# Routing 1.575 inch holes.



## TerryRFC (Dec 11, 2007)

Hello everyone,

I am creating some plaques to hold poker chips. Poker chips have a diameter of 1.535" to 1.575". I can't find a drill to make the recesses for the chips so I am going to make a template and use template guide (the thingy that fits around the bit and rubs up against the template) to make recesses in the plaque to put the chips in. Most other poker chip displays use a hole punched in foam rubber to hold the chips. The foam rubber does not have to be so critical in it's diameter dimension.

In a couple of sources I have read or seen on DVDs, it is advised that the same edge of the template guide should be used to maintain equal distancing. I know that you can center the bit and do all that but it still seems that always having a single point of the template guide rub the template is the way to go. Expecially if I am trying to maintain some close tolerances.

Now for my question. I am thinking of making a 3 foot diameter turn table as a work surface. Then it would be easer for me to turn the work versus rotating the router as I go around the 1.575+" hole in the template. I would put a small motor on the turn table and just stand in one spot holding the router while the work turns under it. Then I would reposition the work so that the next chip holding recess is at the center point of the turn table. Rinse and repeat for the 20 to 40 recesses I need to create.

Any comments will be very helpful.
Thanks,


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## nzgeordie (Oct 22, 2006)

Terry, you can get 1-37/64" (1.578") Forstner bits if that's easier. They'll give a real clean, flat bottomed recess. Have a look at
www.mlcswoodworking.com
Post a pic when you've finished.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

I would agree with nzgeordie on this one..


Routers do make neat holes but they also make tons on clips 
The Forstner bit will pull them right out unlike the router bit..

I guess you are going down 2" or more, that's hard on a router bit, not to say any thing how many times you will need to plunge the bit in and out of the hole,,

Plus with the Forstner bit when the hole is drilled out you and can go back and take off just a bit of the hole ,so you can get the chips out easy...with two fingers and see what you made in the poker game.. with just quick glance...

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nzgeordie said:


> Terry, you can get 1-37/64" (1.578") Forstner bits if that's easier. They'll give a real clean, flat bottomed recess. Have a look at
> www.mlcswoodworking.com
> Post a pic when you've finished.


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## Charles M (Apr 10, 2006)

nzgeordie said:


> Terry, you can get 1-37/64" (1.578") Forstner bits if that's easier. They'll give a real clean, flat bottomed recess. Have a look at
> www.mlcswoodworking.com
> Post a pic when you've finished.



The bit mentioned above is likely 40mm which is actually 1.5748". Lots of 40mm bits are available, mostly in industrial carbide boring bits like this:
http://www.freudtools.com/p-300-industrial-carbide-tipped-cylinder-hinge-boring-bits.aspx


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## TerryRFC (Dec 11, 2007)

Hmmm, I must be missremembering the diameter I need. I have a 40mm forstner bit and it is a hair too small. I will recheck tonight.

Thanks for the replies.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Terry


40 mm = 1.574798

most poker chips are 1/8" x 1-9/16" ,,,1.5625" , 39.6748 mm
casino-size, 11.5g and 14g

Free Convert program ▼
http://joshmadison.com/software/convert/



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TerryRFC said:


> Hmmm, I must be missremembering the diameter I need. I have a 40mm forstner bit and it is a hair too small. I will recheck tonight.
> 
> Thanks for the replies.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

You want to make holes a bit larger than the chips. Otherwise, it could be hard to get them out.


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## TerryRFC (Dec 11, 2007)

Boy, I am getting old. The Forstner 40 MM bit was too large and I wanted a tighter fit. Not totally tight but better than the hole the drill would give me. I was going to use the router for other things on the plaques so I decided to make the recesses for the chips with it.

The actual dimensions are 1.545 to 1.560. The hole the 40mm bit left was way too big for the smaller chips. Enough to have quite a gap at the top. 

So now back to my turn-table. Anyone ever tried or seen such a contraption? Any advice on using something like it?

Thanks again,


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

*Routing small holes*

Terry firstly I do not see the need for the holes to be produced to suit the degree of accuracy.
Here is my interpretation on how I would go about solving the problem.
First decide on how large the hole is to be inserted. Then decide on what cutter and template guide you are to use.
Simply add the diameter of the hole required to the difference between the guide and cutter and produce a circular cut-out in say a square template with the circle cutting jig.

*As an example in Metric
Size of hole required= 39mm 
Using a 40mm template guide with a 10mm cutter

Therefore size of hole in template is 39mm + {40mm-10mm} = 69mm*

Should you change the size of the chips you will require a new template with a different cut-out.

Terry I hope this has been of some help, unfortunately I will be away for the next 10 days but I am sure my star student Harrysin will be able to assist you with any further questions.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Terry, why not post a sketch of what you have in mind, then I'm sure we can give you a suitable method of construction.


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## TerryRFC (Dec 11, 2007)

To answer a couple of comments:

Yes I am creating chip displays that will hang on the wall. One chip per hole. The 40mm bit is way too big for this and leaves a large gap at the top.

I am mostly concerned with easily creating 25 to 40 chip holes in a single display and repeating that process over and over with a wide variety of shapes of the display. Some will be rectangular. Some hexagonal. some in the shape of the card suit:Spades or Clubs or hearts or Diamonds. Repeatability and ease of working are my main concerns. That is why I came up with the idea of the turn table.

I will be creating 2 hole templates that can be used for any display. One will be a 4 rows of 5 holes in a rectangular pattern and the other will be 4 rows by 5 holes in a hex pattern. 

I will then be creating many templates for a wide variey of outside shapes of the displays.

In creating a display I will first route the outside shape with a template. Then I will use one of the 2 Hole templates to populate the display with recesses that hold a single chip. I may only make 6 recesses or I may make 40, all depending on the size and shape of the display.

I figure using a turn-table will make the process repeatable and accurate.

;-)


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Terry, you obviously have the methodology all worked out without outside help, but the thing which still puzzles me is why accuracy to three decimal places is required, does it really matter if 1.5" instead of 1.575" is used and a dab of adhesive applied to the rear of the chip considering it's for display purposes only. Is that extra 75thou. really that important? As a matter of interest, if you take a peep at these shots, you will see that 1.575" is in fact a smidgeon under 40mm, the actual conversion shows the 1.575" to be 40.03mm.


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## Charles M (Apr 10, 2006)

If you use template guides and center them properly you don't need to worry about keeping one part in contact with the template for accuracy. More importantly, it seems to me, you will need some way to accommodate the varying sizes of chips so I think you will need a lot of different sized templates. Or one of these:


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## TerryRFC (Dec 11, 2007)

I will add some shots of my sample tries. I think you will see the big difference in the fit of a chip in a 40mm hole versus a chip in a hole that I did with the router and a collar guide.

I will also try and make some photos of my sketches and see if you think this is going to work. I know I can make one and have it look good. It might take me 8 hours but I know I can do that. I would love to be able to roll one out in under 30 minutes. We shall see.


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