Better way to make this slot?

[Wade Lippman]

I had a spare key with a huge plastic head, and it wouldn't fit where I wanted to put it. I took the plastic off and that left a stub 5/32" by 1/4", and 3/16" long. So, I needed to make a slot in a piece of wood to fit.

I drilled 3 5/32" holes and dug out the material between them with butt of a little file. I then used the drill like a router bit to clean out the slot. I expected the drill to break, but got lucky.

It worked, but it was really kludgy; there has to be a better way. Any suggestions? (I don't know if they make chisels that small, but I sure don't have one)

[Stan Calow]

There are tiny router bits that fit a Dremel tool. But I would cut shallow slots (by router or router plane) in two matching pieces of wood, and then glue them together, with key in the middle.

[Wade Lippman]

I didn't bother to look for router bits because I didn't imagine they existed. But they are just $10! Not worth it for one slot, but if I ever have a bunch...

I thought of making it in two pieces, but that isn't elegant.

(Perhaps a blob of epoxy putty would have been the best solution to the immediate problem; but that is besides the point.)

[John K Jordan]

(Perhaps a blob of epoxy putty would have been the best solution to the immediate problem; but that is besides the point.)

Sounds like a perfect job for Sugru. https://sugru.com/ I've made a variety of things from it. Or, do you know someone with a 3D printer?

JKJ