After a looking around online I can't find any sources nor many references
(last rec.woodworking reference was in 1998) for planetor bits. When still
in production (and available) they were used to bore long straight holes in
the ship building, electrical and pipe fitting trades. I once saw a set on
Ebay, but that was months ago and haven't seen any since.

My intended use is to bore a hole in the endgrain of a piece of wood (maple,
cherry, cocobola) about 20-24" long to make a wooden flute. The final
inside diameter could be 11/16" up to 1" It is very important that the
hole is straight.

Anyone out there had any experience with these bits? Know of a source?
Have an alternative for boring holes like this? Thanks.

rah wrote:


My intended use is to bore a hole in the endgrain of a piece of
wood (maple,
cherry, cocobola) about 20-24" long to make a wooden flute. The final
inside diameter could be 11/16" up to 1" It is very important
that the
hole is straight.

Check out Jamestown Distributors for "Ships Augurs".

Lew

Lew Hodgett wrote:
rah wrote:


My intended use is to bore a hole in the endgrain of a piece of wood
(maple,
cherry, cocobola) about 20-24" long to make a wooden flute. The final
inside diameter could be 11/16" up to 1" It is very important that the
hole is straight.

Check out Jamestown Distributors for "Ships Augurs".

Lew

I don't know if this is the same thing, but I bought one at
Ace Hardware. I've used it to drill through fire stops in
load bearing partitions of a wood frame house. The tool is
about 60 inches long with a six inch 3/4" auger bit on the end.

On Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:46:54 GMT, "rah" wrote:

Anyone out there had any experience with these bits? Know of a source?
Have an alternative for boring holes like this? Thanks.

Never herd of that name, but the woodturners have a range of bits used
for drilling lamp bases that can be used for long, dead-straight end
grain holes.

Don't use an auger. They're intended for cross-grain work and will go
askew if used end-on.

Greenlee tools, through an electrical distributor, or the big box stores
handle some Greenlee items, should make them. I know that they make 18"
ships auger bits, and there is an extension available for those bits.
An interesting sidenote. Greenlee which makes conduiit benders, wire
pullers, and a host of other items for the electrical industy, got their big
start in Rockford, IL. The Greenlee brothers invented the hollow chisel
mortising bit.
"rah" wrote in message
nk.net...
After a looking around online I can't find any sources nor many references
(last rec.woodworking reference was in 1998) for planetor bits. When
still in production (and available) they were used to bore long straight
holes in the ship building, electrical and pipe fitting trades. I once
saw a set on Ebay, but that was months ago and haven't seen any since.

My intended use is to bore a hole in the endgrain of a piece of wood
(maple, cherry, cocobola) about 20-24" long to make a wooden flute. The
final inside diameter could be 11/16" up to 1" It is very important that
the hole is straight.

Anyone out there had any experience with these bits? Know of a source?
Have an alternative for boring holes like this? Thanks.

d.williams wrote:

Greenlee tools, through an electrical distributor, or the big
box stores
handle some Greenlee items, should make them.

They make good stuff.

Still have a set of chassis punches that are at least 45 years old.

Lew

Lew Hodgett wrote:
d.williams wrote:

Greenlee tools, through an electrical distributor, or the big box
stores
handle some Greenlee items, should make them.

They make good stuff.

Still have a set of chassis punches that are at least 45 years old.

Lew
OK, I'm posting very late but an alltheweb search gave this as the first
result http://www.wlfuller.com/html/woodchuck_drills.html
Joe

Joe Gorman wrote:

OK, I'm posting very late but an alltheweb search gave this as the
first
result http://www.wlfuller.com/html/woodchuck_drills.html

Fuller makes great cutting tools.

They are located in Rhode Island and available thru Jamestown
Distributors, also in Rhode Island.

Not sure if they are available in the UK.

SFWIW, Fuller and Greenlee both make tools, but are definitely are not
competitors.

BTW, don't have a clue if Greenlee makes a "planetor" bit.

Lew