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drilling in softbrick - some of the logic of methods...

updated wed 6 aug 03

 

pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on mon 4 aug 03


Hi Dale,


My understandings as to your question...is that...


Some of this depends on the diameter of the hole one wishes
to drill.

Certainly a 'Twist Drill' even if dull will work fine, and
even so, it may be nice to support the area of the brick
where the drill shall emerge so it does not chip out badly.
And not to push hard in the drilling operation...

Few people have 'Twist Drills' above say a half-inch in
diameter or whose shanks would then allow use in the kind-of
hand held Electric
Drill they may have, so, for a Hole's diameter above that,
one may use Hole Saws of whatever diameter
as have to them 1/4 or 3/8ths or 1/2 inch shanks...

One may use or adapt bits of 'Pipe' similarly, fileing some
simple 'teeth' into them even, and fitting to them some way
to have a
narrower shank for the Drill's Chuck to grasp...making in
effect a 'Hole Saw'...

'Spade-Bits' will tend to both wander and to blow out chunks
through the back of the bricks unless used with a very
steady hand and into a wood backer.

Slow R.P.M. is best...and easy on the pressure...



Best wishes,

Phil
Las Vegas



----- Original Message -----
From: "dalecochoy"



> I can't understand what the problem is with simply using a
drill and drill
> bit, or heck, even using the bit by hand brick is so soft.
Why all the
> comments about using pipes, etc. I'd think the drill bit
would leave the
> nicest hole.Am I missing something. I'd assume you still
need to vacuum out
> after anything you use.
> Also, as an alternative method to those mentioned, I've
thought of taking
> two unused peep plugs and cutting off the ends, grinding
smooth and using a
> high temp cement ( or even 3,000 degree caulk from chimney
stack
> construction) to cement the ceramic sleeve into the peep
plug. Seems this
> would solve lots of probs?
> Regards,
> Dale Cochoy

dalecochoy on tue 5 aug 03


Phil and all,
OK, you could be right about your average guy not having larger bits with a
smaller shank for your average drill chuck. However, they could still be
used by hand holding. The questions asked/answered were about the 1/2"
diameter ceramic protection tubes for thermocouples, not a huge hole?.

As for using "spade bits" or hole saws, a small pilot hole clear through the
brick allows you to start from both sides, thus, eliminating the chunk out
pieces as drill exits the back side of the brick. Seems to me that drills
are the way to go. I haven't had to do this , but, I'd think your average
hole saw or auger bit could easily cut a nice hole in the stainless cover
with a slow medium pressure applied, if you want to start a new hole through
the skin instead of using a peep hole or the ones pre-punched in the skin
by the factory.
I still can't understand all the pipe drilling/tool making", but maybe I
need more experience drilling holes :>)
Aside from all this, has anyone tried my idea of mounting the ceramic tube
into a sawed off peep plug and just pushing it in where you want the
thermocouple. All it requires are a couple extra peep hole plugs to be cut
off on end and "cementing" in the ceramic tube with some high temp "cement"
caulk, patch, etc.
Regards,
Dale Cochoy, Wild Things Bonsai Studio, Hartville, Ohio
DaleCochoy@Prodigy.Net http://www.WildThingsBonsai.Com
Specializing in power wood carving tools.
Yakimono no Kokoro bonsai pottery of hand-built stoneware

