Comments on: Improving gimlets – yes, they can work http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/ inside the woodshop Wed, 16 May 2012 14:51:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Adrian http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-30430 Adrian Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:39:39 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-30430 I finally managed to snatch a couple minutes to modify another one. I tried it before. It took for ever to start and then it split the work. I modified it. Then it seemed to dive into the wood...much faster start, certainly...but it still split the work. Maybe I was too close to the edge for hope of not splitting, about 1/2". But the other modified one seems to be much slower. The test piece is only 1/2" thick, so maybe I'll try deeper holes in something else. I'm wondering if I made the tip sharper on the second one and if that could explain the faster start. I guess one thing I was trying to figure out was whether I have performed the modifications correctly. I seem to be having a hard time getting the leading edge really straight and sharp and angled the right direction. Like on my second attempt it seemed like instead of getting a sharp edge I got a sloping, rounded over "edge", which seems unlikely to cut anything, and then I was trying to work it back to get rid of the rounding. (I also have a hard time figuring out what I actually did.) I finally managed to snatch a couple minutes to modify another one. I tried it before. It took for ever to start and then it split the work. I modified it. Then it seemed to dive into the wood…much faster start, certainly…but it still split the work. Maybe I was too close to the edge for hope of not splitting, about 1/2″. But the other modified one seems to be much slower. The test piece is only 1/2″ thick, so maybe I’ll try deeper holes in something else. I’m wondering if I made the tip sharper on the second one and if that could explain the faster start.

I guess one thing I was trying to figure out was whether I have performed the modifications correctly. I seem to be having a hard time getting the leading edge really straight and sharp and angled the right direction. Like on my second attempt it seemed like instead of getting a sharp edge I got a sloping, rounded over “edge”, which seems unlikely to cut anything, and then I was trying to work it back to get rid of the rounding. (I also have a hard time figuring out what I actually did.)

]]> By: Rob http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-29480 Rob Thu, 27 Jan 2011 05:42:25 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-29480 The modified gimlet cuts some of the wood fibers rather than just squeezing past them. So it binds less and in that way is faster - it requires less force. More importantly it cuts better - it avoids splitting. If you put enough force into the twist, the actual speed of entry would be dictated only by the thread pitch in both the unmodified and modified gimlets. So I wouldn't get hung up on counting the revolutions, but rather look at the overall performance of the tool with this modification. The modified gimlet cuts some of the wood fibers rather than just squeezing past them. So it binds less and in that way is faster – it requires less force. More importantly it cuts better – it avoids splitting.

If you put enough force into the twist, the actual speed of entry would be dictated only by the thread pitch in both the unmodified and modified gimlets.

So I wouldn’t get hung up on counting the revolutions, but rather look at the overall performance of the tool with this modification.

]]> By: Adrian http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-29387 Adrian Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:19:52 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-29387 I didn't trust myself to be able to tell the difference before and after, so I was comparing an unmodified one to a modified one. (This does mean, however, that they aren't exactly the same size.) I think the scrap I grabbed for testing might have been basswood, perhaps not the best test material? (Or does it matter?) I used the specific file you recommend. I did have some uncertainty about how much material needed to be removed. That file can make a fairly narrow slot. I widened it some over the minimum size. When you say it's faster, do you mean faster to start or faster all the time? Does faster mean that I'll get a deeper hole with the same number of revolutions? (That would be easy to test because I could count revolutions before I modify the gimlet and then repeat afterward.) I didn’t trust myself to be able to tell the difference before and after, so I was comparing an unmodified one to a modified one. (This does mean, however, that they aren’t exactly the same size.) I think the scrap I grabbed for testing might have been basswood, perhaps not the best test material? (Or does it matter?)

I used the specific file you recommend. I did have some uncertainty about how much material needed to be removed. That file can make a fairly narrow slot. I widened it some over the minimum size.

When you say it’s faster, do you mean faster to start or faster all the time? Does faster mean that I’ll get a deeper hole with the same number of revolutions? (That would be easy to test because I could count revolutions before I modify the gimlet and then repeat afterward.)

]]> By: Rob http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-29227 Rob Wed, 26 Jan 2011 03:25:06 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-29227 Adrian, The gimlets cut considerably faster with this modification. Try before and after. It helps a lot to use a very narrow, very sharp file like the Japanese feather-edge saw file to create a sharp-edged channel. Look at the right side of the channel in the gimlets and the screws, above. It bites the wood. I hope this helps. Let me know if you're still having trouble. Rob Adrian,

The gimlets cut considerably faster with this modification. Try before and after.

