Drilling a cannon bar (AUX OILER)

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U&A

The Millstead
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Any tips (no pun intended) on drilling a hole in a connon bar? Honestly think it is going to be a PITA because the bar is hard. Maybe im wrong.

Any other banjo bolts i should consider before buying this one?

https://www.granberg.com/product/0967f-bar-oil-injector/

Im going to make a setup with a small ball valve to control flow.

Bar is 60” long. .404

I dont think i want to do the “drip” method as I doubt much of the oil will make it inside the bar groove where it needs to be. And it sounds way messier too.

I dont have any carbide drill bits. Do I need one for this!
 
Normal drill bits usually won't cut it (pun intended)... I've heard of others using a cheap masonry bit sharpened up for a hole or 2. Whatever you use, go slow & lubricate with cutting oil or you will just further harden the part you're trying to drill
 
Carbide bits work best, like mentioned masonry bits will work in a pinch. Normal carbide twist bits can be had for reasonable cost on Amazon. If you have access to a lathe you don't need to blow the money on that fancy banjo bolt. Just drill out a normal 5/16" bolt, cross drill for the oil port, then cut the tip of the threads down to a 1/4" barb. Can be done on a drill press with a bit of fiddling around.
 
Use oil when drilling is a tip. I never drilled a solid bar only laminated ones where high speed steel bits (not sure if that counts as normal) work. Just stay 3/8 inch away from the spot welds. Perhaps the rails on solid bars are similar in distance. I suggest drilling as far from the sliding surface as possible to still hit the channel. I sharpen bits by hand, kind of crude compared to some of the videos on youtube showing it done but I figured it out before youtube.
 
Anything harder than mild steel requires maximum down pressure and reduced rpm for a HSS bit to cut. BUT if it just spins and does not cut right away, STOP and go get a carbide bit. A dull bit that's not cutting will work harden the material sometimes to the point that now even a new bit will not cut. It is possible, if you can not lay hands on a carbide bit, to grind away that thin layer of work hardened surface with a high-speed die grinder and a small pointy stone. Not easy, but it has been done. Then a new (or properly sharpened) bit will be able to cut. Way easier of course to just start out with a good sharp carbide bit to begin with. Lots of down pressure and reduced rpm is key.
 
Thank you very much guys.

I do appreciate it. Ill get a carbide bit and do it right. Bar showed up today. Its a beauty for sure. Flat and straight to all get out. Im impressed but hoped to be for the price. I LOVE the huge belly on the bar to help with the long chain keeping tension/contact with the bar. Should help keep the finish of the boards nice

View attachment IMG_3729.movIMG_3724.jpeg
 
Have mentioned before I had no trouble drilling my 72” GB titanium bar in a drill press w these cheap bits from China. Sharper edges than normal concrete bits. I can’t find the exact equivalent sold in US, strangely enough, usually all the stuff found on Ali is sold by folks on Amazon for 2-3x the price. Old machinist’s hack, modifying carbide tipped concrete bits, but these work right out of the box.
55681F9F-B01E-4CBC-8CC6-6F39BEDA193B.jpeg
 
If I drill the bar for this and then want to use the bar for bucking or anything that requires the banjo bolt to be removed, will the now open hole drip most of the the oil out of the bar at that spot? Obviously reducing the oil getting to the chain on the bottom of the bar.

Yes I over think things. But I see this happening.
 
U&A said:
If I drill the bar for this and then want to use the bar for bucking or anything that requires the banjo bolt to be removed, will the now open hole drip most of the the oil out of the bar at that spot? Obviously reducing the oil getting to the chain on the bottom of the bar.

Yes I over think things. But I see this happening.
Click to expand...
Far more oil will fling off the end of the bar from centrifugal force than will ever drip through there. The chain is moving at 60-80 feet per SECOND. It's carrying oil on it way too fast to ever lose it through that hole.
 
Coralillo Lo Pro said:
Far more oil will fling off the end of the bar from centrifugal force than will ever drip through there. The chain is moving at 60-80 feet per SECOND. It's carrying oil on it way too fast to ever lose it through that hole.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
Trying to make certain I understand what you’re doing… Apologies if this has been covered. You want to drill a hole near the tip of the saw to inject (gravity feed only?) bar oil into the groove of the bar just before the chain goes around the tip.

