# feed hole size



## glycerine (Jan 5, 2012)

For those of you using the 5mm Bocks in your pens, what size drill bit do you use on the section for the feed housing to fit into.  Not the threaded portion, but the rest of the housing body...?


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## OKLAHOMAN (Jan 5, 2012)

This is what Justin Short (Timebandit) uses :

For the threads for the #6 use a Letter L drill bit and for the #5  use a #2 drill bit. For the housingsi use a Letter P for the #6 and a Letter L for the #5


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## glycerine (Jan 5, 2012)

OKLAHOMAN said:


> This is what Justin Short (Timebandit) uses :
> 
> For the threads for the #6 use a Letter L drill bit and for the #5 i use a #2 drill bit. For the housingsi use a Letter P for the #6 and a Letter L for the #5


 
Thanks Roy!!


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## PTownSubbie (Jan 5, 2012)

6.8mm bit .96" deep.
7.2mm bit 0.1" deep.

I have a metric set that has bits for every 0.1mm so I can get fairly accurate....Pricey though......


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## Timebandit (Jan 5, 2012)

glycerine said:


> For those of you using the 5mm Bocks in your pens, what size drill bit do you use on the section for the feed housing to fit into.  Not the threaded portion, but the rest of the housing body...?



I use what Roy stated above:wink:



PTownSubbie said:


> 6.8mm bit .96" deep.
> 7.2mm bit 0.1" deep.
> 
> I have a metric set that has bits for every 0.1mm so I can get fairly accurate....Pricey though......



Fred, i think you may have misread the question. He wants the size drill bit for the housing not the threads. From what you stated, a 7.2mm drill is smaller than the size bit needed for the tap for the #6 bock feed(7.3mm) i use an L, so this in theory couldnt work, as the housing is larger than the threaded portion. Plus you would be drilling way to deep if you were only drilling the depth of the housing, not the threads


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## PTownSubbie (Jan 6, 2012)

Timebandit said:


> glycerine said:
> 
> 
> > For those of you using the 5mm Bocks in your pens, what size drill bit do you use on the section for the feed housing to fit into. Not the threaded portion, but the rest of the housing body...?
> ...


 
I didn't include anything for the #6 bock. Those are the dimensions needed for the 3 different diameters on the #5 bock feed. The 7.2mm is the very small outer ring on the feed.

The feed housing has 3 different diamters. The threads (5.8mm bit needed). Then there are two diameters leading to the threads....6.8mm and 7.2mm.

Maybe I misunderstood or I am not understanding the question but when you make the front section, you have 3 different bits you have to use if you drill the stepped hole to match the actual feed housing.


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## glycerine (Jan 6, 2012)

PTownSubbie said:


> Timebandit said:
> 
> 
> > glycerine said:
> ...


 
Ok, I see.  Thanks!


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## Timebandit (Jan 10, 2012)

PTownSubbie said:


> Timebandit said:
> 
> 
> > glycerine said:
> ...



Gotcha...i wasnt looking at the #5 he was asking about. I only use two bits. For the little lip at the end i just use my Woodchuck Penpro and chamfer the front edge just barely so that it will sit flush. Easier than trying to remove .1" of material with the bit...and i only need 2 bits rather than 3.


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## firewhatfire (Jan 10, 2012)

This info I need thanks also.  Thanks


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## Andrew_K99 (May 25, 2012)

*Kitless homework ...*

I don't like bumping old threads but can the feed housing hole size be clarified further? The current answers seem to be contradicting.

For the #5 Bock feed housing clearance hole Justin uses a letter L bit which is 7.366 mm; Fred uses 6.8 (7.2 for the upper ring). Which is it? These are nowhere close.

Also, Justin uses a #2 drill bit (which is 5.613mm) for the threads on the #5 feed ... the tap is a M6.4x.6. Based on the rule of thumb the bit should be a 5.8mm (6.4 - 0.6). Isn't a #2 too small?

Thanks!


