Oval Drill holes

[cycollins]

BTW, those who said that there shouldn't be any movement of the traction belt were correct. There wasn't any. There IS the pecking behavior if the hole is deeper than about .1", but as most people assume, I think this is a dust-removal or bit-sticking-avoidance technique. There is not any movement in the x-axis direction in between pecks of the drill bit.

However, I've been using 1.12 software for quite a while now and I'm sure I've seen x-axis shifting during drilling recently.

There may be a problem with the 1/8" bit itself (or maybe the way it's mounted in the adapter). I did the same routing test I mentioned in the last post with the 3/8" straight bit. Rock solid. However, it doesn't let me drill 3/8" diameter holes with the 3/8" bit. In stead, it makes a spiral cut with the 1/8" bit to create a 3/8" drill hole, and it does a pretty good job (pretty round, but a little bigger than .375" - closer to .39").

Unless someone wants to try some deep 1/8" drill holes with the 1/8" cutting bit and then tell me otherwise, I think the conclusion is this: it doesn't work very well. It may be just some kind of limitation of the machine. Anyone want to try?

BTW, when you're routing along a path in a project, the CW machine lets you override the bit joice when the routing begins. It offers a long list of bit-choices, some of which aren't listed in the documenation. For example, I've seen references to a 1/8" carving bit as opposed to the 1/8" cutting bit. Come to think of it, the Designer software offers you interesting choices, like 1/16" ball-nose and a 1/2" straight bit that also aren't listed as accessories in the documentation or on the sales list. Obviously such things are obtainable, but it seems strange that they would offer such choices when the CW folks tend to go on a bit about how you should only use CW-approved bits. I'd love to use a 1/4" straight bit to do 1/4" holes, but oddly enough, it isn't among the bits listed. Strange inconsistencies. My guess is that the new software will come out at the end of this year and be so much better than the current Designer that this will all be moot.

cycollins

[Charles M]

I have successfully (at least to my standards) used the drill function many times. For birdhouses I typically drill a 1-1/4 to 1-1/2" hole and and a 1/2" hole for a dowel. My experience is that they have all been pretty darn accurate. The 0.500" holes have measured 0.503 to 0.508" and seem round. A 1/2" bit would have been faster but router bits aren't designed to drill. Ramping in the way the CW does is the best way. On the larger holes it will start in the middle and make concentric circles until it reaches the full diameter of the hole and makes the last pass very slowly for better finish.

[liquidguitars]

There may be a problem with the 1/8" bit itself (or maybe the way it's mounted in the adapter).

You should be able to see the run out in the bits shaft, look for extra motion
blurring on the bit shank when running, I am on my 2 chuck and change my bit adaptors when needed "look for marks and dings on the socket".
sears has new ones you can buy if needed. I have dif 1/4 bits, just make sure the DOC is the same amount as your design your working on.

Ron thanks for the run out check list its really helpful.

LG

[cycollins]

The 1/4" adapter for my 1/8" cutting bit DOES look like it fell into a garbage disposal (a lot of the black finish is gone on the upper part of the adapter). The same is true for the carving bit to a lesser extent. You think I should swap them out for new ones? I don't feel or see any obvious "play" in either one. I wonder how long it would take to get a new chuck from CW. I don't think Sears sells those.

cycollins

[liquidguitars]

I have a backup chuck if needed always a good idea and I think sears will be selling them. Regarding the bit and the adapters better to just order a few new ones and install them with new cutters. So yea you can replace them.

LG

[cycollins]

... because after looking VERY closely at the 1/4" adapter for my 1/8" cutting bit, I noticed something not-quite-right about the plate-like structure on the bottom (as it hangs from the chuck). It would be difficult to describe the shape of the deformation except to say that it was slightly-but-visibly bent into a potato-chip shape. It's pretty slight. I measured the distance between the plate and the pins that engage the side of the chuck. The distance between each pin and the plate should have been identical, but in stead it differred by about 7/1000". It doesn't sound like much, but it's getting on for a 1/100" and in the 1/16" adapter, the distances were identical out to four decimal places. I might not be THE problem, but I bet its A problem. I'll experment some

[rjustice]

Cy,

Consider that the pins sticking out really shouldnt have anything to do with the runout of the bit... the bit adapter should seat only on the taper, and there are ball bearings that seat into the groove that pull it tight into the taper. The pins are simply drilled and tapped so they arent realy intended on being extremely accurate. they simply act as the driving mechanism to twist the tool.

I am curious as to whether the wear that you see around the tapers is farily even, or if it is to one side.... if one of the pins is interfering, i would think it would have a shiny spot on it, and the worn parts on the taper would be opposite the pin....

Ron

[liquidguitars]

Ron,

I have a few 1/4 that have uneven ware and ball bearing dings along the side,
as a side note , the Sears brand OEM? bit adaptors have a little better finish including the new chuck I just installed.

LG

[rjustice]

lg,

Are the dings inside the little groove, or on the tapered area?

I also bought a spare chuck to have just in case... and just playing with it outside of the machine, it operates considerably harder than the one in my machine. I noticed that the tapers on the bit adapters from sears look nicer too, but when measuring them in a precision comparitor, they do measure the same as the ones from carvewright.

Ron

[liquidguitars]

Ron,
inside top of the groove, could be a heat treatment issue, will be off to sears for 1/4 replacents soon. The chuck shoud lock when pushed up, but
mine never did.

LG