Cutting the shank on old style wood augers?

[julianf]

I'm sure I recall a thread about it before years ago but I can't find it -

I've got stacks of ancient wood augers. The sort with the 4 sided pyramid at the end of the shank that's supposed to be used with a manual brace.

I've never had the skill to use them. Maybe they're not compatible with the braces I have or somthing, I don't know, but I've had them years and they don't get used.

They have no value as used items. Go down any dump shop and there are loads.

So what's to stop me chopping the ends off the shanks just driving them with an electric drill?

I figured the speed would be all wrong but I have an Irwin took with a hex shank for boring through joists etc and that's pretty similar.

Someone here must have done the same - am I missing something or can I just chop the triangle bit off the shank and stick one in my Milwaukee drill?

Thank you.

 

[James1979]

Glad someone thinks the same as me! I got some in a job lot from auction and needed a hole through a joist and did just that. Have no idea if the speed / sfm or whatever wood butchers use to calculate things was right but it munched an inch hole through a load of joists so I could get the plumbing done.

Probably 'wrecked' an expensive bit in the eyes of some but I dont have an auger with a 4 jaw chuck and I had to buy them in the lot of stuff I wanted anyway.....

 

[jordhandson]

I'm sure I recall a thread about it before years ago but I can't find it -

I've got stacks of ancient wood augers. The sort with the 4 sided pyramid at the end of the shank that's supposed to be used with a manual brace.

I've never had the skill to use them. Maybe they're not compatible with the braces I have or somthing, I don't know, but I've had them years and they don't get used.

They have no value as used items. Go down any dump shop and there are loads.

So what's to stop me chopping the ends off the shanks just driving them with an electric drill?

I figured the speed would be all wrong but I have an Irwin took with a hex shank for boring through joists etc and that's pretty similar.

Someone here must have done the same - am I missing something or can I just chop the triangle bit off the shank and stick one in my Milwaukee drill?

Thank you.

I would chop one off nothing to loose and all to gain

 

[Welderpaul]

I remember reading in a 1980s DIY manual where it said you could cut the end off and use them in a drill. It also said to file the starting screw point to a plain point.

 

[brightspark]

best filing 3 flats on them after you cut them down to stop them turning in the chuck and run on slow speed

 

[julianf]

Butchery tomorrow then.

Thank you.

 

[brightspark]

[QUOTE="julianf, post: 1748846, member: 202 upgrading improving

 

[Turbo]

They work ok in a cordless drill but only use a very slow speed, they are only carbon steel & not hss like modern bits and don't like getting hot!

 

[bigegg]

i've done it with a few - not somdthing i use often tbf.

works perfectly, in the milwaukee cordless on "slow"