Fretboard Dots - Brad Point??

[tkmclaughlin]

Hi all. I’ve built a few fretboards so far and am still in learning territory. I also don’t have the most precise drill press (I’ve got a Harbor Freight model which a guy once made me laugh when he called it a “boat anchor”). Anyway, I’ve struggled getting the process right for drilling fretboard markers. I buy the ones from StewMac and they are pretty thin (1.27mm). You don’t have much room for error before you go too deep with the hole, and when I sand flush sometimes it hollows out a part of the dot. My question is whether I’ve been using the wrong drill bit. My 1/4” Brad point bit does not leave a flat cavity. Obviously it leaves a dot in the center, but more importantly the shape of the flutes leaves kind of like a concave frisbee sort of shape (with a hole in the middle) where there is like a raised disk in the center of cavity sloping down toward the outside of the hole. So even though I set my drill press to drill the right depth, it’s actually raised up a bit in the middle and the dot sits too high in the cavity. So then I try to go a little lower, and inevitably go too low.

Is there, maybe, a flat-bottomed drill bit I should be using that would more accurately let me measure my holes?

EDIT - maybe I should use an end mill bit?

Sorry for the dumb question but any advice would be helpful!

 

[Texicaster]

Forstner bit?

I've not done fret boards but used them for screw holes then cut plugs. Nice sharp edges and straight sides

 

[eallen]

I prefer forester bits as well.

 

[RogerC]

Yep, another vote for forstner bits.

 

[guitarbuilder]

Forstner and you'll still get a slight pointed divot with that flat bottom. Different brands have different length points. Cheaper ones tend to be longer.

 

[Dan Miller]

There is also a huge difference in the quality of brad-point bits. The cheaper ones leave an arch profile between point and spurs (and tend to wobble more). The good ones are mostly flat between the point and spurs. I use these ones: https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...s/42247-hss-lipped-imperial-brad-point-drills

I use Forstner bits a lot too.

 

[tkmclaughlin]

Thank you for the Brad point bit recommendation. I kind of suspected that mine might be of poorer quality in that they leave that dome shape. I will look into improving my bit set.

 

[Davecam48]

This Mr. Forstner must be a very busy man!!!

I use them as well !!!!

DC

 

[old wrench]

I've used brad-points, but I much prefer Forstner's - they leave a cleaner hole

I usually use 1/4" (6.35mm) fret-board markers, so I have a good, sharp, 1/4" Forstener bit dedicated for fret-board markers only - that's the only thing I use it for

.

 

[Dan Miller]

Trivia time - a lot of folks don't realize how long they've been around. The original patent for them is from 1886. Here is a set I have meant to be used in a bit brace.

 

[hd09]

If set up right maybe 1/4" end mill
Might have to make a jig so it didn't wander

 

[oldunc]

Forstner bits are guided by their rim once they're started, so it would actually be possible to start a hole with a regular bit and finish it with a pointless one, I wonder if anyone's done anything with that? Never had a problem with the point, myself, but it could happen.

 

[novakane]

Trivia time - a lot of folks don't realize how long they've been around. The original patent for them is from 1886. Here is a set I have meant to be used in a bit brace.

I have an adapter and use some more modern forstner bits in a very old Stanley 923 for routing out cavities in guitar bodies.