1/16 drill bit

[Elginz]

I just got a 1/16", 12 inch long drill bit. Now I have what seems to me a very rare item. I had not seen one before this, nor can I think of a reason to have one. Who has one, and what would you use it for?

 

[L.Cheapo]

Common in the aircraft industry. You can get one from Scamazon for a few bucks.

 

[cvairwerks]

Use them all the time in aircraft structural work. Want to really freak someone out? Take a 12" #50 and drill a nice, straight hole about 45 degrees off the drill chuck axis with the bit bent into an arc.

 

[BuffettFan]

Yup, very common, they're called aircraft extension drill bits. That size starts at under $5 in the MSC catalog.


I used a lot of these when I was in manufacturing.

http://dmetool.com/

They could make pretty much any size at any length. Not uncommon to need a 30" long bit between .125" to .5" diameter.
The last job I processed for that company had a 2mm diameter hole 24" deep. I checked back to see how it had worked, and they said they had no problems at all with that particular hole. Plenty of fixturing issues, but since they changed the process after I left, I didn't feel too bad about that.
Once these drill bits start, they run very true assuming no voids or hard spots in the castings. One application required a 1/4" through hole over 40" deep. Since none of our machines had that kind of travel, the only way we could do it was to drill from both sides of the part. The hole met in the middle and was true enough that we were able to drop a gage pin through the hole when we were done.

 

[rlitman]

Use them all the time in aircraft structural work. Want to really freak someone out? Take a 12" #50 and drill a nice, straight hole about 45 degrees off the drill chuck axis with the bit bent into an arc.

I can't say that I've done this with bits this small, but I have 5' long bits for running wires through walls that are meant to bend like this.

 

[Elginz]

I had not seen one, it was 49 cents at Menards. How many actually have one? At least now I know people use them on a regular basis, or at-least one person did.
I have one, who can say that?

 

[NUTTSGT]

I had not seen one, it was 49 cents at Menards. How many actually have one? At least now I know people use them on a regular basis, or at-least one person did.
I have one, who can say that?

https://www.menards.com/main/tools-...raft-twist-drill-bit/5143/p-1497525438283.htm

For about $3, I'm going to buy one, just because. . . well. . .um yeah. I saw it on Garage Journal.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I mig welded a 3/8" bit to some rod one time for a one off hole. It was about 30" long. It worked.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I’ve got one but can’t remember what I bought it for.
Bought it at the time we were doing some bathroom renos at my daughter's home. Possibly predrilling some old fir to add blocking for sub floor replacement.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I’ve got one but can’t remember what I bought it for.
Bought it at the time we were doing some bathroom renos at my daughter's home. Possibly predrilling some old fir to add blocking for sub floor replacement.

Agggghhhh. I just came from Meanrd's and forgot to grab one. . . . freakin' typical.

 

[maydaymike]

We used to use long, small diameter bits like that for drilling vent holes in larger (tractor) tire molds.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[Dragfluid]

https://www.menards.com/main/tools-...raft-twist-drill-bit/5143/p-1497525438283.htm

For about $3, I'm going to buy one, just because. . . well. . .um yeah. I saw it on Garage Journal.

Me too. We can have our own little elite club.