I snapped my 2mm drill bit off.

Any ideas? 

I think I remember Mark doing this in one of the live streams when he was trying to drill a hole for a strap button. I think he might have used one of Carol's wind chimes to drill it out then refilled the hole.

🤔 🤨 

There are excellent videos on YouTube about how to do this.

Obviously the bridge requires removal.

If you contain operation/repairs, they will be hiden by bridge plate.

I'd probably shave wood /inner side of hole until tweezers/long nose pliers can grip bit.

Either fill where wood was removed or better would be drill and plug and redrill for screw

I've lost count of the 1mm - 2.5mm bits I've replaced over the years.

@russ and @eddie6string Yeah thanks for the reminder guys. I knew about this stuff in the back of my mind, although I had forgotten about the wind chimes. 🤣 

This is one of those times when you just have to walk away and deal with it the day after. I did, however, use my guitar makers knife to carve the lower horn for fret access and I’ll finish it off with a small razor file and sandpaper. 

I think the wind chime method would be good for that one Boo.

@boo

That f$$king sucks!!!

I have that “screw repair kit” or whatever stewmac calls it. You can make your own removal tool by cutting teeth into some brass or aluminum pipe, but I’m guessing that’s what’s known around here as Carol’s wind chime. (Best use for them if you ask me🤫😜)

Nice thing about the homemade version is that you can make different sizes as the stewmac version (while professional) is one size only. It was however designed for small screws.

Good luck dude!

Hi Boo! Bad luck but far from the end of the world. I have had this happen many times with drills of many sizes! At least the hole with the broken drill in it isn’t going to visible so you have a few more options open to you. My preferred method would be to just carve away a bit of a countersink hole with a scalpel to expose the end of the drill and then use needle nose pliers to grab the end and extract it, pulling and twisting at the same time (make sure you get the direction of rotation right 🤣 🤣). I’ve always found that they come out far easier than I was expecting if you can get a reasonable grip on them. The hole can then be bored out to 4mm or 5mm and plugged with a hard wood dowel before trying the pilot hole again.

Darren

The magic starts at 3:10 - could have kicked myself...

https://guitarmaking.co.uk/lesson/drill-the-holes/

BTW: I'd use a 2.5mm for the bridge mount holes next time...

BTW: I'd use a 2.5mm for the bridge mount holes next time...

@markbailey Thanks for that, I’ll buy some new drill bits. 2.5mm 👍

Fixed the problem today. Made a cylindrical drill bit out of some brass tube and cut some teeth in the end of it will a Dremel. Drilled the snapped drill bit out using a drill guide for stability. I then plugged the hole. I’ll cut it flush tomorrow with my flexy Japanese pull saw. 

Coolio!

@boo

That came out great, nice and clean.

What kind of dowel did you use? I bought some plug cutters a few years back after getting tired of the softish hardware store dowel. I can cut plugs in whatever wood I choose and then you get face grain instead of end grain. 

Nice save!

Thanks @eddie6string and @mattbeels I used a bamboo plug. I bought a big tub of bamboo barbecue skewers a while ago from Aldi, I knew they would come in handy for many things. It’s a huge tub, they will last me years at this rate. Bamboo is strong so I know the screw going into it will get a solid grip. The repair is under the bridge and I’m giving this guitar body the full paint job so it won’t get noticed at all. 

@boo

Dude, check it out: I was just on the Siggi Braun website and they‘ve got a guitar for you!

Dude, check it out: I was just on the Siggi Braun website and they‘ve got a guitar for you!

@mattbeels I’m gonna sue. Using my brand. 🤣