More Brass Inserts

[Kcimdrib]

Another attempt at a Brass insert with a new expensive Epoxy Gfex 650 from West Systems. Still blew out on drilling repaired with CA even using a smaller drill first. But the CA held.
So now I am confused I've read use Epoxy other than it has a longer cure time.
I will give it another go but not convinced. I sanded the Brass and cleaned it.
I like the finished Pen. As always your comments are always appreciated.

 

[Mach4]

Try wrapping your blank with fiberglass and epoxy to give it external support during drilling. It will turn right off when you start turning your blank. Cotton cloth and CA might work too…not nearly as strong but might be all you need.

 

[Kcimdrib]

Try wrapping your blank with fiberglass and epoxy to give it external support during drilling. It will turn right off when you start turning your blank. Cotton cloth and CA might work too…not nearly as strong but might be all you need.

Thanks for that and I will give it a try but it must get a bit messy. I suppose there is a lot of torque created when using Brass its a bit grabby but I'll keep trying.

 

[crokett]

Thanks for that and I will give it a try but it must get a bit messy. I suppose there is a lot of torque created when using Brass its a bit grabby but I'll keep trying.

I wrote a tutorial on turning brass and aluminum. you can find it here: https://www.penturners.org/resources/working-with-brass-and-aluminum-on-a-woodworking-lathe.444 it includes instructions on modifying drill bits to drill brass. before you do anything else I would modify your drill bits for brass (they can still be used for other materials) and glue up a test blank and try again. a modified drill but may be all that you need.

 

[jttheclockman]

I was just going to mention the drill bit degree has alot to do with drilling soft materials like brass. Have to remember you are coming at it from a weird angle and that bit has alot of material to cut through. I am still a believer in epoxy as the adhesive for gluing different materials together.

 

[Kcimdrib]

I wrote a tutorial on turning brass and aluminum. you can find it here: https://www.penturners.org/resources/working-with-brass-and-aluminum-on-a-woodworking-lathe.444 it includes instructions on modifying drill bits to drill brass. before you do anything else I would modify your drill bits for brass (they can still be used for other materials) and glue up a test blank and try again. a modified drill but may be all that you need.

David thanks for that advice you've taken me back to my apprentice days and and I'd completely forgotten that mind it was 61 years ago but I'm convinced your advice is correct.
Thank you.

Mike

 

[Todd in PA]

Brass is very "grabby". It bites into cutting tools and drill bits. I use a slow drilling method with brass. On the lathe, I advance the drill bit only as fast as it wants to go, which is very slow. I don't push the bit into the blank, and have had success (after many failures).

I also angle my cutting tools in the direction of the cut (typically square carbide tool). So angled to the right for the right side of the brass, and left in the left.

Todd

 

[Kcimdrib]

Brass is very "grabby". It bites into cutting tools and drill bits. I use a slow drilling method with brass. On the lathe, I advance the drill bit only as fast as it wants to go, which is very slow. I don't push the bit into the blank, and have had success (after many failures).

I also angry my cutting tools in the direction of the cut (typically square carbide tool). So angled to the right for the right side of the brass, and left in the left.

Todd

Thanks for that Todd I've had not had a problem turning using standard Gouges keep them sharp seems to do the trick. But doesn't it always.

 

[Kcimdrib]

I was just going to mention the drill bit degree has alot to do with drilling soft materials like brass. Have to remember you are coming at it from a weird angle and that bit has alot of material to cut through. I am still a believer in epoxy as the adhesive for gluing different materials together.

The angle of the brass means you start to cut on one side of the drill which is just another problem. Drilling the brass prior to assembly but I don't have a Pillar Drill.

 

[Kcimdrib]

I wrote a tutorial on turning brass and aluminum. you can find it here: https://www.penturners.org/resources/working-with-brass-and-aluminum-on-a-woodworking-lathe.444 it includes instructions on modifying drill bits to drill brass. before you do anything else I would modify your drill bits for brass (they can still be used for other materials) and glue up a test blank and try again. a modified drill but may be all that you need.

Just read the article again very informative thank you.