Multiple flute auger bits - question for Derek C.

Re: Multiple flute auger bits - question for Derek

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Hi John

The bits are made by a Japanese company, Star-M, and called Woodowl. Here is their website:

http://www.woodowl.com/

The Ultra Smooth augers have a tri-cut action and are designed to be used in a power drill, but will fit and work well in a Bell brace.

http://www.woodowl.com/PROD_ultrasmooth.htm

I use the Overdrive bits in the drill press to mortice chair/stool. These bits do not have a screw, and do not, therefore, pull the workpiece off the table.

http://www.woodowl.com/PROD_overdrive.htm

I get mine from a UK company. A Google reveals that they are available from Taylor Tools in the USA:

https://taytools.com/collections/brands-woodowl

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Multiple flute auger bits - question for Derek

John Aniano in central NJ

Thank you Derek,

Could you comment on whether you think these would also be good to drill the few 3/4” diameter holdfast holes in the top? Isn’t this what you used these augers for in one of your WC descriptions? If so, could you refresh my memory as to if and why you used a pilot bit?

Will I be able to drive and control these augers with a heavy duty 1/2” Dewalt power drill? Or will I need to use a bit brace, especially for the larger 1” holes I’m planning?

Sorry to ask these questions but my attempts at searching the WC site to find your older posts about these augers has been frustrating to say the least…

John

Re: Multiple flute auger bits - question for Derek

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Could you comment on whether you think these would also be good to drill the few 3/4” diameter holdfast holes in the top? Isn’t this what you used these augers for in one of your WC descriptions? If so, could you refresh my memory as to if and why you used a pilot bit?

Will I be able to drive and control these augers with a heavy duty 1/2” Dewalt power drill? Or will I need to use a bit brace, especially for the larger 1” holes I’m planning?

Sorry to ask these questions but my attempts at searching the WC site to find your older posts about these augers has been frustrating to say the least…

John, I drilled the bench using a 3/4" Jennings bit in a 12" MF brace (similar to a Spofford) ...

These are the Woodowl bits ...

... used in a Bell Systems brace ...

or drillpress ...

When drilling into hard hardwood, I discovered that the lead screw type (coarse or fine) becomes of minor importance if a pilot hole is drilled. This does most of the work that the lead screw would do (drilling) and allows the lead screw to do its most important job (pulling the cutting edges into the wood) ...

.. followed by ..

I am not a fan of using a cordless or power hand drill with larger auger bits. The lead screws will pull the bit in at a rapid rate of knots, and also twist your arm off! A drill press is worse as the work piece will attempt to climb up the bit. Hence the need for augers without lead screws.

For drilling into a bench top, I also prefer the brace for the larger bits (with screws) as it has a lot of torque combined with much control. It is so much easier with a pilot hole!

I came by the screw-less augers more recently (a couple of years ago). I have only used them in a drill press to date. The drill press provides a lot of control/accuracy. In theory, they should be good for a cordless drill, but I have no experience here.

A 12v cordless should be fine. I still have and use a 25 year old 12v Panasonic. Much of the time I use a 10.8v Festool. The Festool drill in the photo is an 18v powerhouse.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Multiple flute auger bits - question for Derek

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Why are you thinking this task is demanding of the drill bit? Maybe it is more so than I see?

In the course of building bridges this summer we drilled hundreds of 3/8 to 1" holes up to 16" deep in timbers and ties using whatever blue bits are sold at Lowes. When I drilled holes in my maple bench I used whatever I had on hand for a 3/4" screw lead wood bit, powered by a corded drill. I've drilled dozens of 1/2" holes in dry locust fence posts with a battery powered drill and screw lead bit that was readily available locally.

Unless you know it will fail for some reason go to Lowes, buy a blue colored bit and try it.

Re: Multiple flute auger bits - question for Derek

John Aniano in central NJ

Hello Bill,

Yes, I contemplated that sort of option first - I already have twist auger bits of the size I need. But, having tried using the auger with bit brace in samples of the ash pieces, I was unable to muscle my way through and the hole hadn’t a clean edge. My aim is to dowel these bench top pieces more or less accurately, so the first hole has to be clean and perpendicular so it can then be used to mark the location of the second hole using a transfer plug.

If I could easily bring the pieces to my drill press, this would be a no-brainer. They are simply too heavy. ~9” wide x 3-3/4” thick x 10 foot long ash planks weigh a lot.

John

Re: Multiple flute auger bits - question for Derek

Mike In Los Angeles

For alignments sake, is it worth making a wooden fixture on the drill press that would keep an auger true? Something to work like a stanley 59 but just a one size one distance from the edge kinda thing?

Maybe that’s too complicated, not sure if I’m picturing it rightly.

I'm confused

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Your stated options are drill press-not practical- and bit and brace- well I could go on and on why this option is difficult to employ.

What happed to the 3rd option- Electrc drill driving a spur point or brad point 3/4" bit? It is how I drilled holes in my maple bench and my son in law's oak bench, and countless other holes in hardwood.

Re: I'm confused

John Aniano in central NJ

Hello Bill,

Sorry for the confusion! This weekend, a friend will be lending me a WoodOwl bit to try. He used it to drill the holdfast holes in his white oak bench top so I’m sure it will work for my purposes.

John

Re: I'm confused

Charlie

Premium drill bits, premium chisels, premium hand plane, etc.

Premium tools are a constant on woodworking forums. And if you're about to drill holes in a big, expensive workbench component it's not a bad idea to at least use a very good bit and not a house brand from a big box store.

Wood Owl also sell an adapter so their auger bits can be used in a hand brace.

How I drilled mine

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

With the drill press I drilled a hole through a 2" piece of hardwood. I clamped this guide into the position where the bench hole was to be drilled and with the same clamp added a sacrifice piece of wood where the hole would exit.

The guide kept the hand drilled hole perpendicular to the bench and the piece underneath kept the exit from splintering as the drill exited.

It took a lot of torque to drive this large hole in my bench, 3" deep. I used a 1/2" electric drill with the auxiliary handle to help resist the rotation of the drill.

At first I only added a few holes. As time when on I saw the need for more holes. As you use the bench you will come to know where they are needed for what you do.

Re: Multiple flute auger bits - question for Derek

Steve D, CT

Hi John, this is a bit that I saw recommended years ago and I have been happy with them. As you can see they’re intended for use with a cordless drill. Attached is a pic of a hole in construction lumber.

question on brace driven drills

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I could not drive one of my 1" screw spur drills through seasoned hardwood with a brace. The problem is the chip is too thick for the force available to shear it. It is possible the lead screw that determines chip thickness differs for hardwood vs softwood? I have no doubt the drill bits I have were expected to be used in pine, not maple.

Please read my comment about lead screws

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

The purpose of the lead screw is to pull the cutting edges into the wood. The cutting edges do need to be sharp otherwise, as with any dull blade, they will not cut.

Over the years I read comments about the lead screw types - fine to be used for hard wood and coarse for soft wood. However, you can throw this rule out the window if you drill a pilot hole.

The pilot hole must not be wider than the screw. The screw still needs to bite and pull the bit into the wood. But removing most of the waste means that most of the effort is removed. Drilling hardwood with a brace becomes light work.

Regards from Perth

Derek

That is counterintuitive

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I figured the resistance was from cutting the hole not driving the lead screw into the wood. Will be testing this theory in the AM with a 1" bit into oak or maple.

Re: That is counterintuitive

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Hey, what can I say, Bill ... I'm outside the box!

Looking forward to your report.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: That is counterintuitive

Charlie

Have a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=wood+owl+bits

How'd the test go?