Wood auger bits

[Left hooker]

I get why they don’t want steel, but if the steel is not on the surface, then I can’t see the danger in having steel in the sleepers? If a bullet was to find it’s way into the sleepers and make contact with the steel then I’d think all it’s energy would have pretty much been expelled? But I suppose that’s just hillbilly logic and they have their reasons and guidelines to follow?
The irony is (forgive the pun), there’s probably plenty of steel already in the sleepers if they are reclaimed traditional ones.

Also the soft wood dowels won't last as long as steel or the treated sleepers

 

[Smiffy]

Also the soft wood dowels won't last as long as steel or the treated sleepers

Oak dowel can be bought by the meter on eBay should be alright I bought loads of 12mm as I didn't have a shave horse to make timber frame dowels

 

[Grahams]

A bit of background seems in order. The wall is already up. The reason for pining it is people were climbing on it and one of the sleepers fell off. No one was hurt, but they want to reduce the risk of it happening again.
It is bad practice to add anything that could cause a ricoshet if you don't have to. As the sleepers tend to get shot to pieces well before they rot the pin rotting won't be an issue, but once the surrounding wood has been shot to pieces an exposed bit of rebar can be dangerous and will cause the range to be shut.
On the way to work today I was going near Screwfix so picked up one of the auger bits. I was surprised at the design as there is only one cutting edge and one spur, but it went through the offcut of sleeper I have very easily.

 

[Grahams]

Oak dowel can be bought by the meter on eBay should be alright I bought loads of 12mm as I didn't have a shave horse to make timber frame dowels

Sounds interesting. Do you know which supplier you got your from?

 

[GazCro]

A bit of background seems in order. The wall is already up. The reason for pining it is people were climbing on it and one of the sleepers fell off. No one was hurt, but they want to reduce the risk of it happening again.
It is bad practice to add anything that could cause a ricoshet if you don't have to. As the sleepers tend to get shot to pieces well before they rot the pin rotting won't be an issue, but once the surrounding wood has been shot to pieces an exposed bit of rebar can be dangerous and will cause the range to be shut.
On the way to work today I was going near Screwfix so picked up one of the auger bits. I was surprised at the design as there is only one cutting edge and one spur, but it went through the offcut of sleeper I have very easily.

Now we know it's not a sleeper wall in a garden and why no metal is to be used it's fair enough. Probs won't matter what you use for dowels wood wise if they ain't gonna last that long

 

[Grahams]

Now we know it's not a sleeper wall in a garden and why no metal is to be used it's fair enough. Probs won't matter what you use for dowels wood wise if they ain't gonna last that long

I don't tend to talk in detail about what I do as you can't be too careful about what you let slip.

 

[Smiffy]

This is the one I bought from
But they only stock up to 18mm
Have seen upto 32mm on eBay
Pretty sure it all comes from the same place I would guess eastern European I can't see it being English oak

3 x 800 mm Lengths Genuine OAK DOWELING 9.0 12.0 & 18 mm Sanded Top Quality ZQ | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 3 x 800 mm Lengths Genuine OAK DOWELING 9.0 12.0 & 18 mm Sanded Top Quality ZQ at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Smiffy]

Here's a pic of it in use

 

[fred]

good luck hammering in those skinny dowels more than 100mm without snapping!

 

[Smiffy]

good luck hammering in those skinny dowels more than 100mm without snapping!

They where only 12mm and serving a different purpose but they are dead straight not like traditionally made pegs so would be to difficult

 

[V8Druid]

this lot doing it in 8ft lengths @Grahams ... only up to 18 mm but dare say an ask might produce bigger ? says they do a full range

2.4 Mtr Long OAK DOWEL Diameters 9.0 12.0 & 18mm Sanded Top Quality Doweling | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2.4 Mtr Long OAK DOWEL Diameters 9.0 12.0 & 18mm Sanded Top Quality Doweling at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Grahams]

Given what everyone is saying about the difficulty of getting them in I may just use 19mm soft wood dowels in 20mm holes and let them expand with the damp, or even use some exterior wood glue. There is probably going to be too much friction to hammer 20mm dowel in 20mm holes to any depth.

 

[Shovelhands]

Drill them out to 22mm then? And use glue?

 

[Left hooker]

Ah penny drops forget you do shooting range work
Get what you mean now we get a range just above Bodmin order screen soil need sample before ordering can't have any stones bigger than half inch in it for ricoshey reasons

 

[Lancs Lad]

If anyone ever wants proper dowels try these lads:

Wooden Dowels | Hardwood Dowels & Timber Dowel Rods

Find great deals on wooden dowels with G&S Specialist Timber. We offer free delivery on UK orders over £45 as well as high levels of customer satisfaction.

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Proper nice family outfit , been in their workshops. Recomend them

 

[Grahams]

Ah penny drops forget you do shooting range work
Get what you mean now we get a range just above Bodmin order screen soil need sample before ordering can't have any stones bigger than half inch in it for ricoshey reasons

Don’t talk to me about that range. Doesn’t meet any of the specifications, including having a road in danger which isn’t shut when they are firing and they just keep on using it. It could easily be shut as there are plenty of other ranges that can do the drills that does but somehow it stays open.

 

[Bri963]

Start the holes with a Spade bit, once you’re into good wood use the auger bit, it’ll last longer that way.

 

[Delbouy]

I would go for the Erwin bits myself, then put an extension on it to drill deeper.
the auger bit with a single cutting edge will tend to wonder off really quickly especially in old solid Oak.
them Erwin bits with a good 18volt battery drill on the lowest speed will pull themselves through the timber.
DeWalt do a good set the same design, three cutting edges rather then just one.
i use them all the time with my 18 volt drill, 32mm on the lowest speed, they feel like there going to pull the drill out of your hands.

 

[Grahams]

A bit of follow up to this. Still haven't been back to the original job, but pinned a row of five sleepers three deep today. Drilled through two 20mm holes in each and dropped in 19mm dowels. Top sleeper was new soft wood bulk, but bottom two were old sleepers (went down to about 50mm into the bottom one). Took a bit of time and was on my third drill bit, but it worked well. Only issue I had was the threaded tip kept clogging which stopped it cutting down.

 

[bobthebuilder]

Bosch cutters