It helps a lot to use a very narrow, very sharp file like the Japanese feather-edge saw file to create a sharp-edged channel. Look at the right side of the channel in the gimlets and the screws, above. It bites the wood.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you’re still having trouble.

Rob

]]> By: Adrian http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-29219 Adrian Wed, 26 Jan 2011 01:55:04 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-29219 So I have tried to do this to one of my gimlets and I'm not sure I can really tell the difference. Maybe I didn't do it correctly. Can you say how you could tell that a "big improvement" had occurred? (In other words, what's a test I can try?) So I have tried to do this to one of my gimlets and I’m not sure I can really tell the difference. Maybe I didn’t do it correctly. Can you say how you could tell that a “big improvement” had occurred? (In other words, what’s a test I can try?)

]]> By: Rob http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-17756 Rob Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:13:40 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-17756 Thanks, Eric. Ha, ha, I think there's more than a few other tools that could be added to the "cruel joke" list. But at least gimlets can be made to work. Rob Thanks, Eric. Ha, ha, I think there’s more than a few other tools that could be added to the “cruel joke” list. But at least gimlets can be made to work.
Rob

]]> By: Eric http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-17753 Eric Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:27:29 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-17753 Rob, Kudos for trying to fight back against these tools. No doubt they can be effective, but just looking at gimlets makes my hands hurt. I'm convinced they were invented as a cruel joke to woodworkers. -Eric Rob,

Kudos for trying to fight back against these tools. No doubt they can be effective, but just looking at gimlets makes my hands hurt. I’m convinced they were invented as a cruel joke to woodworkers.

-Eric

]]> By: Rob http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-17740 Rob Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:28:04 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-17740 Hi Tico, I also have a flexible shaft for my cordless power drill and that also comes in handy now and then. For a door catch, drawer stop, jig assembly, etc - that type of thing where I've painted myself into a corner, are where the gimlets are handy. They are really quite compact, especially the smaller diameters. Another tool that has helped in similar situations is this little helper from Lee Valley: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32210&cat=1,43411,43417 It holds hex head driver bits AND hex head drill bits, such as Insty Bits. Slow, but it works. Shannon and Swirt, I do suggest using the Japanese file if you are going to work on the gimlets. The file costs almost as much as the gimlets, but it's a tremendously handy tool to have around the shop. It's very sharp. You can also use it to modify the Hock scraper blade as I've discussed here: http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/07/20/working-with-the-veritas-scraping-plane-part-3-microtoothing/ Thanks for reading guys, Rob Hi Tico,

I also have a flexible shaft for my cordless power drill and that also comes in handy now and then. For a door catch, drawer stop, jig assembly, etc – that type of thing where I’ve painted myself into a corner, are where the gimlets are handy. They are really quite compact, especially the smaller diameters.

Another tool that has helped in similar situations is this little helper from Lee Valley:
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32210&cat=1,43411,43417
It holds hex head driver bits AND hex head drill bits, such as Insty Bits. Slow, but it works.

Shannon and Swirt,

I do suggest using the Japanese file if you are going to work on the gimlets. The file costs almost as much as the gimlets, but it’s a tremendously handy tool to have around the shop. It’s very sharp. You can also use it to modify the Hock scraper blade as I’ve discussed here:
http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/07/20/working-with-the-veritas-scraping-plane-part-3-microtoothing/

Thanks for reading guys,

Rob

]]> By: Make That Gimlet Cut : : Frugal Woodworking http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-17729 Make That Gimlet Cut : : Frugal Woodworking Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:49:57 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-17729 [...] visit >> Improving Gimlets at Heartwood Blog [...] [...] visit >> Improving Gimlets at Heartwood Blog [...]

]]> By: swirt http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2010/10/19/improving-gimlets-yes-they-can-work/#comment-17722 swirt Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:36:21 +0000 http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/?p=925#comment-17722 That is a great solution. Thanks for documenting it so well. I've avoided buying these gimlets beacause I've heard they were less than helpful. Now that has changed, thanks. That is a great solution. Thanks for documenting it so well. I’ve avoided buying these gimlets beacause I’ve heard they were less than helpful. Now that has changed, thanks.

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