# And I Thought Drilling a Tapered Hole Would Be Easy...



## SlapHappy Drums (Jan 9, 2013)

I'm trying to throw together a display stand for one of my friends and I need to drill some tapered holes, simple right?
Not so much.

I imagined that a tapered Forstner bit would be kinda expensive, but also readily available, again not so much.

I figured that worst case I could buy a plunge router bit and try to match the RPMs on my Drill Press, but all the bits that were even close were meant to cut from the side and not to plunge, and they all had a wheel.
I even stumped two of the guys at Woodcraft.

Right now I'm waiting for a call back from a local Carbide Machinist shop, but I'm guessing they will be too expensive.


Surely I'm coming at this wrong.

I need to make ton of tapered holes in wood, the holes need to be in two sizes.
The bigger: 25mm deep and 18.5mm tapered to 16.5mm
The other: 21mm deep and 14.5mm tapered to 12.5mm 

I figure I can probably get away with a little wiggle room, but those are my ideal dimensions.

Do I really need a custom bit?

Isn't there some kind of tapered bit that I can just plunge to the right depth?

Thanks.


----------



## gomez11811 (Jul 29, 2012)

The tuning pegs on my bass are tapered, and I (by hand, proby` just with a file) tapered this spade bit. It was long enough ago I`m not sure if I pre-drilled, or anything else about how I did it, but if I did it it couldn`t be THAT hard... hopefully someone will be more helpfull....


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Don't use that*

If you are drilling a new hole that may work but not for tapering an existing hole. It will not self center if used in an existing hole and will wobble all over. A tapered reamer used in plumbing may work can be used to taper a drilled hole: 
Made by General Tools: http://www.generaltools.com/130--T-HANDLE-REAMER_p_149.html

or this: T & E 8911 Extra Large Tapered Reamer - Amazon.com

or this:





I have an upright bass also and it's got the metal turners, not tapered pegs. I love the sound and if you can amplify it with a good pickup it's too mellow. :thumbsup:


----------



## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

We've always just taken a spade bit and ground it to match the tapers we wanted. Not too hard to do if you pay attention to the existing rake on the cutting edge and match it.


----------



## DonG1947 (Nov 14, 2012)

I have also just ground down the sides of spade bits. But I also seem to remember that they make a tapered bit for holes that are going to hold candles. Try some of the "crafty" kinds of tool suppliers. If there is a pre existing straight hole, plug the straight hole and re drill with the tapered bit. Eliminates the centering/wobbling problem.

Don


----------



## Cliff (Feb 5, 2012)

have you looked at these sorts of tapered cutters?
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CMrV5OjsorYCFY6e4AodRV4AAA

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Grip-2-Piece-Tapered-Reamer-Set-22190/15127902?ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=15127902&sourceid=1500000000000003260430&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0={matchtype}&wl1={network}&wl2={ifmobile:m}&wl3=21486607510&wl4={aceid}&wl5=pla&veh=sem

http://www.gfii.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2012-Chicago-Latrobe-Catalog.pdf

http://www.gfii.com

Odds are unless you are looking to a very common taper you won't find one commercially available. You can make your own tapered reamer on the wood lathe using any hard wood and insert a length of hardened steel in a spiral slot in the thing like a hack saw blade with the teeth ground off. 

Most drills with tapers are made for tapered dowel pins. 

and candle stick drills
http://www.mikestools.com/Candlestick-Drill-Bits_2094.aspx


----------



## SlapHappy Drums (Jan 9, 2013)

Thanks for all the leads, I'm effectively bolstered.

The Speedway Reamer bits look about perfect, but damn spendy too.

The candlestick bits also look very promising if I can find 2 in the right sizes.

Based on price and availability I may have to modify a spade bit and see if I can't make a few displays and sell them for enough to justify the expensive bits.

My local carbide shop found a few double fluted carbide bits they can order then modify @ $65.00 and $80.00.


----------



## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

LeeValley has taper reamers used with a brace to ream out holes to match their 12.8-degree tapered tenon cutters.


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I'd go with one of three options:

1) The tapered reamer. That's the tool that's intended to do this, and custom making one the size you need wouldn't be that bad. You need a frame (carve a wooden peg, for instance) that narrows by either 2 in 21 or 2 in 25 mm. Cut it most of the way lengthwise. Put a piece of steel cut slightly larger and at the same taper in... that's what this guy did.

2) A drill bit and a rat-tail file. You're only looking to take off a mil... it's not going to take long.

3) buy a router or dremel, start the hole with a drill, and then use a tapered bit and a template to rout out the space as necessary.


----------



## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

This is a good mental challenge.... there ought to be a way to rig/jig a router so it would wobble a straight bit to make a tapered hole.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*just tilt the base*



4DThinker said:


> This is a good mental challenge.... there ought to be a way to rig/jig a router so it would wobble a straight bit to make a tapered hole.


 Use a tilted base set to the desired angle and run the entire unit in side a template, keeping the same reference point in contact with the template as you circle it around. That reference point should be the further most contact at the thinnest part of the tilted base.

I don't think "wobbling a bit" is within the technical capabilities of most of us.... not me for sure. :no:


----------



## SlapHappy Drums (Jan 9, 2013)

If it was just one or two I could justify a multiple passes, hand shaping, or jigged up scenario, but I need to drill a bunch of holes.

As much as I'd like a reamer or candlestick bit, the former is too expensive and the latter is proving hard to find.

As soon as I get off the internet I'm gonna go try my hand at shaping a spade bit.


----------



## SlapHappy Drums (Jan 9, 2013)

The spade bit seems to work well, I could do without the extra point at the tip, but am hesitant to grind it down as far as the spade bit in the picture with the bass.

All in all it's been kinda fun to modify the spade bit. I went with my bench grinder and finished with a hand file.

I'm off to check w/ my buddy at his shop to see if it'll suit him, if so I've got the larger bit to fabricate.


----------



## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

>>>> A tapered reamer used in plumbing may work can be used to taper a drilled hole

Be real careful trying to use any of these reamers in a power tool. They are super "grabby" and will flip you across the room when they catch. They are intended for hand use on wood and metals.


----------



## SlapHappy Drums (Jan 9, 2013)

Fabricating specialized spade bits is really fun.


----------



## Cliff (Feb 5, 2012)

This guy 
*Wharton Valley Chairworks
Fred Emhof* *5884 State Highway 51
Burlington Flats, NY 13315
Phone: (607) 965-8420*
will make you a chair maker's reamer that looks like this:








Here is a short tut on the tapered reamer that I suggested you might make from wood yourself
http://chairnotes.blogspot.com/2009/02/making-tapered-reamer-to-suit-your.html

These people sell them for $60
*http://www.handtoolwoodworking.com/tools.html*


----------

