[Jewelry making - Article 00144] - Re: [Orchid] Slow drilling using a flex shaft

[Kelley]

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Jamie -

    Here are a few possibilities: 

    1. The copper has not been annealed first. (Check the archives for
    procedures.) 

    2. The 'ding' you put in the metal is really compressing the spot -
    although your bit won't wander, it now has a work-hardened spot to
    drill through. Either make the ding first then anneal, or use a small
    ball bur to make the ding. No compressed metal, and the bit has
    something to bite on as it starts. It also doesn't deform the metal,
    where it becomes an unsightly mark on the back of your piece. 

    3. Your drill bit is dull or has lost its temper (no pun intended!).
    If you have been drilling with limited success, it may be that your
    bit was OK at first, but got overheated and soft. 

    Use a new bit and lubricate it before *every* use. (Burr Life,
    beeswax or an old candle will do.) Don't let heat build up. Use a
    slow speed on the flexshaft. High speed will only create heat faster
    and promote breakage. Slow speed allows greater control, especially
    on breakout at the back. And wiggle the bit a little as you drill -
    don't go to town on this! You don't want an oval hole, or a broken
    bit. The wiggle is just enough to help present new material to the
    leading edge of the bit down at the tip, and clear out the scrap as
    you drill. (There was some information on this recently in Art
    Jewelry or Jewelry Artist/LJ, can't remember which.) 

    I recommend that you use a piece of scrap metal as a backer plate
    during drilling, to minimize ragged edges on the exit holes. 

I hope all this helps you,
Kelley
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