----- Original Message -----
From:
Subject: Re: drilling in softbrick - some of the logic of methods...
> Some of this depends on the diameter of the hole one wishes
> to drill.
>
> Certainly a 'Twist Drill' even if dull will work fine, and
> even so, it may be nice to support the area of the brick
> where the drill shall emerge so it does not chip out badly.
> And not to push hard in the drilling operation...
>
> Few people have 'Twist Drills' above say a half-inch in
> diameter or whose shanks would then allow use in the kind-of
> hand held Electric
> Drill they may have, so, for a Hole's diameter above that,
> one may use Hole Saws of whatever diameter
> as have to them 1/4 or 3/8ths or 1/2 inch shanks...
>
> One may use or adapt bits of 'Pipe' similarly, fileing some
> simple 'teeth' into them even, and fitting to them some way
> to have a
> narrower shank for the Drill's Chuck to grasp...making in
> effect a 'Hole Saw'...
>
> 'Spade-Bits' will tend to both wander and to blow out chunks
> through the back of the bricks unless used with a very
> steady hand and into a wood backer.
>
> Slow R.P.M. is best...and easy on the pressure...
> Best wishes,
> Phil
> Las Vegas
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "dalecochoy"
>
>
>
> > I can't understand what the problem is with simply using a
> drill and drill
> > bit, or heck, even using the bit by hand brick is so soft.
> Why all the
> > comments about using pipes, etc. I'd think the drill bit
> would leave the
> > nicest hole.Am I missing something. I'd assume you still
> need to vacuum out
> > after anything you use.
> > Also, as an alternative method to those mentioned, I've
> thought of taking
> > two unused peep plugs and cutting off the ends, grinding
> smooth and using a
> > high temp cement ( or even 3,000 degree caulk from chimney
> stack
> > construction) to cement the ceramic sleeve into the peep
> plug. Seems this
> > would solve lots of probs?
> > Regards,
> > Dale Cochoy
>
>
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pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on tue 5 aug 03


Hi Dale,


I did not know what diameter holes had prompted the
discussion...so I was addresing it generally...

Certaily a small pilot hole all the way through would likely
help guide a Spade Bit, but only somewhat in Soft Brick I'd
think, especially in a hi-rpm Electric Drill...or a pilot
hole all the way through would allow an address from both
sides with a Hole Saw. I am used to having 'extentions' as
let me drill deep, but the two-side approach is good if it
will allow the center to be reached. One tends to do this
with Hole Saws in Boreing Doors for their Lock Sets. One
sometimes needs to drill holes merely through one 'flat'
side, as for Kiln Bottoms where the Burners shall go...and I
was not thinking merely of "1/2 thermocouples"...

One may drill Soft Brick by twisting the drill bit by
hand...sure...you could do that, good idea...

Auger Bits are for Wood and will not do well if applied to
Stainless...nor would they tend to work very well in Soft
Brick, compared say to a Twist Drill ( what one tends to use
for drilling Metals)

The 'pipe' thing Mel mentioned then was for 1/2 inch
holes...if you have an electric Drill with a Chuck of 1/2
inch Capacity or more, you just chuck the piece of 'Pipe'
and go for it...maybe file some little 'teeth' into the rim
of the end of it.

For larger holes a piece of pipe of any diameter may have
some cross piece brazed or welded across one end. One drills
a hole in that cross piece, fits a lug of some sort for a
shank by welding it or brazeing or merely by useing a nut
and longer bolt...files some 'teeth'...and you have a
Hole-Saw as is fine for Soft Brick...


Happy Drilling!


Regards,

Phil
Las Vegas


----- Original Message -----
From: "dalecochoy"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 7:55 AM
Subject: Re: drilling in softbrick - some of the logic of
methods...


> Phil and all,
> OK, you could be right about your average guy not having
larger bits with a
> smaller shank for your average drill chuck. However, they
could still be
> used by hand holding. The questions asked/answered were
about the 1/2"
> diameter ceramic protection tubes for thermocouples, not a
huge hole?.
>
> As for using "spade bits" or hole saws, a small pilot hole
clear through the
> brick allows you to start from both sides, thus,
eliminating the chunk out
> pieces as drill exits the back side of the brick. Seems to
me that drills
> are the way to go. I haven't had to do this , but, I'd
think your average
> hole saw or auger bit could easily cut a nice hole in the
stainless cover
> with a slow medium pressure applied, if you want to start
a new hole through
> the skin instead of using a peep hole or the ones
pre-punched in the skin
> by the factory.
> I still can't understand all the pipe drilling/tool
making", but maybe I
> need more experience drilling holes :>)
> Aside from all this, has anyone tried my idea of mounting
the ceramic tube
> into a sawed off peep plug and just pushing it in where
you want the
> thermocouple. All it requires are a couple extra peep hole
plugs to be cut
> off on end and "cementing" in the ceramic tube with some
high temp "cement"
> caulk, patch, etc.
> Regards,
> Dale Cochoy, Wild Things Bonsai Studio, Hartville, Ohio