Joseph's SQ Build Log

[Gujuvim710 10+ year member]

Thanks! I hope you stay tune in, I plan on updating every chance I get. Even if I have not done any major mods, I plan on keeping it updated!

Yeah I'm definitely going to checking in to see what you have done! I go on from work almost everyday

 

[Joseph7195 10+ year member]

I got a question guys! Tweeter Sphere time. Anybody got any good ideas on how to drill a hole into a wooden sphere and keep it centered, but also doing it with limited tools? Here are some pics of my problem:

Multiple drill holes

I have an electric drill, but no drill press. no bench vise, just a couple clamps. Any ideas will be welcome!

 

[redrider 10+ year member]

i was going to suggest cutting a portion of the end off, like you would for an onion so it has a flat surface to sit to cut the rest of it up, but here you would use the flat surface to drill into

 

[Joseph7195 10+ year member]

i was going to suggest cutting a portion of the end off, like you would for an onion so it has a flat surface to sit to cut the rest of it up, but here you would use the flat surface to drill into

I appreciate your help, I plan on coming up with a simple way to make these things so other's like me (with limited tools) can build these more easily. It's a very important step in a lot of people's builds so I hope I can get it figured out.

 

[redrider 10+ year member]

np man just throwing out ideas there.

 

[MisterDeadeye 10+ year member]

Maybe put the spheres in an egg carton?

 

[Joseph7195 10+ year member]

Maybe put the spheres in an egg carton?

You've mistaken my build log for The Thunderdome, here is a link to get you back on track:

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/thunderdome-forum-members-only/

 

[itsblown 10+ year member]

I think that might of been a legitimate suggestions ? are you having problems with them rolling on you when your drill?

 

[MisterDeadeye 10+ year member]

You've mistaken my build log for The Thunderdome, here is a link to get you back on track:
http://www.caraudio.com/forums/thunderdome-forum-members-only/

No. What's the issue with your drill holes? Are the spheres not staying in place? If they fit into an egg carton(even if you have to force them in), they'd stay pretty much in place as long as you position them so that your hole will be perpendicular to the surface the carton is sitting on.

 

[Joseph7195 10+ year member]

I think that might of been a legitimate suggestions ? are you having problems with them rolling on you when your drill?

If it was, I would be sincerely apologetic.

And yes, it's a weird thing that's happening. As the clamp is holding it still, the bit (1 3/8" wood bit) is only 1/4" less in circumference than the sphere itself, so as you cut into the wood, the walls are getting thinner, allowing the walls to flex inward, squeezing the wood bit causing it to pinch the bit till it gets hung and then ultimately spin the sphere.

 

[Joseph7195 10+ year member]

No. What's the issue with your drill holes? Are the spheres not staying in place? If they fit into an egg carton(even if you have to force them in), they'd stay pretty much in place as long as you position them so that your hole will be perpendicular to the surface the carton is sitting on.

Okay, I apologize. The force needed to hold the wood sphere in place while drilling is more than the egg carton could sustain. I like the idea cause it would help keep it upright (like a drill press vise) but the wood the sphere is made out of is very very hard. I couldn't make the one large diameter bit work, so I tried a smaller bit with multiple passes to do the same thing as a larger bit, but the wood is so stiff, the smaller bit caused the outer edges to chip off.

I did find a Forstner bit at harbor freight for $30, but I am trying to find an alternative for everyone that wouldn't require the buying of an expensive tool bit that would only get used once.

And again, I apologize. Thanks for the input, keep the ideas coming!

 

[MisterDeadeye 10+ year member]

If it was, I would be sincerely apologetic.
And yes, it's a weird thing that's happening. As the clamp is holding it still, the bit (1 3/8" wood bit) is only 1/4" less in circumference than the sphere itself, so as you cut into the wood, the walls are getting thinner, allowing the walls to flex inward, squeezing the wood bit causing it to pinch the bit till it gets hung and then ultimately spin the sphere.

Hmm, troublesome indeed. With the egg carton, all of the pressure will be put on the bottom of the sphere, so you shouldn't have much of a problem with the outer edge of the sphere. Maybe try clamping the egg carton to your table(for added support), finding the exact you need to drill(the exact highest point of the sphere, make sure you're as close to perpendicular as possible, then drilling. If it doesn't work, I'm sorry. D:

Edit;

I think that with the way the carton is shaped, the force would be divided as such that after you use as much force you can physically exert(before even trying to drill, and just to see if this theory is even correct), the sphere still wouldn't move. I think it would be more likely to pop right back out than to completely smash the carton and go rolling off in another direction.

 

[MisterDeadeye 10+ year member]

Based on that same concept, do you have any sheet metal that you could form into a cone? Or, you could try cutting a hole into a piece of wood, setting it down like a table, putting the sphere in that, and then drilling. With these ideas, the force from you pushing down would be met with the force of the table/metal cone/egg carton, which would put the pressure away from the walls that you're creating.

It would also be better if you could line the hole/point of contact with something soft like weatherstripping or foam to get as tight of a fit as possible, ensuring that the sphere wouldn't move(with the egg carton, because it's so flimsy, you wouldn't need this).

 

[splwj47 10+ year member]

[quote name='Joseph7195']If it was, I would be sincerely apologetic.

And yes, it's a weird thing that's happening. As the clamp is holding it still, the bit (1 3/8" wood bit) is only 1/4" less in circumference than the sphere itself, so as you cut into the wood, the walls are getting thinner, allowing the walls to flex inward, squeezing the wood bit causing it to pinch the bit till it gets hung and then ultimately spin the sphere.[/QUOTE]

talk to @keep_hope_alive

 

[Joseph7195 10+ year member]

Based on that same concept, do you have any sheet metal that you could form into a cone? Or, you could try cutting a hole into a piece of wood, setting it down like a table, putting the sphere in that, and then drilling. With these ideas, the force from you pushing down would be met with the force of the table/metal cone/egg carton, which would put the pressure away from the walls that you're creating.
It would also be better if you could line the hole/point of contact with something soft like weatherstripping or foam to get as tight of a fit as possible, ensuring that the sphere wouldn't move(with the egg carton, because it's so flimsy, you wouldn't need this).

I think I see where you're going with this, and I like! Instead of squeezing the sphere to keep it from moving, use something that covers the rear of the egg and the friction of the materials hold it securely, without putting pressure on the sides. I could probably just cut out the styrofoam egg piece from the carton and put it into a form that is cone shaped (Like you suggested), and the force of drilling would hold it securely, and the more I push down, the more friction holds it in place.

I am gonna make a trip to harbor freight in the morning sometime, and I am gonna see of I can find something cheaper than a Fornster bit that will work, and do the same job. I even looked at a hole saw. They are pretty cheap, but I can't find one in the 1 3/8" size that would be needed. It would make a perfectly round hole on the edge of the sphere, and maybe I could use just regular drill bits to drill out the unnecessary wood in the middle.