172 "ALCHEMY" by Jensen Knives
172: I have assembled one bolster, the bottom in this case, onto the frame using two clamps. I have used two #50 drill bits in the holes to align the parts. It’s handy to have extra drill bits on hand in this case, so keep you’re worn out drill bits. I’m using the shank of the drill bit, not the fluted end. The non-fluted end will fit nice and tight into a tapped hole, you may even have to gently knock the drill bit into the hole with a few taps of a rawhide or plastic mallet. Tapping cuts threads into the wall of the hole, creating ridges that are wider than the initial drilled hole, so the ridges of the threaded hole that are facing the interior of the hole are still the same diameter as the initial pre-tapped hole. Get the alignment drill bits all the way through all components, than clamp everything together. Now you know everything is square. You now have to remove the drill bits, which might take some help from a pair of pliers. Remember that in drilling, the bit will go into the hole easily because the bit is spinning, and flutes allow for air, pressure and debris to escape. This is not so with the shank being hand forced into the hole; that is why it seems so much tighter.
172 "ALCHEMY" by Jensen Knives
172: I have assembled one bolster, the bottom in this case, onto the frame using two clamps. I have used two #50 drill bits in the holes to align the parts. It’s handy to have extra drill bits on hand in this case, so keep you’re worn out drill bits. I’m using the shank of the drill bit, not the fluted end. The non-fluted end will fit nice and tight into a tapped hole, you may even have to gently knock the drill bit into the hole with a few taps of a rawhide or plastic mallet. Tapping cuts threads into the wall of the hole, creating ridges that are wider than the initial drilled hole, so the ridges of the threaded hole that are facing the interior of the hole are still the same diameter as the initial pre-tapped hole. Get the alignment drill bits all the way through all components, than clamp everything together. Now you know everything is square. You now have to remove the drill bits, which might take some help from a pair of pliers. Remember that in drilling, the bit will go into the hole easily because the bit is spinning, and flutes allow for air, pressure and debris to escape. This is not so with the shank being hand forced into the hole; that is why it seems so much tighter.