Hi Oldtoolmaker,
If you want to model in N gauge, you might want to consider the 2mm Scale Association, .
We model in 1/152 scale, really 2mm/foot stuff. The potential attraction is our stores carry a range of wheels. Most of our models are electric and so we also have motors, gears and chassis parts in the stores.
You can get a feel by visiting the website and a lot of it is viewable by non members. We have members all over the world, not just the UK.
Just my 2mm worth,
James
On Thu, 20 Feb 2025, 12:23 OldToolmaker via , <old_toolmaker= [email protected]> wrote: Thank you, Neil, it is good to know.
Dick
--
forum/?OFF-SET-tailstock-center-65965#post105972
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James Batchelor?
Dunfermline, Fife, UK.?
07805 207238
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Re: Small QC Toolpost for Unimat
Nice¡ but presumably you didn¡¯t make that on a Unimat though Dick?
?
(a Unimat is all I have¡)
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Re: Small QC Toolpost for Unimat
I like to occupy my thoughts with things pertaining to the Unimat instead of reading about all the political BS these days.
Dick
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Small QC Toolpost for Unimat
I have built a small Quick Change Tool Post for my Unimat  --
http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/?OFF-SET-tailstock-center-65965#post105972
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Thank you, Neil, it is good to know.
Dick
--
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
I agree about those carbide drills - snapped them every time I used them. As said before, I found that the Busch HSS steel ones are good. I got some for my Ferrari work, found they worked, so got some packs of six for the sizes I was using. I needed to be sure that if one snapped I had a spare instantly available. Then, since the job was highly profitable, I got six each of every size. That's not cheap - six each in every size from 0.5 to 2.3 mm is 114 drills, at, from memory , ?2.50 each, so about ?285 total, compared to a few pounds for a micro-box set, but when you're working with F1 you don't care about cost. But you do care about reliability and quick recovery from a breakage. Happy days!
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
One reason that I pointed out German and Swiss micro drills is that you can get them in cobalt and HSS.? They flex while the cheap (typically Chinese) carbide bits will break.??
This is where I disagree with some of what has been discussed here.? Say that I want to make one of these spade type of drills, .020.? So I have to get drill rod and somehow file or grind it in half, then put a point on, and heat to harden?? I may or may not be able to do this - we do not all have the same skills.? And at some time I might have lost my interest in drilling a hole after all of that.? It is just my way of working.? Make a hole?? Take a drill out of the index, or out of a package of micro drills, or maybe from the big box of unknown, unused drills.
Model trains is my main hobby.? And cameras, collecting fishing stuff, etc.? Now I have a number of small machines.? Some get used frequently.? Others have never been used? -- they were too good to leave.
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
It is not necessarily true that tiny drills flex.? Many are carbide and EXTREMELY brittle such as those used for drilling printed circuit boards.
You need a very solid setup.? If you try to use them free hand such as in a pin vise, it is highly likely you will break it.
They tend to have a large shank and might look like this:
Or also have a little plastic ring and look like this:
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 04:15:42 PM PST, davesmith1800 <davesmith1@...> wrote:
The best part of tiny drill bits.?
They flex?
?
Dave?
?
On Wed, Feb 19, 2025 at 10:56 AM, Bill in OKC too wrote:
Afraid I have to disagree a bit there, John. Pun intended. I know this isn't for everyone, but if you have the capability to make your own spade bits, you'll never have to wait for a drill bit order to appear again. That is great for both emergency repairs and middle of the night inspirations. And if you're planning on doing something later, you can still order your bits pre-made.?
?
If you don't mind doing a bit of tempering, you can also use music wire to make your bits. High carbon steel is superior to HSS if you want a really sharp cutting edge, just not as durable.?
?
And if you don't want to make a bit this particular time, you don't? have to.
?
Bill in OKC?
?
William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)
?
Aphorisms to live by:
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.?
SEMPER GUMBY!
Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome.Physics doesn't care about your schedule.The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better.
Expect in one hand, expectorate in the other. See which one gets full first.
?
?
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 12:16:22 PM CST, John Hutnick via groups.io <johnhutnick@...> wrote:
?
?
Please go to Ebay and search "micro drill Germany" or "micro drill Switzerland".? In my opinion, looking at the prices, sizes and quantities available, you would be wasting your time with these procedures to try and make your own.
?
?
On Wed, Feb 19, 2025 at 10:56 AM, Bill in OKC too wrote:
Afraid I have to disagree a bit there, John. Pun intended. I know this isn't for everyone, but if you have the capability to make your own spade bits, you'll never have to wait for a drill bit order to appear again. That is great for both emergency repairs and middle of the night inspirations. And if you're planning on doing something later, you can still order your bits pre-made.?
