Alternative to a forstner bit?

[heathicus]

There are times I think about how many more tools I have now than just a couple years ago, I look at my dedicated table saw, 6" jointer, three Shopsmiths, basic assortment of hand power tools, and I think to myself that I really have all the major tools that I need.

Then, there are times like this when it becomes blatantly obvious that I have some rather large holes in my "collection." An inadequate assortment of drill bits. Not even the basic router accessories. I don't even have a drum sander.

I had thought about making overlapping holes with one of a Forstner bit, with each hole coming right up to the line of my 1.5" hole. Then clean it out with a chisel. But, my particular Forstner bits have the point in the middle, so my recess would have little divots all in it and I don't want that.

I have a couple strips of material that I have milled down to 1-3/4" wide, about 3/8" thick (a guestimate; I planed it down to what looked good). My plan was to cut the recesses 1.5" diameter and 1/8" or so deep. Then cut off 1-3/4" square pieces with the recess centered. I need 6 of those little blocks.

One alternative I thought about was taking (or making) some very thin material - about 1/8" thick or so - and making the 1.5" hole in it, then gluing it down to the 1-3/4" square block. Maybe even use a contrasting material.

[peterm]

Have you considered using a 1 1/2" hole saw in the drill press? You could saw right through and glue on a thin bottom.

[heathicus]

Yeah, I don't have that either...

I was looking for something to get me by in a pinch for the weekend - hopefully as a last minute additional Mother's Day gift. But it didn't work out for that, so now I have time to get a Forstner bit, or hole saw or drum sander...

[terrydowning]

Get the bit, you won't regret it.

[robinson46176]

One alternative I thought about was taking (or making) some very thin material - about 1/8" thick or so - and making the 1.5" hole in it, then gluing it down to the 1-3/4" square block. Maybe even use a contrasting material.

That reminds me of how my father used to work with steel back in the 1940's when he started farming. He and a good neighbor worked together a lot and built a lot of farm machinery together. He had a decent farm shop including cutting and welding torches and a good arc welder but he didn't have a drill press yet (you didn't just run out and buy a drill press in the 1940's, The used stuff was hard to find. There was a lot of stuff you didn't just run out and buy during the war.) They bought a lot of junk machinery to dismantle and make their things out of. Even that was hard to acquire since there were constant scrap drives for the war effort. They got into the habit of saving "holes"... If they had a piece with a nice end with a hole in it it got put aside to be welded on to a location where it was needed. He saved "good holes" for years...
They built a hay and grain elevator from scratch and later built another one from a kit from Sears & Roebuck. It had an undercarriage made with a Model T Ford axle and a drive jack-shaft made from 1 5/16" line-shaft parts from a junk shoe finisher. The rest of the frame was pipe / angle iron /channel iron etc.
They also made about 4 or 5 wagon running gears using mostly parts from model A Fords. I still have one of those gears and still use it a little for light stuff.
They built a rotery-hoe using the parts of about 3 junk ones and other stuff. I remember using it up until the early 1950's.

You will just have to start saving 1 1/2" holes...


.

[JPG]

That reminds me of how my father used to work with steel back in the 1940's when he started farming. He and a good neighbor worked together a lot and built a lot of farm machinery together. He had a decent farm shop including cutting and welding torches and a good arc welder but he didn't have a drill press yet (you didn't just run out and buy a drill press in the 1940's, The used stuff was hard to find. There was a lot of stuff you didn't just run out and buy during the war.) They bought a lot of junk machinery to dismantle and make their things out of. Even that was hard to acquire since there were constant scrap drives for the war effort. They got into the habit of saving "holes"... If they had a piece with a nice end with a hole in it it got put aside to be welded on to a location where it was needed. He saved "good holes" for years...
They built a hay and grain elevator from scratch and later built another one from a kit from Sears & Roebuck. It had an undercarriage made with a Model T Ford axle and a drive jack-shaft made from 1 5/16" line-shaft parts from a junk shoe finisher. The rest of the frame was pipe / angle iron /channel iron etc.
They also made about 4 or 5 wagon running gears using mostly parts from model A Fords. I still have one of those gears and still use it a little for light stuff.
They built a rotery-hoe using the parts of about 3 junk ones and other stuff. I remember using it up until the early 1950's.

You will just have to start saving 1 1/2" holes...


.

You too!!!!!!!!:eek::D