anti heat

[Harry Goodwin]

This is a dumb one. I am boring 13/16th holes in PSI colored wood for kaleidoscopes that are 2 1/4 inch long. Things are getting so hot I am getting embers on the floor that are smoking

fire embers under the drill press. I realize a cleanliness habit would cut it but I wondered if some had some suggestions, water"? It's too much fire for a woodshop. I also have diamond wood for pens but do not have as much of a threat with a different type of drill. I really appreciate your help. Harry

[Dave Cullen]

Slow down the lathe and back the drill out often. If the wood is hot enough to smoke then the drill bit will be turning purple.

[Steve Peterson]

It sounds like what you need is a sharper drill bit.

How many holes are you drilling to get the bit so hot that it smokes? Or are you letting the sawdust pack in so tightly that it heats up? Are you possibly drilling too fast? The charts recommend 500 RPM max for hardwood.

I haven't found a way to keep the floor clean around my drill press. Sawdust is going to go everywhere. Maybe a small spray bottle to dampen the sawdust would help. Be safe and don't leave right away to make sure there are no smoldering fires.

Steve

[Reed Gray]

Like they said, dull bit and to high rpm = heat. Drilling end grain especially. If the chips are not ejecting by themselves, then back it out, but with only going 2 1/4 inches deep, that should not be a problem unless you are using a twist bit.

robo hippy

[Brice Rogers]

The other responses probably were "spot on". Drilling too fast and with a dull bit.

Some added thoughts: I sometimes will lube my cut with some spray WD40 or rubbed on paraffin. It doesn't do much at the cutting end but might help reduce friction on the skirt of the forstner bit (I'm presuming that is what you're using) and will quiet it down.

Sharpening a forstner bit is very easy and effective. Go to youtube for Eddie Castelin video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCpPICubruc

Fire extinguisher. I bought a 3 or 5 gallon stainless steel fire extinguisher and keep it in my shop. It uses regular water (or throw in antifreeze if freezing could occur) and pump it up to 100 psi. I like it because it shoots a concentrated stream about 25 feet and I can "recharge" it myself. It is also good for squirting my dog. (Just kidding).

[John K Jordan]

When drilling with a forstner bit I always direct a stream of compressed air into the back of the bit. This does two things:
- One, it cools the bit.
- Two, it helps clear the chips (which also helps keep the bit cool.)

I use the compressed air the the entire time. Sometimes I don't even have to stop and clear chips since the air does this. This works somewhat better on larger diameters but it still works with smaller diameters. I like a small diameter "tube" nozzle about 3" long instead of the short fat nozzles that sometimes come with the air gun.

I always use carbide forstner bits. They stay sharp longer. A dull bit generates a lot of heat.

Since I started working this way years ago I have had no overheated chips. If you have no compressed air, fix that. A shop without compressed air is just a playroom. IMHO.

I have told many people about this. Some use it always now. Some never learn.

I would not use water in fear that it would swell the wood and seize the bit, as well as add unwanted moisture to the wood. I spend a lot of time and effort to properly dry the wood.

JKJ

[robert baccus]

Try intermediate pushes on the bit and not a steady cut pressure and an air hose.