?
If you don't mind doing a bit of tempering, you can also use music wire to make your bits. High carbon steel is superior to HSS if you want a really sharp cutting edge, just not as durable.?
?
And if you don't want to make a bit this particular time, you don't? have to.
?
Bill in OKC?
?
William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)
?
Aphorisms to live by:
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.?
SEMPER GUMBY!
Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome.Physics doesn't care about your schedule.The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better.
Expect in one hand, expectorate in the other. See which one gets full first.
?
?
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 12:16:22 PM CST, John Hutnick via groups.io <johnhutnick@...> wrote:
?
?
Please go to Ebay and search "micro drill Germany" or "micro drill Switzerland".? In my opinion, looking at the prices, sizes and quantities available, you would be wasting your time with these procedures to try and make your own.
|
Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
The best part of tiny drill bits.?
They flex?
?
Dave?
?
On Wed, Feb 19, 2025 at 10:56 AM, Bill in OKC too wrote:
Afraid I have to disagree a bit there, John. Pun intended. I know this isn't for everyone, but if you have the capability to make your own spade bits, you'll never have to wait for a drill bit order to appear again. That is great for both emergency repairs and middle of the night inspirations. And if you're planning on doing something later, you can still order your bits pre-made.?
?
If you don't mind doing a bit of tempering, you can also use music wire to make your bits. High carbon steel is superior to HSS if you want a really sharp cutting edge, just not as durable.?
?
And if you don't want to make a bit this particular time, you don't? have to.
?
Bill in OKC?
?
William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)
?
Aphorisms to live by:
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.?
SEMPER GUMBY!
Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome.Physics doesn't care about your schedule.The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better.
Expect in one hand, expectorate in the other. See which one gets full first.
?
?
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 12:16:22 PM CST, John Hutnick via groups.io <johnhutnick@...> wrote:
?
?
Please go to Ebay and search "micro drill Germany" or "micro drill Switzerland".? In my opinion, looking at the prices, sizes and quantities available, you would be wasting your time with these procedures to try and make your own.
?
?
On Wed, Feb 19, 2025 at 10:56 AM, Bill in OKC too wrote:
Afraid I have to disagree a bit there, John. Pun intended. I know this isn't for everyone, but if you have the capability to make your own spade bits, you'll never have to wait for a drill bit order to appear again. That is great for both emergency repairs and middle of the night inspirations. And if you're planning on doing something later, you can still order your bits pre-made.?
?
If you don't mind doing a bit of tempering, you can also use music wire to make your bits. High carbon steel is superior to HSS if you want a really sharp cutting edge, just not as durable.?
?
And if you don't want to make a bit this particular time, you don't? have to.
?
Bill in OKC?
?
William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)
?
Aphorisms to live by:
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.?
SEMPER GUMBY!
Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome.Physics doesn't care about your schedule.The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better.
Expect in one hand, expectorate in the other. See which one gets full first.
?
?
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 12:16:22 PM CST, John Hutnick via groups.io <johnhutnick@...> wrote:
?
?
Please go to Ebay and search "micro drill Germany" or "micro drill Switzerland".? In my opinion, looking at the prices, sizes and quantities available, you would be wasting your time with these procedures to try and make your own.
|
Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
Afraid I have to disagree a bit there, John. Pun intended. I know this isn't for everyone, but if you have the capability to make your own spade bits, you'll never have to wait for a drill bit order to appear again. That is great for both emergency repairs and middle of the night inspirations. And if you're planning on doing something later, you can still order your bits pre-made.?
If you don't mind doing a bit of tempering, you can also use music wire to make your bits. High carbon steel is superior to HSS if you want a really sharp cutting edge, just not as durable.?
And if you don't want to make a bit this particular time, you don't? have to.
Bill in OKC?
William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)
Aphorisms to live by: Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.? SEMPER GUMBY!
Expect in one hand, expectorate in the other. See which one gets full first.
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 12:16:22 PM CST, John Hutnick via groups.io <johnhutnick@...> wrote:
Please go to Ebay and search "micro drill Germany" or "micro drill Switzerland".? In my opinion, looking at the prices, sizes and quantities available, you would be wasting your time with these procedures to try and make your own.
|
Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
Please go to Ebay and search "micro drill Germany" or "micro drill Switzerland".? In my opinion, looking at the prices, sizes and quantities available, you would be wasting your time with these procedures to try and make your own.
|
Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
Dick,
?
Just dug this out of my filing system from a few years ago, I used to do machine engraving and pivoting clock plates in the past and stored a few snippets like this to learn from.
?
?
?
Phill
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
One last thing. It is a very accurate means of drilling and the drill starts without need for center drilling.
That is all there is to it!
