Natomas Follies

VSB - very slow build

Friday, July 13, 2012

Drill Bits Revisted

Recall my post on trying to use a 1/8" drill bit instead of a #30, and how that doesn't work because the rivets won't fit?  Well this post revisits the issue.  You see the plans call for match-drilling eight holes using a #12 bit through reinforcement parts called spar caps, which don't look like "caps" at all.  I don't have a #12, but I do have a 3/16ths bit.  A #12 is 0.1890 inches, and a 3/16ths is 0.1875 inches, which of course is 1.5 thousandths of an inch smaller.  I can order a #12 online of course, but shipping costs as much as the bit and takes a week, and I hate buying stuff if I already have a reasonably suitable replacement (??).  These holes will be used for small bolts, not rivets, and once the hole is deburred with the swivel-deburring tool the bolts fit just fine with the 3/16ths bit hole.  So I'm going to see if I can get away with using the 3/16ths.  If I'm wrong I'll 'fess up later, splurge on the #12 bit (and some other sizes that I'll be needing down the road) and re-drill the holes.

1 comment:

  1. Do you have a Harbor Freight near by? They will have a Big Box O' Bits that will include some of the lesser used "odd" sizes like #12 and #19. For the #40 and #30 you will want to buy about five of each from someplace like Aircraft Spruce.

    ReplyDelete