Drill Bits, Glues, Sandpaper for Woodworking



Drill Bits, Glues and Sandpapers

Bits Glues

Use The Right Woodworking Bits, Sandpapers and Glues

You can save a lot of time and make a higher quality job if you know which bits to use for a particular job in hand.

Common Drill Bits

Drill Twist

Twist Bit

Twist

Drills through sheet metal, angle iron and flat iron, as well as rough drilling through many materials including wood. Available in a wide range of diameters.

 

 

 


Brad Point

Brad-point bit

Brad-point

Could be mistaken for a twist bit but has a centre spur and side spurs to stop it wandering off line. Makes clean cuts in wood but should not be used on metal.

 

 

 


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Auger

Auger

Auger bit

Bores long straight holes into thick softwood. The threaded bit point ensures the bit cuts true, whilst the spiral cutting head brings the shavings to the top. Works best in a brace and bit.

 

 

 

 


Counterboring

Counterboring

Counterboring bit

Drills a pilot hole and a countersunk hole to receive a screw head and plug. Takes 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 wood screws and 1/4″, 3/8″ and 1/2″ plugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Forstner

Forstner

Forstner bit

This bit, which should be used with a drill press, cuts a very clean hole with a flat bottom. Mainly used for fine woodworking and hardwoods.

 

 

 

 

 


Countersunk

Bit 6

Countersunk

Cuts a cone shaped hole so that the head of the screw is flush or slightly recessed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Spade

Spade

Spade bit

Useful for boring holes through studding for cables or for cutting mortises prior to cleaning the hole with a chisel. Use wherever precision is not a consideration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a large range of woodworking bits for routers, which are covered in a separate post.

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Top Tips

Use A Backing Board To Prevent Splintering

Comparing underside of workpiece with and without backing board

Underside of workpiece with & without backer board

No matter which drill you are using, splintering will occur under the board you are drilling unless you take precautions.

Put a piece of scrap board under the workpiece to prevent the tear out occurring.

If you are using a metal drill press table, attach a semi-permanent board to the press. This board will prevent tear out and save your bit from being damaged by the metal table.

Use A Drill Bit Collar To Ensure Consistent Drill Depth

Comparing three types of bit collar

Different types of bit collar


If you are drilling a lot of holes which need to be a certain depth then you can speed things up by using a collar on the bit. Three suggestions are shown above…….a rubber washer, masking tape and a purpose made collar which you can buy in the woodworking section of most hardware stores.

Use The Right Glue For The Job

Displaying different wood glues

Different types of wood adhesive

White and Yellow Glue

Use on…..wood, paper, cloth

white glue

Wood adhesive

Where……interior use only

Bond….fairly strong  (Yellow has a slightly stronger bond than white)

Dries in….several hours

Safety…..no harmful odours

Cleaning…..soap and water

Liquid Hide Glue

Use on…..fine furniture, musical instruments

Glue liquid hide

Liquid hide glue

Where……interior use only

Bond….good bond but sets slowly

Safety…..eye irritant

Cleaning…..soap and water


Polyurethane Glue

Use on…..many materials, including wood, metal, ceramics

polyurethane glue

Polyurethane glue

Bond….strong bond and dries quickly

Safety…..can cause immediate lung damage. Not to be used by asthmastics. Working area must be well ventilated.

Cleaning…..acetone and mineral spirits


Construction Adhesive

Construction adhesive 1

Construction adhesive

Use on…..plywood, panelling, flooring

Bond….very good

Safety…..no concerns

Cleaning…..mineral spirits


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Contact Cement

Use on…..laminates, veneers……

Contact adhesive

Contact cement

Bond….Sets instantly. Dries within an hour

Safety…..Very flammable, Irritant to eyes,

skin, lungs

(Non-flammable available)

Cleaning…..Soap and water

 

 


 

Hot Glue

Hot glue gun

Hot glue gun

Use on…..wood, plastic, glass…

Bond….generally low strength

Safety…..sets in 60 seconds

Cleaning…..heat will loosen bond

 


Two Part Epoxy

Two Part Epoxy

Two part epoxy

Use on…..wood, metal, glass

Bond….Strongest bond of all. Drying time varies

Safety…..Fumes are very toxic, flammable

Cleaning…..Acetone

 

 


Instant Glue

Super glue

Instant glue

Use on…..smooth surfaces like glass, ceramics, plastics

Bond,,,,,excellent bond. Dries in a few seconds

Safety,,,,Toxic. flammable. will bond to skin instantly

 

 

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Sandpapers

There are many power sanders on the market, but in this article I am only covering hand sandpaper. The following chart gives the full range of sandpapers available from very coarse to super fine.

Sandpaper grit chart

Sandpaper Grit Chart

Make sure that you sand a piece sufficiently, so that all blemishes on the surface of the wood are eradicated. Once you apply a stain any flaws will be magnified many times over.

A good tip is to shine a light over the workpiece from a low angle. If you stand facing the light, any blemishes will immediately become evident.

Sanding blocks and sponges, which fit comfortably in the hand, are available not only as blocks but also in moulded shapes to fit common architraves etc….

Here is a selection of woodworking hand sanders and blocks…..

Sanding Blocks

Hand and block sanders

Top Tip

You may have found that the backing card used for fine sandpaper soon gets worn and torn.

backing sandpaper

Sandpapering using paper reinforced with duct tape

To prevent this happening and to prolong the life of the sandpaper, stick duct tape to the back of the sandpaper to reinforce it.

 

 

 

 


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You might like to read some of my other posts on woodworking, which you will find on my Home Page

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Ian

I have always loved wood crafts. In my teens it was model gliders, ships in bottles, puppets, wooden toys.... Then I had to earn a crust and became a civil engineer designing and building bridges, motorways, schools...until I became a video producer. On retiring I started making dolls houses but now I am a blogger concentrating on my love of wood.

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