First of all, I’ve drilled lots of bars for attaching various mills and other things like “Wood Wizard” de-barkers. Just use a sharp regular drill bit in a drill press. Set the bar really secure, splooge on some oil, low speed on the drill, then no messing around, once the bit starts to cut keep on the pressure until you’re through. Don’t let the bit spin in the hole without cutting. Drill press is the key element here.

On other applications where I couldn’t get a drill press to the work, needing a hole in super hard steel, I’ve used a carbide burr in a die grinder, but that’s for larger diameter holes where the exact size and location wasn’t a major concern.

You’re correct that getting the oil into the groove is the most important thing. However, the thick, tacky bar oil might not flow like you think it will, especially on a cold day. Expecting it to flow through the tube from the tank then into the even smaller port on the banjo bolt sounds optimistic. If you’re using some product other than bar oil it wight be more effective.

When using a drip tank on AK mills, I always mixed some diesel with the bar oil to make it flow better. But mostly I just cranked up the oiler on the saw and let that carry the day, and much of my milling I used a double ended bar with two power heads so I was pressure pumping oil into the groove at both ends.
 
FYI, a drill shouldn't need a lot of down force to cut. Hence the reccomendatuons to use bits specifically made for cutting harder materials. High speed steel is about the lowest quality of a drill bit you can buy, and in my experience does not do well drill most quality bars. Carbide bits, weather the garbage reground masonry bits or cheapo carbide twist bits will cut faster, more accurate holes with normal feed rates.
 
rtrsam said:
Trying to make certain I understand what you’re doing… Apologies if this has been covered. You want to drill a hole near the tip of the saw to inject (gravity feed only?) bar oil into the groove of the bar just before the chain goes around the tip.

First of all, I’ve drilled lots of bars for attaching various mills and other things like “Wood Wizard” de-barkers. Just use a sharp regular drill bit in a drill press. Set the bar really secure, splooge on some oil, low speed on the drill, then no messing around, once the bit starts to cut keep on the pressure until you’re through. Don’t let the bit spin in the hole without cutting. Drill press is the key element here.

On other applications where I couldn’t get a drill press to the work, needing a hole in super hard steel, I’ve used a carbide burr in a die grinder, but that’s for larger diameter holes where the exact size and location wasn’t a major concern.

You’re correct that getting the oil into the groove is the most important thing. However, the thick, tacky bar oil might not flow like you think it will, especially on a cold day. Expecting it to flow through the tube from the tank then into the even smaller port on the banjo bolt sounds optimistic. If you’re using some product other than bar oil it wight be more effective.

When using a drip tank on AK mills, I always mixed some diesel with the bar oil to make it flow better. But mostly I just cranked up the oiler on the saw and let that carry the day, and much of my milling I used a double ended bar with two power heads so I was pressure pumping oil into the groove at both ends.
Click to expand...
I mix K1 with it in the winter

Thank you sir. Yes im going to drill the bar in 2 spots so I can still flip it. And I dont expect huge flow. I dont want huge flow honestly. I think she looks better skinny………🤣😉😉. Joking aside, I think just a bit extra will really help with reduce heat via friction.
 
U&A said:
Any tips (no pun intended) on drilling a hole in a connon bar? Honestly think it is going to be a PITA because the bar is hard. Maybe im wrong.

Any other banjo bolts i should consider before buying this one?

https://www.granberg.com/product/0967f-bar-oil-injector/

Im going to make a setup with a small ball valve to control flow.

Bar is 60” long. .404

I dont think i want to do the “drip” method as I doubt much of the oil will make it inside the bar groove where it needs to be. And it sounds way messier too.

I dont have any carbide drill bits. Do I need one for this!
Click to expand...
A small carbide to place the center wanted, pilot for next bit which is oiled profusely. I've drllied center of sprockets to use a vertical bar held by 1/4" 20 thru that hole gains more than an inch of milling reach
Something else I do is to mill with the "top" of the bar, that's where the power head pumps the oil anyway
 

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