At 7:09 PM -0500 5/23/02, Ron Nossaman wrote: >The trick is to make up a bunch of holes beforehand, of the appropriate >sizes, so they'll be right there and ready as you need them during the >process. It saves a lot of setup time when you can just pick the >appropriate hole and insert it where needed, as you go. If you've never >done this before, here's a little tip. Keep the different sizes in separate >containers, or the smaller holes will fall into the larger ones and you >could turn the entire key inside out trying to install it. Also, grasp the >holes by their sides, rather than their ends, when handling. I have an unending supply of holes, they're a natural by-product of my thinking. I just tip my head to the side, over a jar, knock on the other side of my head and they come tumbling out. Actually, what you want to do is have a custom made step drill. (<http://www.wlfuller.com/>, not mentioned at the web site but to be ordered specially over the phone.) Pick your most commonly used keylead diameters, say 7/16" and 1/2" and have a brad point drill ground such that the first inch drills a 7/16" hole, and then the bit diameter steps out (with spurs, to boot) to drill a 1/2" hole. (two, Two, TWO BITS IN ONE!!) You might take the opportunity to experiment with some metric drills and nearby factional sizes, drill various diameter holes to see what size hole the lead will just gently press into. The idea is to specify the drill diameters which you know will work before you spend the money of a custom made step drill. I can't remember what I finally decided on and I'm too lazy to walk over the shop and mic it for you. If you 3/8" and 5/8" leads are few and far between, you can drill the middle two sizes with the same drill. Otherwise you have to separate all the keys needing a 5/8" hole and do them in one run. But if you sprung for two step drills and had a second drill press, you'd be all set to drill all four size holes simultaneously. BTW, David Stanwood showed me this one. At 6:32 PM -0400 5/23/02, Farrell wrote: >It's amazing how irregular the old leading (FWs) was. Down in the >bass, one natural key will need five grams less FW, and the next one >will need 10 grams added! Makes you wonder exactly how the original leading was done. These didn't appear to be pattern-leading did they? Bill Ballard RPT NH Chapter, P.T.G. "A jester unemployed is nobody's fool." ...........Danny Kaye, in "The Court Jester" +++++++++++++++++++++
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