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[ATM] shop tip update
For the intrepid atm'er who makes sky buckets out of wood,here's a tip.
Some time ago I got some mail asking how to layout screw holes in wood that
had some real difficult grain.My answer was the use of a nail set that had
a cupped point.By capturing the grain while spotting a screw site,the cup
point will always go where you want it.While making a slip case for my
S&T's,(I use birch underlayment),I needed to trim the edges of the 1/4"
ply.So I made up some reeding out of doug fir. I used a .050 drill and
marked out the hole locations with my trusty nail set.Even though the holes
were to be drilled on a very high radius,I had no trouble in layout or
drilling.I never go all the way through.I leave the last 1/16" for a
friction drive.And since it was a decorative work,I used brass pins.It
worked perfectly. No splits,no problem.
Now for some hide and seek. Say you want to put a bolt somewhere but
lack the wish for it to show.Solution: Take a piece of round stock and turn
an arch punch.Normally you drill and c'bore for the head of the bolt.Most
of us end up using 2 or more bits to get it right.And the work-piece must
stay on location during all of this.By making a punch with a pilot that can
be changed out,you can do the job without a drill press.Just turn an edge
on the inside of your punch.The pilot keeps it on location while you give
the punch a couple of good ones.Then take it out and use chisels to clean
out the waste.It takes a few minutes of tap and clean,but it costs nothing
to do and it has 1 other advantage.That being the same punch will also act
as a veneer punch.With some hardwood underneath tap out a plug of veneer
that will fit perfectly into your c'bore,covering the bolt.And if you can
get some hex stock,you can do the same work,die-sinking,(as it were) bolt
heads into a piece of wood.Use a more acute angle on the punch wall since
there will be more meat at the hex corners.It should make a fair
plug-cutter of veneer as well.
regards,Ron
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