disaster!

[Aix Sponsa]

Well it was bound to happen. I was working on a Black capped chickadee and the small errors were building up. i was pleased at how I was managing to work around them and getting attached to the carving. Then I was drilling out the eyes and I slipped. The resulting gouge pretty much did it in.
So I have 2 questions. The guide I am using uses an odd method of denoting sizes in decimal fractions of inches. So what is .65 in and how do I figure these (I am much more comfortable with metric).
The second question is how do I drill eyes for birdes without disaster?

Thanks for any input.

Aix

[AlArchie]

.65 inch = 16.25 mm or probably a conversion from 16mm.

If that was an inch to decimal conversion it was most likely from 21/32"
You can find the deimal equivalent of fractional inches by dividing the numerator by the denominator. 21 divided by 32 = .656. Might take a bit of trial and error to find the exact fractional equivalent.

5/8=.625
11/16=.687
so .65 is somewhere in between those two. 11/16 is 22/32....21/32 =.656...close enough!

Figuring decimal fractions to mm, multiply the decimal# times 25. 25mm = 1 inch, give or take a blond hair. Sooooo .65x25=16.25mm.

As far as drilling those eye holes without tearing things up, the best way I have found is to use a brad point drill bit, but don't just start drilling. Also, don't drill a pilot hole.

First reverse your drill and run the brad point into the spot you want the eye placement. In reverse, the bit will slowly work into the wood and the cutting poins on the flutes will score a nice clean circumference. Once you get that good and solid, turn the drill direction back to forward and drill the hole. the scored lines will keep the bit from tearing the eye socket. You still need to be careful, but this method really helps.

Al

[STAR]

Al.

Thanks for sharing that tip on drilling eyes. Carving for a beginner is like Reverse Chinese Water Torture. We get the the information we need, drip by drip.

Thanks

Pete

[Aix Sponsa]

Thank you for the guidence I will use this info tomorrow when I try with my next bird.

[Midnight Carver]

If you are attached to the carving, maybe you can work around the gouge? Without seeing it it's hard to say, but what if you put the gouged side against something to hide it. Maybe put the chickadee on a branch with the gouge against a tree trunk or some other habitat?

Good Luck
Eric

[Bandaid]

I agree with Al on the use of brad point bits. When possible I drill the eye holes prior to getting down to the final shape. That way if you get a bit of tear out it can be carved away.

[arick]

Me too! As soon as I've got the rough cut out, the first thing I do is drill the eye holes. Do it before you start shapeing and you'll be fine.

[cb1959]

Been there and done that.
Repair area using Kulis karvet, a 2 part epoxy putty. You can shape, carve it, and texture it. It will stick to painted areas as well as wood and sets hard like a rock.
You can paint over it even when it is soft and not fully cured. If you have opened out the eye hole you can set the eye and repair the area at the same time.

Solution for the next time you carve out the eye socket. Use a diamond burr that is shapped like a triangle. It has a point and tappers to about 1/8" (part #331132), set the point on the center of your eye and grind out the area, this way you will not get tear out or popping out around the hole. If the eye is smaller than 1/8" do not push it in so far. Next use a round ruby burr slightly smaller then your eye size to open out the base of the eye hole. Works every time for me. I set my eyes with Kullis and use the squeezout to make the eye ring.
Kullis and the burrs are available from the Woodcraft shop. - POINTED - TREE SHAPED - LASCO DIAMOND - 150 GRIT #331132

Good luck on the repair!
Charlie

[dnstehly]

Hi Aix,
I've recommended this approach to someone before. I forget who. I find the safe way to bore eye holes is to locate their center, then use a compass to scribe the proper sized circle. Run over the scribe line with a pencil so you can see it better. Use a rough diamond or ruby ball of appropriate size to bore it out to size. Run your rotary tool at a moderate speed and slowly press the ball into the center mark. Work the ball in a circular motion, carefully out to your scribe mark. Have the eye you are going to use at hand so you can fit it, bore a little more, fit again, bore again, etc. Try it on some scrap wood to get the feel for it. The main thing that caught my attention here is the eye size. It seems to me that you have one walloping big chickadee to take a 16 mm eye. Would that chickadee be about the size of a Floridian squirrel?

[Aix Sponsa]

No luck there, I am sorry to say that I took out 1/4 of the poor little guys head with thte drill. (I say that with flippancy but I shudder as I type it).