New Horn problem

[HighlandGunner]

Hi everyone,  I just joined the site and am amazed at the knowledge of the members.  I have been shooting muzzleloaders for 32 years and Re-enacting for a little over 20.  I just got the bug again to make another powder horn and just as I started it I ran into a problem.  I decided to drill a pilot hole in the neck with an 1/8" drill bit and the bit snapped off.  now I need to remove the piece that is still in the horn..... Thoughts?

Cheers

Jay

[Carl Dumke]

Jay,
Never been there--riggghhttt   I use to drill pilot holes early on and have had my share of broke bits.  The problem is the bit bites in to the horn, stops, and the torqe from the drill breaks the bit  (as both of us and many more on this site have experienced).  I tend to go right to the large bit or even a spade bit as it will tend not to grab the horn as it advances.  As for your problem, I have had some luck with screw extractor bits to get far enough it there (if it broke off towards the tip) and then use needle-nose pliers to grab the exposed end--still a $#@* shoot as it is tough not to continue to break off smaller sections of the bit. 

BTW--if you can't get it out, dont pitch a perfectly good horn--use it for bands, cups, inlays...

[J Henry]

 Try this site for horn questions  www.thehornersbench.com   great site for such..

[T.C.Albert]

Using a heavy bent copper or iron rod, heat it red hot with a torch and carefully burn the spout out  from the back end...you ought to hit the bit, then you can then hopefully knock the bit into the cavity....note: burning horn stinks....bad!

Or, consider cutting the spout back and making an applied tip?
tc

[Cory Joe Stewart]

If there is and length of the bit sticking out lock it in a vice and gently tap the tip of the horn with a mallet or use a wooden wedge tapped with a hammer. Otherwise burning would be the best way to go.  I drill pilot holes but run your bit against a candle first to lube it.

Coryjoe

[Horner75]

One way that I have used with good success, works for drill bits that are broke off flush and near flush with the end.  I cut around the horn tip about 1/8 to 3/16 inch and remove the ring of horn from the tip.  This leaves roughly enough drill bit sticking out to grab with a pair of vise grips and reverse twisting the drill bit out, but you want to heat the horn tip with a heat gun first before you start extracting.  GO SLOW!

Rick

[The Original Griz]

One way that I have used with good success, works for drill bits that are broke off flush and near flush with the end.  I cut around the horn tip about 1/8 to 3/16 inch and remove the ring of horn from the tip.  This leaves roughly enough drill bit sticking out to grab with a pair of vise grips and reverse twisting the drill bit out, but you want to heat the horn tip with a heat gun first before you start extracting.  GO SLOW!

Rick

^^^^ yeah, what Rick said. if that dont work, get a clothes pin for your nose and start burning from the inside, but do it outside. SERIOUSLY, outside

[Chris Treichel]

Why not get a small steel pipe just bigger than the drill bit. Make some jagged cuts in the end with a file like a mini front end saw and drill that into the horn around the drill bit. 

[Tim Crosby]

 Chris probably has the right idea, it will not be used a lot so a piece o 1/4" Brass tubing will work, just file a few teeth on it. Drill slowly and back out often to clean out the dust. A lot depends on what kind of wall thickness you have. The hole should be the first thing you do, right after cutting of the tip, you want the tip to be as thick as possible while drilling to prevent cracks.
 NEVER drill a pilot hole in a horn, start out with the size you want the hole to be, on a full size horn I use between
1/4 and 5/16th inch.     

  Tim C.

[The Original Griz]

NEVER drill a pilot hole in a horn, start out with the size you want the hole to be, on a full size horn I use between
1/4 and 5/16th inch. 

AMEN, Thanks for saying that Tim.....

[HighlandGunner]

Thanks guys,  I did what Horner75 suggested and was able to have enough of the bit sticking out to grab....and now I have a horn button too.  thanks again for all the suggestions, I will keep them for future problems which i'm sure I'll run into sooner or later.


Cheers