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## LL Woodworks (May 25, 2012)

Thanks Andrew I caught that as well - But Justin makes wonerful pens.  Justin - is there a reason you went smaller that the "rule of thumb"? like Andrew stated?
Thanks for the clarrification.


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## InvisibleMan (May 25, 2012)

Andrew_K99 said:


> I don't like bumping old threads but can the feed housing hole size be clarified further? The current answers seem to be contradicting.
> 
> For the #5 Bock feed housing clearance hole Justin uses a letter L bit which is 7.366 mm; Fred uses 6.8 (7.2 for the upper ring). Which is it? These are nowhere close.
> 
> ...



I'll double check later, but I'm pretty sure I use a 5.8mm drill for the threads and a 7.3mm drill for the housing body.


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## glycerine (May 25, 2012)

Andrew_K99 said:


> I don't like bumping old threads but can the feed housing hole size be clarified further? The current answers seem to be contradicting.
> 
> For the #5 Bock feed housing clearance hole Justin uses a letter L bit which is 7.366 mm; Fred uses 6.8 (7.2 for the upper ring). Which is it? These are nowhere close.
> 
> ...


 
I've made a few sections for practice since this was posted and I got my taps, dies and drill bits.  I'll double check tonight, but I believe I use a 5.8 for the threads, then 6.8 and 7.2 just as Fred uses...


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## InvisibleMan (May 25, 2012)

By the way, a 6.8 probably makes sense as most of the housing body is slimmer than the top ring.  But, I've found simply drilling the whole hole large enough to fit the upper ring works just fine.  YMMV and all that stuff.


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## Timebandit (May 25, 2012)

Andrew_K99 said:


> I don't like bumping old threads but can the feed housing hole size be clarified further? The current answers seem to be contradicting.
> 
> For the #5 Bock feed housing clearance hole Justin uses a letter L bit which is 7.366 mm; Fred uses 6.8 (7.2 for the upper ring). Which is it? These are nowhere close.
> 
> ...



There is no right or wrong. Only what works. These are rules of thumb, not rules set in stone. For the #5 Bock feed clearance, i use the L because i feel the step in the feed housing is so small i only drill for the larger size step. The i chamfer the front to fit the front lip on the feed housing so it sits flush. Saves from using 3 bits. Only 2. I just dont feel that buying these special size bits is what i need. Again these are rules of thumb.

For the #5 Bock threads, i used the #2 because it was the closet thing i had at the time, couldnt find my letter A bit, but have since found it and switched to it. But the #2 will work. And again i dont feel buying he special size bits is needed.

These are just simple, get you started guidelines. There are no rules. Thats the beauty of it. No one to tell you what you are supposed to do and how to do it. These work for me. Freds work for him. Georges works for him. Just find what works for you and have fun:wink:



LL Woodworks said:


> Thanks Andrew I caught that as well - But Justin makes wonerful pens.  Justin - is there a reason you went smaller that the "rule of thumb"? like Andrew stated?
> Thanks for the clarrification.



See above:biggrin:



InvisibleMan said:


> By the way, a 6.8 probably makes sense as most of the housing body is slimmer than the top ring.  But, I've found simply drilling the whole hole large enough to fit the upper ring works just fine.  YMMV and all that stuff.



Thats what i do for the #5, for the #6 i use 3 bits because the steps are larger, and the feeds are larger, so it makes for less material in you front section. I do this to save material with the larger #6 Bock feed. 1 for the threads, 1 for the main body, 1 for the larger step, and then i chamfer the front for the housing lip to sit flush.


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## Andrew_K99 (May 25, 2012)

Thanks for the information Justin!  I'm just doing my reach on what I need, it's nice to know it's not rocket science.

AK


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## MartinPens (Oct 18, 2012)

I hate to beat this dead horse any further.... but....

I'm clear on the #5 Bock feed, but still not clear about the #6 Bock feed.

Most of my bits are "lettered" bits.
What two or three bits do I need for the #6 Bock feed?

(sorry horse!)


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