minute is speed, not feed.  Feed is inches per minute or inches per rev. 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I don't know the mechanics or science behind speed and feed, but when I drill for the barrel pins and the trigger guard pins, using a 1/16" bit, I use a drill press set on it's highest speed, and a solid vise to hold the rifle securely.  I feed from both sides for the barrel p0ins, but only from one side for the trigger guard.

You mentioned that the trigger guard lug was 1/4" thick...should have been reduced to only 1/8" or less.  Drilling through 1/4" of brass, with a hand drill and a 1/16" bit was just a catastrophe looking for a place to happen. I personally wouldn't risk it with my limited skill.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Gimlets are great..... better than Manhattans!!    Actually I really like my 1/16 " gimlet!!!   

[PPatch]

...my limited skill.

Nice try Taylor, not that I'm buying that for a second.  

Point taken with the higher speed and thickness of the Lug, I simply didn't know to do that, but will thin the next ones.

Dr TBoone: yeah, and that reminds me - next time I am down Atlanta way lets meet up and have a whiskey.

dave

[bluenoser]

A Machinists Ready Reference Manual is inexpensive and a handy little book to have.  It's saved my bacon more than once.

Laurie

[Steve-In]

Brass tends to grab a drill.  It will take more force to turn and with a 1/16 drill there is not much room for error.  When drilling pins a drill press is great.  I start mine with a center or spot drill then use a stub drill and finish with a jobbers drill.  When available I like to use the mill at work.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

...my limited skill.

Nice try Taylor, not that I'm buying that for a second. 

Point taken with the higher speed and thickness of the Lug, I simply didn't know to do that, but will thin the next ones.

Dr TBoone: yeah, and that reminds me - next time I am down Atlanta way lets meet up and have a whiskey.

dave

Come on down!!

[JTR]

my limited skill.

It's nice to be humble, but I had to laugh at that one Taylor!

John 

[Old Ford2]

When drilling barrel lugs, trigger guard tabs, or thimbles, if you drill through the wood and mark the metal.
Then remove the metal piece from the stock, then drill the lug, tab or thimble.
Afterwards return to drilling through the stock. Also a small amount of beeswax on the drill bit will help prevent binding in the wood.
Always drill a short way, then withdraw and clean the drill bit.
Good luck!
Fred