what cutter to use.

[Hemsby]

Unless you are going in to production a HSS cutter should be fine

For example £16.52

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/cutting ... HR0615913P

 

[sunnybob]

Ok, stop now, I'm not going to buy these £20 plus cutters for a one time use for a 2 quid toy, thanks.

 

[ColeyS1]

Was the forstener bit idea no good ?

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[sunnybob]

The hole is only 10 mm across and 5 mm deep in the middle. Just enough to retain the marble in place.

 

[ColeyS1]

Just had a quick go on the pillar drill as fast as it'll go (4200 rpm)

Was a bit frightening hearing it get up to speed, seemed to cut alright though.
Coley

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[ColeyS1]

I wonder also if you might get better results by cutting deeper and then planing/sanding the surface back to achieve the shallow indentations you're after.

That's a really good idea ! The extra depth should help stabilise the cutter in the hole it's already made.
I've thought about making a noughts and crosses board with marbles, so this experimenting is gonna come in handy.
I might try using a tad smaller forstener bit first, then use your idea to go deeper. If I try the router cutter freehand in a normal hand drill, it should be easy in a pillar drill. Thanks ETV
Coley

 

[ColeyS1]

If its any help I have made six of these using my triton router fitted with its rectangular base plate and a bull nose bit fitted.
I marked all depressions with a cross in pencil directly on the wood (no template) using a large tri square, set the router to cut the first one, put a clamp guide with measurements on across the board, set the depth guide on the router then holding the base plate tight against the clamp guide with my left hand and with the router set to full speed plunged it down slowly to depth with my right hand.
Once the first line across the board was complete then all I did was move the clamp and repeat for the next line.
Hope this is of some help

Is that one you've made ? That looks fantastic !!! You've definitely got the knack of routing if you did make it.
Coley

 

[Rorschach]

Ok, stop now, I'm not going to buy these £20 plus cutters for a one time use for a 2 quid toy, thanks.

A quick search showed one from China for £6 that will do the job nicely.

 

[Droogs]

Would it not be quicker to just use a 1/8" outcanal carving gouge with a fingernail profile. Draw the circles, divide in two with a pencil mark. 2 cuts and a couple of twirls of a nice sharp gouge on each divit, job done. Nice clean surface and good well defined edges

 

[Phil Pascoe]

"Ok, stop now, I'm not going to buy these £20 plus cutters for a one time use for a 2 quid toy, thanks."

I doubt he'll be much impressed by price of a carving gouge either.

 

[Droogs]

"Ok, stop now, I'm not going to buy these £20 plus cutters for a one time use for a 2 quid toy, thanks."

I doubt he'll be much impressed by price of a carving gouge either.

For what he wants £3.36 aint that much really:

https://www.powertoolsdirect.com/faithf ... Akp98P8HAQ

 

[ColeyS1]

Tried freehand drilling it before I left work yesterday.
I started with a slightly smaller forstener bit hole

Then used the router bit in a hand drill. It was a bit wobbly, until it did as ETV suggested and located itself in the hole

The 3 holes at the bottom I just went straight in with the router bit. It wasn't enjoyable, but once it got fairly deep it seemed to stabilise.
Here's the final pic after I bandsawed off the extra thickness.

Not perfect, but not bad for freehand drilling with a cordless drill. Might look a little better with a quick rub down with some sandpaper.

Coley

 

[Rorschach]

Glue a bit of sandpaper to a rounded dowel and use that to power sand the hole, that might work nicely.

 

[novocaine]

what you need is one of these. it'll take you minutes to do then.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/?iid=382045711 ... t=0&chn=ps


(well that escalated quickly)

 

[shed9]

what you need is one of these. it'll take you minutes to do then.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/?iid=382045711 ... t=0&chn=ps


(well that escalated quickly)

and free collection to boot. Sorted!

 

[ColeyS1]

Glue a bit of sandpaper to a rounded dowel and use that to power sand the hole, that might work nicely.

That's a good shout. A coach bolt heads nearly the right shape- just need to glue some on. I might try it later :lol:
Do you think a few hack saw cuts in a coach bolt head might make it raspy like ?
Coley

 

[Rorschach]

Glue a bit of sandpaper to a rounded dowel and use that to power sand the hole, that might work nicely.

That's a good shout. A coach bolt heads nearly the right shape- just need to glue some on. I might try it later :lol:
Do you think a few hack saw cuts in a coach bolt head might make it raspy like ?
Coley

Yeah probably. I have made custom cutters from bolts and screws before, on wood they will cut fine but won't last too long.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Glue a bit of sandpaper to a rounded dowel and use that to power sand the hole, that might work nicely.

That's a good shout. A coach bolt heads nearly the right shape- just need to glue some on. I might try it later :lol:
Do you think a few hack saw cuts in a coach bolt head might make it raspy like ?
Coley

+1 to Rorschach above, but if you use an angle grinder, straight across, you'll make more space for sawdust to clear.. but several sawcuts would do it too I guess.

I keep a couple of M6 &M8 coachbolts with hacksawed slits along them, as thread-cleaning "taps", and I have a similarly modified pipe-threaded spigot for cleaning the threads in radiators (that doesn't work so well though, as it's brass on steel, and a tapered thread.

It's also an old trick for getting spark plugs to seat nicely - hacksaw along an old plug and use that as a "tap".