Author Topic: What do I need to drill at home? (Read 9376 times)

Nizztos · « **on:** February 02, 2020, 03:48:19 AM »

I would like to drill my balls at home. Basically just as a hobby and for fun. Willing to put some money into it but the sky is not the limit.

Just need to understand what I need at a minimum.

Drill Press. Is 80mm (~3") chuck travel enough? Would need to swing or lower bed to change drills but I could live with that.

x-y table to do oval holes.

Jig. This seems very expensive for what it is. Can something be cobbled together that works? Seems it is just a ball holder, two long screws and a plate with a hole in it. Am I missing something here?

Bits that cover the sizes of holes I need.

inserts (I will use vise grips or similar for my thumb).

Epoxy since I will at least to start with redrill an old ball more than a few times

What else do I need and what are some things I need to consider for the items I have already listed?

johns811 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2020, 10:16:28 AM »

I drill at home. I suggest trying to find a drill with basic jig. You could probably find something for around $500 used. For bits, you can get away with 2 or 3 (1, grip usually 31/32), 1 for thumb, 1 for slug if desired (1 1/4 or 1 3/8").

The Jig is really the critical piece as it controls your pitches. If it's not right, your pitches aren't. I disagree on the need for x-y table. I do all my oval shaping by hand.

If you plan on plugging balls, get 1 gallon, it will last forever. You can use plumbers putty to build damns if you don't want to buy the sticky damns. Sticky works best.

Some sort of plug cutter, if you have a router you can modify to cut plugs. Ball spinner, drawing scale, pitch gauges (the plastic one is fine). Bevel sander, bevel knife, ball cups. With the new weight rules, I don't think a scale is needed anymore assuming the ball has reasonable top and you don't get silly with the layout.

bullred · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2020, 11:50:01 AM »

johns811 where you live, I have stuff

johns811 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2020, 11:52:55 AM »

Quote from: bullred on February 03, 2020, 11:50:01 AM

johns811 where you live, I have stuff

I have everything, see original poster.

Nizztos · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2020, 01:43:16 PM »

Quote from: johns811 on February 03, 2020, 10:16:28 AM

I drill at home. I suggest trying to find a drill with basic jig. You could probably find something for around $500 used. For bits, you can get away with 2 or 3 (1, grip usually 31/32), 1 for thumb, 1 for slug if desired (1 1/4 or 1 3/8").

The Jig is really the critical piece as it controls your pitches. If it's not right, your pitches aren't. I disagree on the need for x-y table. I do all my oval shaping by hand.

If you plan on plugging balls, get 1 gallon, it will last forever. You can use plumbers putty to build damns if you don't want to buy the sticky damns. Sticky works best.

Some sort of plug cutter, if you have a router you can modify to cut plugs. Ball spinner, drawing scale, pitch gauges (the plastic one is fine). Bevel sander, bevel knife, ball cups. With the new weight rules, I don't think a scale is needed anymore assuming the ball has reasonable top and you don't get silly with the layout.

Thanks for the input.

Meant to write this in original post but forgot.
I'm in Europe and we have much less access to a lot of the parts so finding a used drill with jig is more or less out of the question. Have never seen any kind of "pro shop" equipment for sale here.

So still looking for advice on how to get a jig. My ideas so far is buying new from the US and deal with shipping and taxes, provided I can find one from a company that ships overseas. Alternative is DIY but from what you write it might not be a good idea.

How do you drill an oval without an x-y table? Reposition the jig?

bowling_rebel · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2020, 01:05:32 AM »

The ultimate DIY ball drilling

itsallaboutme · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2020, 07:13:46 AM »

KMT Ball Jig is the easiest and cheapest alternative for DIY. I was very skeptical and tested it before we sold them when I worked for BP. I was pleasantly surprised of the quality of the unit and how well it worked.

Nizztos · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2020, 12:05:19 PM »

Quote from: itsallaboutme on February 04, 2020, 07:13:46 AM

KMT Ball Jig is the easiest and cheapest alternative for DIY. I was very skeptical and tested it before we sold them when I worked for BP. I was pleasantly surprised of the quality of the unit and how well it worked.

From what I can tell that is a fixed pitch jig? So I have no room for experimentation. It would work good for reproducing what I have but if I think my current pitch is a bit of I can't change it with that jig.
Or?

