# Help With Chamfering Holes In Wood



## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

I'd like to make thru holes in some of my frames and the holes are larger than the chamfer bit that I have. Any ideas? I'd like a 90deg chamfer in a 1/2 or 3/4 inch hole.


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## Ted (May 27, 2011)

I'm not sure what you mean by a 90 degree chamfer (do you mean a 45 degree chamfer?), but to ease the edge of the hole so that it is not so sharp, you could wrap a small strip of sandpaper lengthwise around a small diameter drill bit or dowel (essentially covering the entire drill bit with sandpaper) and use that to go around the edge of the hole, moving the drill bit side to side along the sharp edge of the hole. Use the part of the drill bit that is not sharp. Or you could just take a piece of sandpaper and hold it against your fingertip and use your finger to go around the edge of the hole.


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## Elmar (Apr 27, 2011)

Try a conical (cone) drill or if you have a router with a bevelling cutter


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

I have heaps of attachments at work just for that... will get a photo on Monday... in the mean time you could try a counter sink piece and just tap about 5mm in and round file it out..?


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## Hit and run (May 14, 2011)

If you have a router you could use a chamfer bit with a bearing at the tip (will probably work on a drill-press) (search google images for chamfer bit)

If a round edge is acceptable you could take a long strip of sandpaper (0.5 to 1 cm wide), put it through the hole and "saw" the edge away. (This will give a better result than just sanding it with your finger, and is faster.)


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

Get yourself a small trim router. Should set you back no more than about $30 and the same again for a set of router bits including 45 degree chamfer and round over.

The easiest way to cut slots for bands too.


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## Jacktrevally (Feb 14, 2011)

You can't go wrong with a countersinking bit. It will chamfer any diameter hole less than the size of the bit.


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## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

Those are all great ideas; thank you!
I'm trying to avoid power tools and am working with small and large diameters. The drill is the only power tool that I give in to








FYI: In design engineering the hole chamfer that appears as 45 deg is called out as a 90 deg chamfer because it is measured across the diameter of the hole thus doubling the degree to 90.


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## Ted (May 27, 2011)

Thanks, I didn't know that about how they call a chamfer. Another thing you might try is to take a small piece of sandpaper and kind of roll it into a cone shape, with the rough side of the sandpaper facing out, and then twist that in the hole to chamfer the edge. This may help get an even bevel all the way around the hole.


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## Bert (Mar 20, 2011)

Like said, a 90° countersink bit and finish as normal. I've got one that's 15 mm dia. so that's the hole limit


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

I admire your dedication to hand tools, it certainly adds that extra personal touch to everything you make not to mention the immense satisfaction of knowing you did it all by hand.

You can easily make hand tool to do this. If you can fashion yourself a wooden cone (or just use an old funnel or similar shaped object), then glue up a piece of sandpaper and start twisting. Make a handle or a shaft that you can fit into your drill.


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## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

Hrawk said:


> I admire your dedication to hand tools, it certainly adds that extra personal touch to everything you make not to mention the immense satisfaction of knowing you did it all by hand.
> 
> You can easily make hand tool to do this. If you can fashion yourself a wooden cone (or just use an old funnel or similar shaped object), then glue up a piece of sandpaper and start twisting. Make a handle or a shaft that you can fit into your drill.


Thank you! This should do the trick


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## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

I used your ideas and had good success, thank you all!!!
I ended up making a cone out of 100 grit and then inserting a dowel, while spinning the dowel between my palms. After a few moments I had the desired effect. Thanks!


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