wire drills....How do you chuck them?

[farmwrench@aol]

I would like to make a very small hole,(<.045) but I do not know how to properly hold the drill bit. I have a set of wire drills, but can't use them for this reason. I picked up a jar of .046 (I think) drills and a K.R. Wilson tool holder for them in a box of junk from the church rummage sale but I am unsure of how to proceed smaller. I checked the index of the Enco cat. and didn't find anything.

[bdarin]

I did this once using a tiny chuck from--I think--a dead Dremel tool. Took it apart, trued up the shaft, and held it in a bigger chuck. Worked ok, maybe I just got lucky on the trueness of both chucks. Good luck.

[MikeHenry]

How about using a pin vise?

[toff]

Hi,
You might try:
www.micromark.com/
They have a lot of goodies that most of us didn't know existed. Model oriented and somewhat pricey. look for drill chuck adapters for Dremel tolls. Not as good as an Albrect but sufficient at 1 tenth the price.
Another is:
www.smallparts.com/
Expensive source for unobtainium but, have it when you need it.
toff

[halfnut]

I have a 1/4 jacobs which I made arbor for paying close attention to run out. I have drilled several holes this size range with it. Fun part is finding center drill small enough. Even more fun is sharpening these little rascals, it can be done with a stone and a Jewelers Loope, I sure don't like doing it. But when the only drill you have is dull, and people are clamoring for this glue tip to keep the line going, you do it.

The best thing for this type of drilling is a sensitive finger arbor and an albreit chuck. They have about 1 of travel and a ring to push with.

Bought myself a 1/4 Albreich chuck on E-bay, I love it, been years since I had used the real thing. Waiting on glue nozzles, have a supply of #74 drill bits, won't have to resharpen.

[farmwrench@aol]

What is a pin vice?

[JimH]

Look at the ebay auction below. It shows the Starrett set of 4 pin vises. If the URL doesn't come out correctly, just do a search in ebay on the item number at the end of the URL.
Jim

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1617155401

[Ron LaDow]

Farmwrench,
A pin vice is usually a hand-held item with a 4-jaw collet chuck. The jaws essentially close to a zero diameter.
It's made specifically to hold really small shafts, drills, etc.
The one I have is double ended but the 'handle' is hex, so it could be gripped in a standard drill chuck.
To be honest, I've had it so long I have no idea where it came from. And I can't imagine ever wearing it out.
Try www.micromark.com

[This message has been edited by Ron LaDow (edited 07-19-2001).]

[roberlt]

I second Micromark.I needed to drill the tap hole for a 0-80 thread (in a part held in the lathe). I got the tap,drill,screws.and drill holder from them.

[George Hodge]

Hey,Wrench,I've heard of wrapping a 1/2in. of the drill in small diameter solder and then gripping it in the drill chuck you have.Make the wraps close together and even 2 layers thick if it needs it! GH.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by farmwrench@aol:
I would like to make a very small hole,(&lt;.045) but I do not know how to properly hold the drill bit. I have a set of wire drills, but can't use them for this reason. I picked up a jar of .046 (I think) drills and a K.R. Wilson tool holder for them in a box of junk from the church rummage sale but I am unsure of how to proceed smaller. I checked the index of the Enco cat. and didn't find anything.</font>