Watch Before using bead drill bits to make wood balls

Experimenting with different drill bit sizes for making wooden beads and balls may seem like a simple task, but it can hide frustrating surprises. From issues with the quality of the bits to unexpected incidents in the workshop, this project revealed more than I anticipated. Although the professional drill press helped maintain precision, the challenges were not lacking, including a valuable lesson and some off-center balls.

Throughout the process, many doubts arose regarding the actual usefulness of these bead drill bits. While they can theoretically serve their purpose, the results leave much to be desired in terms of the quality of the beads they produce. Not only do the two halves of the balls often end up misaligned, but the finishing work required, sanding the wood afterwards to achieve a smooth surface, is considerable. No matter how much we enjoy DIY and woodworking, sometimes it’s better to opt for other solutions, such as buying pre-made balls, rather than trying to make them ourselves with these types of bits.

👉 On my channel without commentary, I show step by step how I the table for my professional drill press:

👉 Or the drill press table I made years ago, in this channel, for my other cheap drill press:

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[PhongNguyen-izsj]

IMO .. you need to send the piece of wood through a jointer then a planer 1st to make the two faces parallel and flat. At a minimum the planer. Then the two halves will have a better chance to meet. In the video I can see the large piece rocking on uneven face.

[weldabar]

Thanks for demonstrating this safety hazard.
- Yes you figured out that clamps improve safety on such jobs.
- It unclear if it was softwood or hardwood. If hardwood then the drill speed was very much too fast. For that size bit it should be just 250 rpm. Most drill presses don't go that slow, so just select the slowest speed available then. For softwood and that size bit use 1000 rpm.

[murphymmc]

Having the thickness of the wood just slightly larger than the diameter of the ball might help.

[gedreillyhomestead]

I wonder if the board you used wasn't parallel? If not the drill and cutter would be coming in at different angles when you flipped the board. 🤔 I also wonder if a harder wood would give a better finish.

[Cryptic]

maybe you should get a foot switch so you can turn off the drill press without removing your hands, granted clamping the product helps

[chriselliott]

I much prefer your real voice. And yes, I agree, these cutters produce a disappointing finish.

[charlesxix]

An interesting tool and video but I'd rather go and buy some beads from the web.