PS: my posts are still under moderation so my replies are late.

johns811 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2020, 11:12:10 AM »

Quote from: Nizztos on February 03, 2020, 01:43:16 PM

Quote from: johns811 on February 03, 2020, 10:16:28 AM
I drill at home. I suggest trying to find a drill with basic jig. You could probably find something for around $500 used. For bits, you can get away with 2 or 3 (1, grip usually 31/32), 1 for thumb, 1 for slug if desired (1 1/4 or 1 3/8").

The Jig is really the critical piece as it controls your pitches. If it's not right, your pitches aren't. I disagree on the need for x-y table. I do all my oval shaping by hand.

If you plan on plugging balls, get 1 gallon, it will last forever. You can use plumbers putty to build damns if you don't want to buy the sticky damns. Sticky works best.

Some sort of plug cutter, if you have a router you can modify to cut plugs. Ball spinner, drawing scale, pitch gauges (the plastic one is fine). Bevel sander, bevel knife, ball cups. With the new weight rules, I don't think a scale is needed anymore assuming the ball has reasonable top and you don't get silly with the layout.

Thanks for the input.

Meant to write this in original post but forgot.
I'm in Europe and we have much less access to a lot of the parts so finding a used drill with jig is more or less out of the question. Have never seen any kind of "pro shop" equipment for sale here.

So still looking for advice on how to get a jig. My ideas so far is buying new from the US and deal with shipping and taxes, provided I can find one from a company that ships overseas. Alternative is DIY but from what you write it might not be a good idea.

How do you drill an oval without an x-y table? Reposition the jig?

I don't drill oval, but I could with carefully repositioning the ball. I manually oval holes by using various tool, either manually or with a grinding type bit I put in a manual electric drill. It take a bit of time and patience, I use a caliper to measure and eventually get it right. Worst case is reslug if you mess it up. The simplest of jigs is an x-y rudell jig and drill that would work. I imagine it takes some work to get the jig positioned and attached correctly so the pitches are correct.

itsallaboutme · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2020, 11:50:53 AM »

You can buy different pitch plates for the KMT. Maybe not the unit if you want to do a lot of experimenting, but you could buy extra pitch plates and inter change them as necessary.

Swinging the head or lowering the table would require you to recalibrate the jig. You could probably get away with removing the ball from the jig to change bits.

Nizztos · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2020, 03:31:17 PM »

I was actually starting to warm up to the KMT even with some of its limitations but then I realized that it would cost $200 to ship it to me (shipping + taxes/duties). Not worth it.

Unfortunately I also realized that the drill press I was considering measured the gap from spindle to table and not from chuck so not enough gap with an x-y table added

I still think the x-y table is needed, if not for ovals then for pitch.

The jig I'm actually confident I can DIY after having studied the one at the pro-shop where I bowl.

But for now I'm kind of back to square one as the only drill press options I'm aware of now would be on a floor stand and I don't want that.

johns811 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 06, 2020, 11:33:22 AM »

I realize I misspoke in one of my posts. The most basic Jig IS an xy table. It is used for pitches. It moves the ball off center for pitches. I can post a picture if you like.

This is a Rudell XY that can be mounted to a drill press.

https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/1/1211/13/bowling-ball-drill-jig-rudell_1_fc08b7820f7655933be7c934232ce967.jpg

Nizztos · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2020, 01:08:06 PM »

Thanks again!

I think I'm pretty clear on what I need now. Just have to figure out how I go about acquiring the items...

Even a simple thing like the drill bits will be a bit of a challenge since you still have not discovered the metric system and do things the ancient way

Hard to come by here.

johns811 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 07, 2020, 10:15:40 AM »

I still think your best shot is to try to find a used press.

Nizztos · « **Reply #14 on:** February 07, 2020, 10:26:51 AM »

Quote from: johns811 on February 07, 2020, 10:15:40 AM

I still think your best shot is to try to find a used press.

That is probably the best thing but there are no used presses to find here. Very different, as in MUCH smaller, market from the US when it comes to bowling and there is zero market for "pro shop tools" for personal use.

Author Topic: What do I need to drill at home? (Read 9376 times)

Nizztos

What do I need to drill at home?

johns811

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

bullred

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

johns811

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

Nizztos

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

bowling_rebel

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

itsallaboutme

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

Nizztos

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

johns811

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

itsallaboutme

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

Nizztos

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

johns811

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

Nizztos

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

johns811

Re: What do I need to drill at home?

Nizztos

Re: What do I need to drill at home?