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Magnus Eisengrim Inner circle Sulla placed heads on 1053 Posts 
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Hi. I have a simple question. I would like to drill a hole through as nearly a true diameter of a 2" wooden ball as possible. I only have a hand drill at my disposal.
How do I do this? Thanks John
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.--Yeats |
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Father Photius Grammar Host El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo) 17161 Posts
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Very carefully. Actually put some tape on the teeth of a vice to keep them from cutting into the ball and put the ball into the vice. If you don't have a vice you might try using a couple of C clamps, but be sure and clamp down the clamp holding the ball. Be sure and use a punch or a nail to make a small "start" point, so the drillbit won't slip around.
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
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George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts
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Two issues here. One is finding the exact "poles" of the ball. The second one is keeping the drill straight and aimed at the second pole once you start the hole at the first hole.
Personally, I would make a simple jig for my drill press. However, you said you only have a hand drill at your disposal. Is that a hand-powered drill or an electric one? What other tools do you have that you could use to make a jig? Not to sound glib, but a good option would be for you to take the ball to a local machine shop or woodworking club and have someone drill it for you.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
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Paul Prater Elite user North Little Rock, AR 483 Posts
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Father Photius is giving you the best advice you can get with a hand drill, but it is still going to be darn near impossible to keep the drill perfectly straight up and down. This can cause your hole to be off center and this seems to be your real concern.
You really need a drill press. I don't know if your ball is a special prop or what it is worth but you can get a five speed drill press for $80.00 from Harbor Freight. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/di......er=38119 They often put these on sale for half off. I paid $40 for this same one. I use this for smaller projects and can keep it on the bench top. Also you would need a vice for the drill press. Harbor Freight has these for $10.00. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/di......ber=5927 If it is just putting a hole through a wooden ball, I would be willing to do that for you. Feel free to PM me if you would like. |
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ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts
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Here is something that might help:
http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-......ing-jig/ You can also find these balls pre-drilled (right-hand column, near the bottom of the page): http://www.basketpatterns.com/PAGE4.htm
Things are more like they are today than they've ever been before...
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Magnus Eisengrim Inner circle Sulla placed heads on 1053 Posts
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Hmm. These are good places to start. I have (two) electric hand drills. I wouldn't mind a cheap drill press, but that may wait.
All I am doing (for now) is making a prop for my multiplying billiard ball routine. I have some inexpensive 2" wooden balls and I'm looking to put a 3/16" hole as near to the centre as possible. I did one by eyeballing and drilling a fine pilot hole by hand and got reasonably close, but I'd like to do better without spending a lot of time and effort. I do like the fairly simple jig ClintonMagus links to. It still leaves the problem of getting in at the right spot and keeping the drill vertical, but it will probably be good enough. As for the $80 drill press, is it really decent enough? What do you get for that kind of money? Thanks for your kind suggestions. John
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.--Yeats |
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edh Inner circle 4698 Posts
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Take the ball to your local school that has a woodshop. Or even a cabinet makers shop.
Magic is a vanishing art.
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Paul Prater Elite user North Little Rock, AR 483 Posts
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As to the $80 drill press, it more than decent enough to drill through wood. You can drill with all day long for small jobs. I have had this drill press for eight years and have never had any problems with it. Really the only major difference between this one and the bigger boys are:
1. The horsepower is significantly less than a floor model, but it is probably still more than your hand drill. 2. The distance between the base and the drill bit is much shorter. 3. You are limited on the size of your drill bit. Unless you are doing some heavy duty projects (drilling large holes through metal or very dense hardwoods) this will work just fine. |
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Magnus Eisengrim Inner circle Sulla placed heads on 1053 Posts
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Thanks again. If it doesn't wobble, the cheap drill press may be worth a corner of my garage.
John
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.--Yeats |
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Mick Hanzlik Special user Mick Hanzlik 588 Posts
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Surely the simplest way would be to visit a local woodturner. If the ball was put into a chuck on a lathe, and the drill in the fixed position, the lathe would turn the ball and the drill would be perfectly central, and this action could be repeated time after time.
I am surprised that nobody has suggested this. |
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Craig Dickens Veteran user 379 Posts
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Rockler woodworking supply sells a set called the Drill guide jig for around $16.00 that should do the trick. It consists of a clear plastic square with angled cutouts that center it on round shapes and has metal inserts of different sizes to drill straight holes with different widths of bits. You would probably tape the jig as tightly as possible to the ball and hold the entire bundle in a vise.
Google Rockler for more information.
e-mail at:magicaldickens@aol.com
website: www.dickensmagic.com |
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Tom Bartlett Special user Our southern border could use 763 Posts
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Some drill guides require you to remove the chuck on your drill and attach it to the guide, make sure the one you get is like the one pictured, that has the drill chuck already attached. http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?Offer......=Details
Our friends don't have to agree with me about everything and some that I hold very dear don't have to agree about anything, except where we are going to meet them for dinner.
