Shopsmith Forums

I am sorry for all the questions. I am putting them down as they come in my head, and I just have to get them out there or I forget and get back to square one.

so I am working on making bobbers for myself and family for fishing. I made 2 so far on the lathe. But here is my problem. to make a thin enough hole to put the line through for the bobber stop, but not too big that the line block goes through, I don't have a long enough bit. i have been looking around on various websites trying to find longer bits. i checked at Menards the other day, but I didn't find small enough bits that were long enough. I am kind of stumped. I may have to just make a trip down to woodcraft and see what I can find.

Getting the two holes to line up is giving me grief with the fact that they have to line up.

Also, do you think I need to put something down the center to make sure the line goes smoothly through the bobber?

I thought these would be an easy thing for me to work on to learn how to use the lathe and getting the use of the tools down. I am making these out of some cedar that I had sitting in the garage. it is some wood I was planning on using to make some chess pieces, but now that I am using the lathe, I am making things I can use now. Its fishing season, and I figure I might be able to make myself feel good about catching any fish with a bobber I have made myself.

Thanks,

nathan

Make yourself a 'D'-end drill bit like this:

[ATTACH]18242[/ATTACH]

Easy to do, and it will make dead-straight holes for almost as long as you want to make them. Whistle and flute makers use these to bore the stock. Bore a short starter hole, then it is almost as easy to use a 'T'-handle and bore manually. The little sideways hole (which becomes a half-hole) acts as a catch to draw out the swarf from the cut.

Derek

derekdarling wrote: Easy to do, and it will make dead-straight holes for almost as long as you want to make them.
Derek

Looks like no place for waste to go would need to go a little at a time.

Thanks lightnin. I will have to give that a try. Even if I have to go slow, it would still take care of the boring out!

Quick question: what is the best thing to make it out of? i see it says to harden the edge. I am guessing this is metal?

Will have to check out that site in a little bit.

Thanks again

Nathan

lightnin wrote:Looks like no place for waste to go would need to go a little at a time.

swarf = waste:)

stickthrower wrote:Thanks lightnin. I will have to give that a try. Even if I have to go slow, it would still take care of the boring out!

Quick question: what is the best thing to make it out of? i see it says to harden the edge. I am guessing this is metal?

Will have to check out that site in a little bit.

Thanks again

Nathan

I would suggest piano wire.

I think what I'd try is cutting the stock in half, length-wise, then either with hand saw or perhaps a "V" groove router cut a groove for the line the length of the stock. Glue them two pieces together and then turn. (I think you'll need a plastic bobber stop, not one of those fabric stops.)

Not that turning a bobber isn't neat but, imagine what it would feel like to get a walleye or muskie on a lure you turned and painted!

How big of hole are you looking for? If you are going to Woodcraft and are in Minnesota, you must not be too far from the cities.

Sears offers a 1/8 long bit on there website, but I could see it being tougher if you are looking for something smaller. It would be nice if they told you how long is extra long, but you could probably call them.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-1-8-in-e ... 966058000P

or 3/16"

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 0Bitsmv=rr

Looks like they carry them in stock and Burnsville Center isn't too far. Depending on where you are they is probably a Sears closer than Rockler or Woodcraft. Neither one turned anything up in a search.

stickthrower wrote: Quick question: what is the best thing to make it out of? i see it says to harden the edge. I am guessing this is metal?

...

Thanks again

Nathan

Use drill rod. Any decent metal shop should have some. Get the diameter you need, and find out if it is oil or water hardening. This will become clear. Round over the end and drill a hole through the side dead centre as per the drawing. Then cut or grind off one side so that the hole you just drilled becomes the groove across the dia., and the resulting shape is like a 'D' end-on. Sharpen with the normal methods. To harden, heat it up to a dull red, then quench in oil or water, depending on the type of steel. You might hone the sharp bits after hardening. As this is designed for hand use in wood, you shouldn't need to anneal it.

To use it, first drill a 3/16" deep hole of the same diameter, then insert the bit. Turn and push (doesn't really need a lot of pressure), and drill a bit, then pull the bit out. The little groove will catch the swarf, or cuttings, and pull them out of the hole. The design is brilliant, the rod is essentially guided by the cutting end, and therefore has no inclinaiton to drill off centre.

I have drilled a 3/16" hole for a pipe (Irish) into cocobolo, 14" long, with a vanishingly small deviation from centre, something on the order of 3/100".

Derek