Cutting "tea light" holes into end grain Oak

[Mark Ward]

I'm after someone who can cut holes with a Forstner bit into oak blocks, the same as the hole I did on the left. I did try myself but going into the end grain of the oak I just got nowhere (I am not a joinery or wood working buff, we do laser engraving so this is not my expertise).
Is there a better way of doing it, from my understanding is the Forstner bit is just going to need sharpening after each cut and I've contacted a local joinery company but they are dragging their feet and not coming back with a price for doing the job so I wondered is there a better or alternative way to achieve this or should it not to too hard for a joiner to do? We are initially after about 20 to be done with possibly 100's at a time in the future.
394609

[Zachary Hoyt]

With a drill press vise and low speed you should have no problem with a Forstner bit. It will not need to be sharpened very often, if at all. The thing to avoid is heating up the bit from friction. Under 500 rpm should be fine, I would think.
Zach

[Frank Pratt]

Yes, a drill press is just about a requirement for all but the smaller Forstner bits. The key is low RPM & plenty of pressure to keep the bit cutting & don't let the bit overheat. You should be able to do dozens of hole without resharpening.

[Bill Orbine]

You could consider carbide forstner bit.

[rudy de haas]

Assuming you have a drill press (if not, the box stores have cheap ones that will work for what you want to do - about $120 for a small porter-cable [plus $60 for the vice) this will be easy. The trick is to clamp the block to hold it solidly in place and press just hard enough to cut without setting the block on fire or stalling your motor. I actually use two bits for this -one pass that goes about half way down using a standard bit, and the second one with a bit that has the pointy end filed off. This produces a flat bottom hole.

[Rod Sheridan]

394698Hi, I did about 80 of those last year for Christmas presents.

I used a drill press at 375 RPM and didn't have to sharpen the drill bit.........regards, Rod.

[Michael Costa]

If you have a dremel and a little patience, it doesn't take long to put a sharp edge back on a forstner bit using the small grinding/sharpening bit. The results won't be perfect since you are eyeballing the angles (hence the patience) but you will add new life to your bit.

[Doug Garson]

They can also be sharpened with a diamond hone. http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=70638&cat=1,43072

http://www.leevalley.com/en/images/item/Woodworking/Sharpening/70m0221i.jpg

[Mike Walsh]

Hi Rod,

did you use any type of holder (glass?) for the candles in the wood blocks?

Thanks,
Mike

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Rod,

did you use any type of holder (glass?) for the candles in the wood blocks?

Thanks,
Mike
394806

No Mike, the tea light candles are in a very thin aluminum "can", I just drop those in the holes and light them.............Regards, Rod.

[Mike Walsh]

Very nice, thanks

[Dave Richards]

Nice work, Rod. Those look like the ones Christian Becksvoort designed. I like your variety of species.

[John C Bush]

Made a bunch for my wife's "Tea" parties(mostly wine) and she used LED light inserts. They "flicker" like a votive candle and batteries seemed to last a long time.

[John C Bush]

She got the LED light inserts at Costco