Hello all, I've been making my own acrylic checks and caps for a little while. New problem is that I need a drill bit kit that is larger than 1/2 inch. The < 1/2 kits are great with a lot of sizes, but I'm searching for such a kit above 1/2 inch dia. I would like to avoid buying individual sizes if possible.
Thanks!

TJB

Get a machinist kit that covers the letter bits and it also covers a whole slew of standard sizes as well. I'm not sure how big you need to go but they are available.

1/2" shank bits. [www.northerntool.com]

Not sure how big you need to go. Large drill bits "don't play nice" like small bits. They can be a whole different world for being grabby and doing bad things to what you're working on. Maybe buy an individual bit at a home improvement store, etc. to test how it works with your lathe, with the material you're working with, and for what you want to make with it before buying a whole set.

You might try a tapered reamer to enlarge the 1/2" opening.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

You can always bore step by step, going up in sizes rather than just biting off the whole thing in a single operation.

There are also such things as "step" drill bits, which actually work quite well in certain materials precisely because they bore the hold larger and larger in steps as you feed the bit into the material.

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levanmac@ptd.net

Thanks for the replies. Gives me a couple of ideas to try out!

TJB

Like Tom said "step bits". Harbor Freight has a set that's on sale often. For acrylic they'd be great.

I totally misread this post, sorry.