Drilling Tools

Drilling Tools used in Boat Building

DRILLING TOOLS

1. Cross-handled twist bits (3).  These drills are long in order to drill holes at some distance from the craftsman, for instance for a propeller shaft. The cross handle enables the craftsman to apply a lot of force. The twist is designed to carry the waste wood away from the cutting edge. A particularly long version is shown below (8).

2. Tapered reamers. Used for cutting a hole to take a tapered rod such as a belaying pin. A hole of the smallest diameter is drilled first and then widened to a taper.

3. Reamers. These parallel reamers are used after a drill to ensure an exact  hole diameter particularly for a drive shaft. In some cases these have to be very long where the engine is well forward of the propellor.  Two very long reamers are shown below (9).

4.  Archimedian drills. These drills are used for drilling small diameters. The drill is rotated by pushing the  driving screw down the spiral shaft.

5.  Twist bits. These are fitted in a Ratchet Brace (6). A tapered screw on the end of the drill helps to pull the drill into the wood and the spiral carries the wood   cuttings away. A spur cuts a circle before the wood is   removed.  The squared end enhances the grip in the brace, the two without a squared end would be used in the Breast Drill (7)

6. Ratchet Brace. Used with twist and other bits. The ratchet enables the drill to make series of part turns in places where there is no room to make a full turn. The knob on the top is to enable the craftsman to push the drill into the wood.

7. Breast drill. Used with twist drills and twist bits with round shafts . The flat end enables the craftsman to push the drill with his chest.