Hints For Drilling Eye Sockets In Wood Blanks?

[anamealreadyinuse]

I'm going to lose a limb one of these days...LOL...well, maybe not that far but good grief I dremel some of the ugliest eye sockets known to mankind. I upgraded my dremel from the harbor freight model to a variable speed one much more powerful but still have the problem of the bit slipping off my center mark. I also have this same problem when I try to use a ball bit for creating a curve in a popper. I am using the stone (i think its stone) bits that come with both dremel but they seem to struggle with biting into the wood? I hope that makes sense....can anyone recommend a technique or different type of bit that can do eithr of these tasks better?

Thanks!

[Brent R]

Try this...you have more control over what your doing.......

Dremel 225-01 36" Flex-Shaft Attachment

[markinorf]

A forstner bit makes great eye sockets, and a double cut rotary ball file makes short work of popper mouths. Find both at Grizzly.com. I clean the rotary bits with a wire brush when they get loaded up. I cut those popper mouths at a slow rpm, and take my time. Hope that helps.

[littleriver]

Let me first say ; I do not make eye sockets. However, I do use a dremel.

You might try using this to start your hole for the eye socket.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_55452-353-562-03_0__?catalogId=10051&productId=1245703&UserSearch=dremel+tile+bit&Ntt=dremel+tile+bit&N=0&langId=-1&storeId=10151&rpp=24

Once you have the hole started then use what your going to make the eye socket with. This starter hole should help prevent slipping and help bite.

Edited April 22, 2012 by littleriver

[littleriver]

You might try a cutter like on of these.

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Accessories/Pages/SubCategories.aspx?catid=2070&catname=High+Speed+Cutters

Good luck.

[crankpaint]

A forstner bit makes great eye sockets, and a double cut rotary ball file makes short work of popper mouths. Find both at Grizzly.com. I clean the rotary bits with a wire brush when they get loaded up. I cut those popper mouths at a slow rpm, and take my time. Hope that helps.

Im with markinorf on this one the forsner bit is the way to go you can mark the spots for the eyes and drill it while the woods still in square form with a bench top drill press or a hand held drill with a peice of tape wrapped around the bit for depth so there the same depth and the wood can be clamped so it won't move or get away from you and take out peices and parts of both you and your bait

[Fishsticks]

After I sand and shape my wood I'll use a pencil to mark where I want the eyes to be centered. I'll move the lure up, down, and all over just kinda eye balling my marks to make sure they are even. Then I'll use a paddle bit in a hand drill to make the holes. I'll use whatever paddle bit is closes to the diameter of the eyes I'll use. After that I'll use a high speed cutter to smooth out and blend the holes into the body well. It looks like the one on the site little river posted. It's a 1/8 bit, looks like the 194 bit on the site.

Edited April 22, 2012 by Fishsticks

[benton B]

I use a drill press and a small bit to drill a very small maker hole thru the entire bait before carving. After carving/sanding I use the forstner and drill

press to make the sockets. The marker hole makes sure both eyes are perfect.

[BobP]

I freehand sockets with a Dremel and yes, it's takes control but I think it's easier with a cylinder shaped cutter. The Dremel cylinder cutters have some small grooves on the top that will eventually do the job but for something with a little more "bite" get a carving cylinder with carbide teeth. I don't like ball cutters because if you fill them with a 3D eye, there is an air pocket behind the eye that can bubble through the clearcoat. I'm sure there are other sources but I got some at http://www.texaswoodcarvers.com/tool_index.htm They sell Typhoon, Kutzall, and Saburr Tooth brand cutters.

[RayburnGuy]

I wait until the bait is shaped before drilling my eyes. My thinking is that they can be better located and the holes drilled at a more appropriate angle than if they were drilled before the lure is shaped. I like to place my eyes so they set even without any high or low spots from one side to the other. (that's what I shoot for anyway) On a flat sided crank this is a lot easier than on a bait with multiple contours.

The eye sockets are drilled with a brad point bit. After the centers for the eye sockets are marked it's easy to place the brad point on the center marks. I visually check to see that the space from the edge of the bit to the surface of the bait is equal distance. If it's not just lean the drill one way or the other until the distance is the same on both sides. I then spin the drill slowly until it's 90 degrees from where I started and repeat the space checking between both outer edges of the bit and the surface of the lure mentioned above. And you can just wrap any kind of tape around the bit to act as a depth stop, but if your using a variable speed drill you can go slow and do them by eye without using the tape. It's also helpful, for me at least, to use a variable speed drill. You can find a decent cordless model that won't break the bank. Just remember to get one with a chuck that will handle the biggest bit you plan on using. A 3/8" worked for me.

I never could get the hang of trying to make eye sockets with a Dremel. As soon as you turn the Dremel on it's spinning at several thousand rpm's and no matter how slow I tried to go it would always find somewhere to "bite" and I ended up with out of round eye sockets. Brad point bits are common and can be found at most of your hardware stores and they aren't as expensive as the Forstner bits.

Ben

[bassguy]

I use the "brad point" as well. The point allows you put the bit exactly where you want it. I don't use the bit with a drill. I find the PVC will bind and pull the bit into the bait more so than wood. So I use the bit hand hand held. I'm only going below the surface about a 1/16". One more thing; if you attempt this the way I do, be careful because the flutes are sharp, so some tape around the bit will help. If there is a little rough edge, minor sanding will clean it up.

[RayburnGuy]

I use the "brad point" as well. The point allows you put the bit exactly where you want it. I don't use the bit with a drill. I find the PVC will bind and pull the bit into the bait more so than wood. So I use the bit hand hand held. I'm only going below the surface about a 1/16". One more thing; if you attempt this the way I do, be careful because the flutes are sharp, so some tape around the bit will help. If there is a little rough edge, minor sanding will clean it up.

You must be using a lot better brad points than I am. You have to put a little pressure on mine to get them to cut.

Ben

[bassguy]

You must be using a lot better brad points than I am. You have to put a little pressure on mine to get them to cut.

Ben

I think they're the Dewalt brand and they are pretty sharp. I bought them just for the PVC, so they haven't be near any wood.

Jerry

[mark poulson]

If you drill a pilot through hole with a small bit while the bait is still rectangular, before shaping, you can use the hole to place your eyes symetrically after the bait is shaped, even if you don't wind up using the pilot hole for the actual location.

[capt mike]

place your stick on eyes on the shaped out  bait till they are even and look like you want. Then trace around them with a fine pencil point.  Use a cylinder cutting bit in a circular motion with dremel intil it is deep as you need and the bottom of hole is at the angle you want.

 

If the bait is flat sided, then just drill the hole through n through while it is still just a profile cut.  That's dummy proof.

[Vodkaman]

I drill a pilot hole while the bait is flat. After shaping, I run a drill the size I want, in reverse. This eliminates any tendancy to grab or chip.

 

Dave

[BobP]

I've got lots of adhesive 3D eyes but think painted-on eyes look better on many baits.  I use Ceramcoat paint which is very thick and gives the eyes a little 3D effect.  Dab it on with a Q-tip or nail head.  If you get the placement wrong, dab it off with a damp Q-tip.

[woodieb8]

forstner bit hands down for lures.

[Salty's]

Forstner bit x3