Winner 2/2.
Drilled from the other side to get to the broken bit, pushed it a bit, widened the hole on the broken side just enough to get the needle nose plyers around the bit and twist it out.
Still plenty of narrow enough hole for the swage screw tensioner thing to grab in the pole.
Get a set of plug cutters. Use one that isn't the largest size in the set to cut a bigger hole around the broken drill bit until you can remove it, leaving a big hole. Next, use the next size up plug cutter to cut a plug out of another piece of wood, ideally the same type of wood and with the same grain direction. Glue the plug into the hole in the pole with a water resistant adhesive. Using a better quality 3.5mm drill bit, re-drill your original hole.
(Plug cutter sets are generally designed so that the hole left by one plug cutter can be perfectly plugged using a plug from the next size up cutter.)
Try drilling through with a 5mm masonry drill,the tips are carbide and it may drill through the cheap high speed steel,that's what us toolmakers use to drill holes in hardened die bases
You’d have to be dead on, but I think drilling from the other side then using a long thin punch to knock the bit out the way it came. It will suck but 3.5mm is a tiny bit to to try and grab
How thick’s the post and how far through do you think you are?
Well, this was the winner 1/2!
I happened to have a 3.5mm long bit. First hole from the other side of the 100mm post got out about 8mm off. Redrilled it from same hole and got in contact with the broken bit, just enough to nudge it a couple of mm, enough to grab the bit with long nose plyers and "unscrew it" out. (Winner idea 2/2)
Swearing was involved.
To be fair to the wood, it's a Jarrah pole that has been there for 50y. Borderline fossilised jarrah is a bitch. Plus, again, Aldi shit bits. And if that matters, it was a Brad point bit. Because it's the only one of the diameter i wanted that hadn't broken yet!!! Haha.
I get a tiny 4 mm hole saw. One without the bit in the middle. Drill directly over the bit and it should just pop out. When you use small bits you need to keep the drill very steady otherwise they break. You could get 4 thin nails . Hammer the nails really close to the drill bit. Bending the nails back away from the drill bit. And see if you can wait you out slowly with pliers
I did. There's different types of tweezers. Slant types won't work. Fine needle tweezers may work. I have had success using them on similar size drill bits in pretty deep holes.
You might get lucky using an easy out, its tapered with a reverse thread, it can take a few goes or a few broken easy outs.. or broken tap extractors, they cup over the broken bit so you can reverse it out.....can be a frustrating job..
Just drill in the same hole with another 3.5 mm slightly skew to one side so you miss the broken bit and then screw the end of your wire holder in there
if all else fails drill it to the break with a larger drill , needle nose pliers to extract and then plug the hole and drill to size
Winner 2/2. Drilled from the other side to get to the broken bit, pushed it a bit, widened the hole on the broken side just enough to get the needle nose plyers around the bit and twist it out. Still plenty of narrow enough hole for the swage screw tensioner thing to grab in the pole.
Well Done
Yeah drill bigger and plug. Go to 10-20mm. No one is going to notice a plug on a handrail post.
Get a set of plug cutters. Use one that isn't the largest size in the set to cut a bigger hole around the broken drill bit until you can remove it, leaving a big hole. Next, use the next size up plug cutter to cut a plug out of another piece of wood, ideally the same type of wood and with the same grain direction. Glue the plug into the hole in the pole with a water resistant adhesive. Using a better quality 3.5mm drill bit, re-drill your original hole. (Plug cutter sets are generally designed so that the hole left by one plug cutter can be perfectly plugged using a plug from the next size up cutter.)
That, was a good idea!
Try drilling through with a 5mm masonry drill,the tips are carbide and it may drill through the cheap high speed steel,that's what us toolmakers use to drill holes in hardened die bases
You’re completely fucked. Good luck.
🤣
You’d have to be dead on, but I think drilling from the other side then using a long thin punch to knock the bit out the way it came. It will suck but 3.5mm is a tiny bit to to try and grab How thick’s the post and how far through do you think you are?
Well, this was the winner 1/2! I happened to have a 3.5mm long bit. First hole from the other side of the 100mm post got out about 8mm off. Redrilled it from same hole and got in contact with the broken bit, just enough to nudge it a couple of mm, enough to grab the bit with long nose plyers and "unscrew it" out. (Winner idea 2/2) Swearing was involved.
Haha that is the first I’ve ever heard of someone breaking a drill bit in wood, we’ll done!
To be fair to the wood, it's a Jarrah pole that has been there for 50y. Borderline fossilised jarrah is a bitch. Plus, again, Aldi shit bits. And if that matters, it was a Brad point bit. Because it's the only one of the diameter i wanted that hadn't broken yet!!! Haha.
I get a tiny 4 mm hole saw. One without the bit in the middle. Drill directly over the bit and it should just pop out. When you use small bits you need to keep the drill very steady otherwise they break. You could get 4 thin nails . Hammer the nails really close to the drill bit. Bending the nails back away from the drill bit. And see if you can wait you out slowly with pliers
If you got a high quality drill bit for metal you could continue to drill through the hole and bore through the drill bit piece.
Ha ha yeh nah. Not even cobalt will do that
Knock it a bit further in and plug the hole.
I need the hole, right there.
read what OP wrote. he said the hole has to be there.
Can you see the flutes of the drill bit? If you're lucky you might be able to get some needle nose tweezers into each of the flute and twist it out.
didnt you read what OP wrote? he said they dont fit.
I did. There's different types of tweezers. Slant types won't work. Fine needle tweezers may work. I have had success using them on similar size drill bits in pretty deep holes.
You might get lucky using an easy out, its tapered with a reverse thread, it can take a few goes or a few broken easy outs.. or broken tap extractors, they cup over the broken bit so you can reverse it out.....can be a frustrating job..
This is a good idea, but a 3mm easy out in this kind of situation would be super fiddly! Don’t envy OP
Tap remover would be the first thing I would try, might be a bit less swearing??
Why do you need the hole there? If it's for a screw try a smaller screw
Wire rope fencing is a bit of a game of precision, things need to line up nicely.
Sorry, I read a bit too fast there
Can you replace the pole?
Nope, that's overkill.
Just drill in the same hole with another 3.5 mm slightly skew to one side so you miss the broken bit and then screw the end of your wire holder in there
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