use 1/4" die grinder with 1/8" shaft tooling??

[Boulter]

Hi:

Well I managed to get to KBC tools in Mississauga (Toronto) yesterday on the way through. Found a pair of air die grinders and the optional 1/8 inch chucks. I also picked up a 1/4 -> 1/8 reducer in case I want to one day try a laminate trimmer as some have recommended. So the Canadian Tire units will be going back.

I installed the quick connect air fittings and gave them a whirl. Noisy like a stuck pig and get about 30 seconds before the compressor fires up again. The duty cycle is going to be low with my compressor, but then again it is likely to be low due to my contorted body position anyhow. Some day when it is warm and I am done with the compressor in the house, I'll give them a try for real. Likely next week.

Anyhow, all this only has to work about 1 or 2 full time days, so notwithstanding the limitations, I think it will do.

Cheers

Boulter

[Boulter]

Hi:

I can almost do this. I am one $30 non-existent carbide router bit away from heaven.

The carbide burr in the photo above cuts through, but really isn't suitable for something as soft as wood, it clogs and burns, though will clear it out eventually.

I found an old HSS 3/4 inch diameter straight plunge router bit (shaft 1/4 inch) that started off as 3/4 inches long. I took it down to about 3/8 long on the grinder. It cleaned out the first hole in about 15 seconds. About 5 seconds into hole number 2, it was too dull to continue, having hit enough glass to render it useless.

So what I need is a short plunge bit but in carbide. Which seems to mean that I need to find a carbide grinding wheel (I believe the green ones) to modify a 1 inch long stock carbide bit down to 7/16 or 3/8. Another possibility is a box slot bit - remove the bearing and grind away the bearing shaft. The second idea is back to grinding HSS (I don't think wood bits are solid carbide), so it is the one to try first.

Maybe I am being too fussy in wanting to undercut the holes such that the eventual epoxy (approximate) torus is trapped between the 2 skins. I still like the idea of the epoxy being mechanically locked in by more than just a bit of roughness from the hole saw.

That is my report for today. Sigh, sometimes I just can't seem to get started. Stuff like this is evidence of the rule of 3 times the cost and 3 times the time ...

Boulter

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Boulter

Hi:

I can almost do this. I am one $30 non-existent carbide router bit away from heaven.

The carbide burr in the photo above cuts through, but really isn't suitable for something as soft as wood, it clogs and burns, though will clear it out eventually.

I found an old HSS 3/4 inch diameter straight plunge router bit (shaft 1/4 inch) that started off as 3/4 inches long. I took it down to about 3/8 long on the grinder. It cleaned out the first hole in about 15 seconds. About 5 seconds into hole number 2, it was too dull to continue, having hit enough glass to render it useless.

So what I need is a short plunge bit but in carbide. Which seems to mean that I need to find a carbide grinding wheel (I believe the green ones) to modify a 1 inch long stock carbide bit down to 7/16 or 3/8. Another possibility is a box slot bit - remove the bearing and grind away the bearing shaft. The second idea is back to grinding HSS (I don't think wood bits are solid carbide), so it is the one to try first.

Maybe I am being too fussy in wanting to undercut the holes such that the eventual epoxy (approximate) torus is trapped between the 2 skins. I still like the idea of the epoxy being mechanically locked in by more than just a bit of roughness from the hole saw.

That is my report for today. Sigh, sometimes I just can't seem to get started. Stuff like this is evidence of the rule of 3 times the cost and 3 times the time ...

Boulter

I found quite a variety of carbide router bits at Home Depot; probably a lot also at McMaster Carr (on line). I hav eused these 'wood bits' on all kinds of things successfully. Just be really careful using wood tools on non-wood stuff. They tend to hook and take the router for a ride.

[Boulter]

Hi:

Now I am cooking with gas!



I obtained a Lee Valley box slotting bit 16J83.04, item B in the above photograph, removed the bearing, and took the grinder to the bearing shaft. Now I have a bit that undercuts about 1/4 inch. Like a hot knife through butter! I did about 2 dozen 1 1/8 inch holes in about an hour. The compressor can't keep up.

Boulter

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Boulter

Hi:

Now I am cooking with gas!



I obtained a Lee Valley box slotting bit 16J83.04, item B in the above photograph, removed the bearing, and took the grinder to the bearing shaft. Now I have a bit that undercuts about 1/4 inch. Like a hot knife through butter! I did about 2 dozen 1 1/8 inch holes in about an hour. The compressor can't keep up.

Boulter

That's exactly how I do it. Often I chuck the router bit into a cordless drill for jobs on the dock. Removes all material to bare glass much better than other methods. No shaft grinding required.