Introduction: Wood Drill Bits Made of a Spoke
This step by step Instructable shows you how to make with your bare hands from a bicycle spoke a multi bit wood drill.
The video is shown here:
Step 1: Tools and Materials
As tools you need a hammer, a whetstone and/or a file, a knife or scissers and a chisel. You can use a hammer as anvil. Any hammer is OK. Instead of a sharpening stone, you can grind the spoke on the cement floor or on a stone from the river. As materials you need a bicycle spoke and a strip of rubber from a car inner tyre.
Step 2: Make the Bicycle Spoke Ready
Cut a spoke from a broken bicycle wheel; see photo 1. Cut with a chisel and hammer on a big piece of metal. Cut off the hook at the other end of the spoke: see photo 2. Find something that works as an anvil to support the spoke during cutting.
Bend double, try to make a bent like shown in photo 3. A spoke is not easy to bend, use all of your strength. Bind the rubber strip around the loop; see photo 4. Now bend out both ends; see photo 5.
Step 3: Bending
Now we have to bend the two ends in 3 turns together. To do so, insert a long nail through the loop; see photo 1. Take both ends in one hand and the nail in the other and turn. One end has to be bend as we see on photo 2 and 3. After taking the rubber strip off you see the drill ready for hammering. Watch the flat shape if the drill in photo 4.
Step 4: Hammering
The 3 drill bits have to be hammered to become flat and square. This makes that we can file sharp edges as we see in the next step. The straight piercer drill should be beaten square. Watch the video to see how that is done.
Step 5: Sharpening
The 3 drill bits have to get sharpened to become, like a fabric drill bit, sharp edges; see close up photo's. Watch the video to see how sharpening is done.
Step 6: Comfort and Conclusion
In order to increase the grip on the drill we stretch a rubber band around the center. That makes it more comfortable to hold the drill. The multi bit wood drill is now ready for use. First we drill a small hole with the piercer drill by wiggling the drill bit in a left/right move. Next we pre-drill the hole and finish with the loop drill. The last drill bit can be made on size by making the loop smaller or wider in diameter.
My conclusion is that people can make in half an hour a wood drill for soft wood. For the survivors under us this instructable is a joy to make. For many people in developing countries, who don't have acces to good tools, this d.i.y. drill is a godsend.
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21 Comments
8 years ago on Introduction
nyce thanks for sharing
8 years ago on Introduction
nyce thanks for sharing
8 years ago on Introduction
nyce thanks for sharing
9 years ago on Introduction
Very nice, could be useful one day in the shop!
9 years ago on Step 5
Captain Pedantic says:
"Technically, a hand driven boring tool is an awl. To be a drill it must use some sort of mechanical advantage. Just because 95% percent of the population no longer knows what an awl is, is no reason to slack off. Now, I must be a way, there are a lot of minor terminology errors out there waiting to be corrected!"
Whooooosh.
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
Hmmm ... Perhaps I am only Lieutenant Pedantic, but as a woodworker, I would call such a tool a "gimlet" -- "a small tool with a screw point, grooved shank, and cross handle for boring holes." A true Pedant would note that an awl is "a pointed tool for marking surfaces or PIERCING small holes (as in leather or wood)." (emphasis added). The ROTATIONAL action distinguishes a gimlet (or perhaps a "reamer") from the PIERCING action of an awl, and what is instructed here clearly achieves holiness via rotation.
Now, I must be "away," since there are doubtless many other minor terminology "corrections" to correct ;-)
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
Could this be called a gimreamer? haha
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
i prefer my gimlets made with gin.
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
You Sir, are made of win.
9 years ago on Introduction
I have a heavy gauge, rusty, old, bent, (not motor cycle) spoke that I've had in My "possibles box" for years knowing I would use It for something. =////=====> Voted and favorited and not with a 3-D Lazer printer thing. . Thank You. ~(:-})={
9 years ago on Introduction
They also make great needles when repairing car tires, for pulling the wick through the hole. It's a better grip than most handled tools for the task.
9 years ago on Introduction
Great ible! If we are going to be specific about our terminology this is a form of Gimlet rather than an awl.
9 years ago on Introduction
cool idea, great for the sizes you don't have a drill for!
9 years ago on Introduction
Very usefull tool!!
9 years ago on Introduction
So glad to see people continuing to share techniques not involving 3D printers and laser cutters. I guess that one just found a place in my head for the rest of my days. :)
9 years ago on Introduction
Our grandfather's and father's have a lot to teach us yet and also necessity is definetly the mother of all inventions. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
9 years ago on Introduction
Very good information and a clever idea. Thanks for sharing this.
9 years ago on Step 6
Super Clever!
9 years ago
Zo mooi! dank u wel!
9 years ago on Introduction
It's good what you did, but using hammer,chisel and a file I wouldn't call this "how to make a drill bit with your bare hands". Anyway thanks for sharing, good idea. :)