# Drill bit angle



## Marc Phillips (Apr 4, 2008)

What works best for drilling pen blanks?


----------



## RussFairfield (Apr 4, 2008)

You should add the "bullet point" drills.


----------



## Marc Phillips (Apr 4, 2008)

> _Originally posted by RussFairfield_
> 
> You should add the "bullet point" drills.



Hadn't tried them... are they your weapon of choice?


----------



## n7blw (Apr 5, 2008)

I prefer the bullet points, then the brad points, then the 135/split points, in that order. The Dewalt bullet point bits are often hard to find in local stores.


----------



## Daniel (Apr 5, 2008)

It really depends on what I am drilling. for wood I will reach for a brad point first by default. the brad point was made to drill clean edged holes in wood without wondering. it has some exit issue, Which are not always as easy to avoid as they are with the traditional drill bit.
I use 118 degree bits for acrylic or very hard woods.
I have and use several other style bits for other pourposes that do not fall into the Pen Blank specified in your survey.
I woudl love to see a set of bits designed for pen turners that includes all the bit sizes needed for all kits, has flutes like those of an Auger bit for better chip clearing. and can be sharpened with commonly available tools for sharpening bits such as the drill doctor or one of those bit sharpening jigs yo mount next to a grinding wheel.


----------



## bitshird (Apr 11, 2008)

118 degree, Bradpoints tend to split on exit for me, [}][8][}][8]


----------



## palmermethod (Apr 17, 2008)

For drilling acrylic without bottom end tear out a very high angle is recommended. Forget the exact but around 150 degrees or so? 

That's what the acrylic suppliers use to minimize material melting and produce clean holes. Never tried them.


----------



## rherrell (Apr 17, 2008)

Masonary bits work GREAT on plastic. I use them at work on plexiglass all the time. The only problem is I don't believe they make them in all the oddball sizes we need around here.


----------



## randyrls (Apr 18, 2008)

> _Originally posted by rherrell_
> 
> Masonary bits work GREAT on plastic. I use them at work on plexiglass all the time. The only problem is I don't believe they make them in all the oddball sizes we need around here.



I use one of those standard 115 bit sets.  I sharpen with a Drill Doctor to 135 degree split point.  Please, no flames    some people don't like the DD, but it works for me.  I get two strings of chips from the bit. 

I also cut blanks long, drill from center out, drill to depth (short) and cut to exact length.


----------

