wondering drill bits.. what will help?

[keystonecop]

When drilling with a #60 bit into 3/4" RED OAK. the drill bit does not drill straight. seems to follow the grain. I don't have the same problem with black walnut. and worse is when you get a #3 blade into the hole it makes a mess as well .

I am running the drill at 3200. HELP...... Thanks

[lucky788scroller]

Run your drillpress faster would be my suggestion. The smaller the bit, the faster you should run it.Also, dont cram the bit through in one whack,drill partway, then back out, and go in again.That clears the shavings.It is a PITA when the bit wanders, and it makes shoving the blade through the hole really difficult. Id say start with what I mentioned, and chances are that will solve your dilemmas.
edit( oops I just read your drillpress speed, thats plenty fast, do back out though to clear the shavings.

[JohnB]

G'day John,
Dale his it down. Just nibble away at the hole with the bit, give it time to cut the wood and keep on backing out so as to clear the shavings.

I have the same problem when drilling Pine. The magic drill bit, Goes in here and comes out, where ever it feels like.

[jim_mex]

Hi John - this might seem a stupid question but are you drilling straight into the wood or through a pattern? If you were drilling straight into the wood i would also stick a piece of sticky paper - not the glossy surface type - where you want to drill to help prevent the drill from skidding when you first enter the wood. I often use the sticky edge of one of those PostIt type notes. Then go exactly as the other guys say, nibbling and clearing the swarf little by little. Goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, use a good brand of drills and make sure they have a good cutting edge

[muzzleloader]

If you are exerting too much force on a small bit like that, it could be bending a little, which will throw your drill off a lot, try exerting less force, let the bit do the cutting.
Brian

[dankc908]

Also - make sure your drill bit is SHARP.

[Paladin]

One of the best tips I've gotten on here a while back was to only have the drill bit extending out about 1/4" and drill the holes once with that, then set the bit out far enough to go all the way through and drill again. Yes, it's kind of a pain drilling all the holes twice, but if it saves a piece from being ruined, then it's worth it. Since starting to drill like this when using the really small bits, I haven't had any more problems with crooked holes.

[Rolf]

All great tips, another thing to watch for is that not all bits are created equal. Buy good quality bits Mcmaster Carr or MSC are good sources for industrial bits.

[coyote4]

I had the same thing happen with a drill bit. I was running it on high speed found that the the very tip had broken off. After looking at it very colse with high magnification I could see that it broke on a angel. It still would drill like a new one but sometimes it drifted with the grain of the wood.

Talk to you later today on google talk.Missed you last night was out side.

[keystonecop]

I am sure glad that I asked. Thank you all for the GREAT tips. I will try the nibble routines as so many of you suggested.

Rolf or anyone else... .. do you have part numbers for the numbers bits.. when I tried to find bits for wood I could not find them.. but then I don't think that I have the right search words.


Again....... Thank YOU ALL