Fine points of drilling bridges

[Brian Trout]

Aah, I think I'm finally coming up with a plan.  Sounds like I need to make
a larger mark for the bit to follow.  I've been making it too small to be of
any use to the bit.  I'll try it out on the next bridge project.

Thanks for the input.

Brian

-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Nossaman <nossaman@SOUTHWIND.NET>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Sunday, June 13, 1999 10:14 PM
Subject: Re: Fine points of drilling bridges


>
>>Here's what I've been doing.  I've been laying out the pattern on the
fresh
>cap, marking it fist with a pencil mark, and then with a very sharp awl
(not
>deep, just a mark I can see, perhaps 1/32" deep), and proceeding to drill
>with the standard drill bit from Apsco, by hand.
>---------
>>Brian Trout
>
>
>I have tried brad point, and hand sharpening bits to steeper angles, but
>have settled on my regular old set of number drills. I use an old nail set,
>ground down to just under the diameter of a #6 pin, and pointed a little
>steeper than the grind on a standard jobbers bit. I punch the bridge top to
>the depth of the point, maybe 1/16". The bit centers in the punch mark for
>me better this way than anything else I've found (making no claim to
>anything like perfection). If there is a better way, I'd sure like to know
>about it too.
> Ron
>
>