What more could a person need.
Dick
--
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?SMALL TURRET TOOL POST PLANS?
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
The Unimat indexing head will work nicely for positioning! Now you just need a rotating grinding wheel. Sounds simple and it is.?
Dick
--
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
Google ¡°Micro 100 spade drill¡± and you will see pictures of all kinds.
Dick
--
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
It is not hard to grind a spade drill, you just need a means of accurately holding the blank HSS tool blank for grinding.
It can¡¯t be done accurately free hand. I don¡¯t have pictures. A ¡°spindex¡± would work but a ¡°single lip¡± cutter grinder such as a Deckel is ideal, but you can improvise in a pinch. A Unimat can be pressed into service in a pinch. Maybe someone on the group has pictures. I will check to see if I have an example of one when I get to the shop later today.
Dick
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
It is when one two is worst .
?
If you have a hundred or more now gets easier. You go out and buy or build what need from jigs to equipment need.?
?
The more odd the more you can make.?
No one wants to do job or do not know how to.?
?
Some one of kind I had to spend more time setting up and building jigs just make a part.?
?
If making hundreds of command part everyone wants that work.?
If real tiny not many do that work ever.?
?
I work had 20 ?" shaft need a tap hole #2-56 in 400 stainless steel custom material .?
Just type of work that most do not want
I volunteered and did all 20 on a 20" old lathe. I new to only tap 4 or 5 holes and get new tap.?
?
Dave?
?
On Tue, Feb 18, 2025 at 05:04 PM, Keith S. Angus wrote:
On Tue, Feb 18, 2025 at 03:48 PM, John Hutnick wrote:
Specifically, where can I buy micro sizes of spade drills?
First define "micro" - when I was looking at the problem of drilling small holes I found people saying that anything under 0.1" was micro. Well in that case most of the holes I drill are micro! I have no problems drilling down to 0.5 mm with Busch HSS (spiral) drills. I have drills down to 0.05 mm, but I would have to think very carefully about using that. The only spade drills I have ever used were in a toy toolkit, supplied with an Archimedean drill.
?
I also found that I was deep hole drilling - ?1.5 ¡Á 30 mm deep, and ?0.9 ¡Á 12 mm deep
?
My old boss got a job drilling a large number of 0.002" & 0.003" holes in stainless plates, so the first thing he did was to design and build a machine for the job. I now realise he pinched some of the ideas from a Najet drill, but it was 50 years later before I saw one of them.
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Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
Now that you have baited the hook, can you tell us how to make them as some of us would like to know. ? Thanks, ? Jerry F. ?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Quinn Golden via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2025 7:52 AM
To: johnhutnick@...
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Unimat] drilling small holes on a unimat? I do not believe I¡¯ve ever seen them for sale. ? ?I do have a set of micro size spiral drills for clockwork, but I seldom use them because they¡¯re just too fragile for anything except for CNC work. ? ?? And spade drills are just incredibly easy to make once you learn how. ?
? On Tue, Feb 18, 2025 at 10:48?AM John Hutnick via Groups.Io <johnhutnick=[email protected]> wrote: I do not want to make these.? Specifically, where can I buy micro sizes of spade drills?? What do they cost?
|
Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
On Tue, Feb 18, 2025 at 03:48 PM, John Hutnick wrote:
Specifically, where can I buy micro sizes of spade drills?
First define "micro" - when I was looking at the problem of drilling small holes I found people saying that anything under 0.1" was micro. Well in that case most of the holes I drill are micro! I have no problems drilling down to 0.5 mm with Busch HSS (spiral) drills. I have drills down to 0.05 mm, but I would have to think very carefully about using that. The only spade drills I have ever used were in a toy toolkit, supplied with an Archimedean drill.
?
I also found that I was deep hole drilling - ?1.5 ¡Á 30 mm deep, and ?0.9 ¡Á 12 mm deep
?
My old boss got a job drilling a large number of 0.002" & 0.003" holes in stainless plates, so the first thing he did was to design and build a machine for the job. I now realise he pinched some of the ideas from a Najet drill, but it was 50 years later before I saw one of them.
|
Re: drilling small holes on a unimat
I do not believe I¡¯ve ever seen them for sale. ? ?I do have a set of micro size spiral drills for clockwork, but I seldom use them because they¡¯re just too fragile for anything except for CNC work. ? ??
And spade drills are just incredibly easy to make once you learn how. ?
On Tue, Feb 18, 2025 at 10:48?AM John Hutnick via Groups.Io <johnhutnick= [email protected]> wrote: I do not want to make these.? Specifically, where can I buy micro sizes of spade drills?? What do they cost?
|
James Batchelor
OldToolmaker
davesmith1800
Bill in OKC too