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Thomas Wayne Inner circle Alaska 1977 Posts
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Personally I think the "Woodmagazine" drill jig (as diagrammed) is not necessary for what you're trying to do. Clamp a chunk of scrap 2 x 6 to your $80 drill press table and drill a large hole into it - I think anything from 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" should be sufficient. Without changing the orientation of the now-drilled board, change bits and use the hole to position the ball.
Because the first [large] hole is centered under the drill press quill, the ball will rest in that hole such that it is also centered under the quill. Prevent the ball from rotating and/or moving around by gripping it firmly with your left hand. "Peck drill" the hole - peck drilling is the term for drilling into your work a little and then pulling back out to clear chips/swarf, repeatedly until you're through the work. This technique should keep the friction down to a level that allows you to maintain your grip on the ball. Of course, I personally would drill it in a machinist's lathe, but that's cause I have a bunch of them. TW
MOST magicians: "Here's a quarter, it's gone, you're an idiot, it's back, you're a jerk, show's over." Jerry Seinfeld
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MickeyPainless Inner circle California 6065 Posts
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I too would use my lathe but I think TW'S idea is about the best AND you end up with a small drill press that I'm sure you will find plenty of use for in the future!
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Chance Inner circle 1385 Posts
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I think it's fascinating that such a simple project can have so many different approaches and interpretations.
I would only add that instead of gettings a tabletop drill press, I would spend the same money and get a deluxe Dremel set with optional drill guide. It will handle this particular job easy enough, plus it's an incredibly versatile tool for any future projects. It's saved my butt many times! |
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Magnus Eisengrim Inner circle Sulla placed heads on 1053 Posts
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Quote:
On 2009-02-20 00:29, Thomas Wayne wrote: Thank you. This is the basic simplification I was thinking of. I hope I made it clear that I am not a serious woodworker and that I don't need great precision. But I am curious about a work-around for this apparently simple problem. If possible, I would like to do it without spending more than a few bucks because it's a once-off. Access to quality equipment would be nice, but as I do only a small amount of drilling, cutting, repairing etc. I couldn't justify the expense. John
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.--Yeats |
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Magnus Eisengrim Inner circle Sulla placed heads on 1053 Posts
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Quote:
On 2009-02-20 09:08, Chance wrote: I thought about that too. I do have a Dremel (which I rarely use) and the little guide that makes a pseudo drill press out of it is tempting. As with the cheap drill press, I don't want to begin gathering junk. If it stands up to use over time, I'll consider either the less expensive drill press or the dremel guide. Any other opinions on the dremel guide? John
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.--Yeats |
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EsnRedshirt Special user Newark, CA 895 Posts
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The one advantage the "Woodmagazine" hole jig has over Thomas' method is that it doesn't require you to put your hand on the ball while you're drilling it.
Just a matter of preference. I may be an overcautious, clumsy wuss, but I'm an overcautious, clumsy wuss who does not have a hole in his hand. (Just don't ask about the knife cut on the finger.) -Erik
Self-proclaimed Jack-of-all-trades and google expert*.
* = Take any advice from this person with a grain of salt. |
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Leland Stone Inner circle 1204 Posts
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Hey, John:
For what it's worth, I purchased one of those inexpensive drill presses in 1982 -- a Taiwanese import that cost 50USD at the time. (It was intended for a mobile horseshoeing business.) It performed remarkably well in its intended capacity, and later served as a bench machine in my shop until I could afford an higher quality floor model. I finally disposed of it (STILL in working order) a coupla years ago. My only complaint about the machine was its incredibly sloppy "stop" -- but that was a feature I rarely used then anyway. Though not a craftsman on the order of Mr. Wayne, I am reasonably adept, accomplished, and discriminating; as such, I have no qualms about recommending one of the cheap Chinese drill presses on its mechanical merits and its value-to-cost ratio. I have no doubt about the new press' ability to serve in this instance, and am certain you'll find additional uses for it. As if one needs a reason to buy tools. 
Leland |
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Chance Inner circle 1385 Posts
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It's always good to remember that the drill bit is every bit as important as the machine that holds it. The cheap Chinese press can still work great with a high quality bit(s) and reasonable care. That's another reason I vote for the Dremel. Because there's no such thing as a cheap, low quality Dremel bit. As someone who's used the Dremel system on hundreds of projects, I'd highly recommend that you beef up what you already have before expanding your tool base outwards. The rest of wht you need is just hands-on shop time. Good luck what ever you decide!
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Posted: Feb 19, 2009 02:41 am 
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