# Broken off bit



## tiggyboo (Oct 16, 2010)

While drilling a pilot hole for fastening the loop section of a bar latch on a door the bit broke off, probably 1/8" deep in the hole. Do I have any options other than moving the whole assembly, filling the holes and trying again?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

tiggyboo said:


> While drilling a pilot hole for fastening the loop section of a bar latch on a door the bit broke off, probably 1/8" deep in the hole. Do I have any options other than moving the whole assembly, filling the holes and trying again?



*WELCOME TO THE FORUM*

Remove the broken off bit. If you had to dig out to grab it, drill a slightly oversized hole for a dowel and glue in. Then drill a new pilot a hole. If the area is a natural finish, and any repair might show other than a small circular fill...move the assembly.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Use a plug cutter*

Like this: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10614








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Centered on the drill and it will remove the material around the drill, enough to be able to grasp it with a vise grips or needlenose pliers. You can then creat a plug of straight grain material, glue it in and have virtually invisible repair. :smile: bill


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> Like this: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10614
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If you use this plug cutter this to take out the broken bit . The hole will be the same size as the bit. These are for cutting out plug's as you know. I don't know what size plug it would take to fill up the bigger hole. I never measured it. I only use them for plug cutting. I guess you could get some of the orignal wood and turn it round to fit the bigger hole.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

cabinetman said:


> *WELCOME TO THE FORUM*
> 
> _"Remove the broken off bit. If you had to dig out to grab it, drill a slightly oversized hole for a dowel and glue in. Then drill a new pilot a hole. If the area is a natural finish, and any repair might show other than a small circular fill...move the assembly."_
> 
> Maybe come in from the back side?


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## tiggyboo (Oct 16, 2010)

Thanks guys - the plug cutter seems like a great idea. Just ordered one!
Al


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## tendres (Feb 15, 2010)

Hey great idea. I have plug cutters never thought of using them that way. This always kills me a simple fix and I would have never thought of it. Thank you , great question tiggyboo :wallbash:


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

Time out guys - plug cutter is going to leave a significantly larger hole needing a larger plug cutter to make the repair plug. I would dig the bit out any way I could, use a forstner to clean up the mess and then use a plug cutter the same size as the forsner to make the repair material.


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## deewaltguy (Nov 10, 2010)

Gene Howe said:


> cabinetman said:
> 
> 
> > *WELCOME TO THE FORUM*
> ...


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## MastersHand (Nov 28, 2010)

tiggyboo said:


> While drilling a pilot hole for fastening the loop section of a bar latch on a door the bit broke off, probably 1/8" deep in the hole. Do I have any options other than moving the whole assembly, filling the holes and trying again?


Use an easy out. It works like a miniature tap and die you can get at most hardware stores


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

There is a product intended to solve this problem. Basically it is a stainless steel tube with teeth cut into each end. You use a drill to with the tube to cut around the broken screw. The screw usually comes out inside the stainless tube. Then you glue a dowel into the hole that was just drilled. 
The* HUGE* advantage to this method is that the OD of the tube is 1/4". Dowels are available to match most woods also in 1/4" diameter. This device works very well for removing broken screws. There is no reason why this couldn't be used to extract broken drill bits also.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2354&filter=screw%20extractor

They have come down in price since I bought mine.


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