# Rustic Wine Rack~How'd they do that?



## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

Have you ever seen a finished woodworking project and thought, "How'd they do that?" I'm sure as woodworkers we've all been there…I'm there every week! Usually, I say, "Hubby, How'd they do that?" Then he launches into a really complicated explanation that I barely understand and then I try it, one step at a time. Bugging him between each step until I figure it out. It's a nice little routine…UNTIL he has the nerve to say…I don't know.

So, I'm asking all of you… How'd they do that?










I understand that a hole saw might work…but I'm thinking that it would need to be an extremely large hole saw. Drill Press? Or Drill? I love all things rustic and my hubby loves all thing Liqour! LOL This would be a cool mix of both.

As always, all advice is greatly appreciated!


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

Drill press….......... and hole saw or forsner bit? I have hole saws up to 6" but not forsner bits near large enough for this project.


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

robbin they probably cut the log in half, made the cuts with a band saw and glued it back together, that is what i am assuming, they could have used a very large whole saw, but , not sure…thats a possibility…...


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

OK, maybe it is a hole saw and I'm just over thinking it. That happens alot too! LOL


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## gdpifer (Jan 23, 2011)

Just a thought. A few weeks ago my son and I both needed to drill a hole through about 4" of concrete. We rented a drill and a core bit. The bit was diamond tipped and was about 6" or 7" long. It didn't take long to go through concrete and I know it would have cut through the wood super fast. And, they had core bits that would cut 5", 6" or larger holes.


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

Oooh, now that's an idea! Thanks for the info I'll check it out!


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

Years ago, I had a buddy who was an accomplished amateur magician. I once asked him how a trick was done and he told me that instead of asking how he did it I should figure out how I would do it. - lol

For that projact, I would use a cradle and some kind of deep hole saw.


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## TZH (Oct 20, 2009)

Robbin, I've made a few of these types of wine racks (see http://lumberjocks.com/projects/47171 for one example), and I can tell you they ain't easy to do. I started trying these by using a 3 1/2" hole saw, but it wasn't deep enough to go all the way through the slabs I was using. So, I wound up using the largest forstner bit I had to clean out the plug of the hole. Both steps required that I use a drill press (I have a radial drill press which makes it a lot easier because it extends out at different lengths to accommodate the different placements of the holes). Next, I contacted a woodworker friend to see if he might have a larger forstner bit I could borrow so I could just bore all the way through. He had a 3 1/2" self feed bit I tried twice, and twice, to my dismay, I clocked my shin with the handle of the drill I was using (he told me not to use this bit in a drill press cuz it would total it out). Then I came up with the idea of using the hole saw on both sides and cleaning out the plug with a 2" straight bit in my router. So far, that's been the easiest way to do this I have found. I took Garry's advice and have contacted a core bit dealer to ask them if core bits can be used in wood. Sure hope it can because it sounds a lot easier than what I've been doing. Good luck with yours.

TZH


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

I can tell you from personal experience that diamond-tipped concrete cores do not cut wood well at all. I was on a project that involved coring holes in a concrete bridge; someone had tossed a scrap of wood into the concrete when it was originally built, and we hit it. Even though it was only a scrap, 2×2 or 2×4, it took hours to get through it - as long as it would have taken to get through feet of concrete.


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

Thank you all for your advice! It seems to me that the "simple" looking projects are always the most complicated if done right~LOL. I know a sane person wouldn't even give this project another look…but I am obsessed with figuring this out. Hoping to get in the workshop today. If not today definitely tomorrow.


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## saddletramp (Mar 6, 2011)

Robbin, an Irwin Micro dial expansive wood bit #22 will cut up to a 3 in. hole which will accommodate some wine bottles.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Irwin-Micro-dial-expansive-wood-bit-22-21-/140405932654

You have to do it by hand with a brace and it's a lot of work but it will get the job done.


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

Guess I need to start by measuring all of hubby's bottles~LOL!

Thanks Saddle~I'll check them out!


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

It looks like these folks make some pretty outrageous hole saws…Pretty outrageous prices also.

http://www.pipemanproducts.com/PMP%20Double%20Stack.html


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

Thanks for the link Don. They do seem pretty pricey but I'm sure if you were making a lot of these the price would be worthwhile…just not sure I'll be making that many. LOL


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## rustfever (May 3, 2009)

Wine bottles are normally from 3 &1/8"D to 3 &7/16"D. I have a 3.5" Forsner bit. I have used it in a drill press to drill thru a 4" x 6". No problem, except it takes time to go thru a piece of material 3.5" thick. But it is do-able.


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## LeeInAZ (Aug 16, 2011)

Milwaukee makes self feed bits similar to Forstner bits up to 4 5/8" We used to use them to bore holes for dryer vents using a Hole Hawg drill at 300rpm. I am sure a drill press would work as well.

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/accessories/drilling-accessories/wood-drilling/selfeed-bits

They also have a line of hole saws for large holes with their Big Hawg line. I have no experience with these, but they go up to 6 1/2" or so

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/accessories/drilling-accessories/wood-drilling/big-hawg-hole-cutters


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## DMIHOMECENTER (Mar 5, 2011)

Maybe they used a "scary sharp" auger ! ;=)

Seriously, this will do it: $34 http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-49-56-9030-8-Inch-Hawg-Cutter/dp/B0013WI1NW

or this: $84
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Woodowl%2005302%203%205/8%20Inch%20Self%20Feed%20Wood%20Boring%20Bit&tag=wizedev195-20&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

Thanks everyone for all the great links! Hubby is thinking that I might have more luck with a forstner bit. Truthfully, I think he's afraid that I won't have the muscle power to control the "Hawg Cutter". Don't tell him I said so…but he's probably right! LOL


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

I was just wishing that I was a shoe maker…you know he makes a mess and then the elves come along and finish the work and then clean up his entire shop! Why don't those darned elves ever show up in a woodworker's shop?


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## D1st (Jan 28, 2010)

You could use a router with a jig for the hole and use a collet extension to reach thru. Use a forstner bit to get most of the material out and finish with router. Good luck.


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

Thanks D! A few more days and I'll be giving it a try….gotta wait for some other projects to finish before I've got room in the workshop! LOL


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

I've never seen a hole saw that would go that deep. I own a 3" forstner bit and I think bigger ones are available.

The problem with the big forstner bits is getting your drill press to turn slow enough. The slowest speed on my drill press is 250 rpm. That would probably be slow enough to drive a 3" bit through this wood (especially if it is still green).


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

I don't think my drill press with have a problem going slow… It's a tired machine! Luckily most of the logs I'm planning on using were "cut offs" from beds my hubby has made in the past. So the wood is NOT green. Otherwise, I think I'd give up before I even tried this project! I really think a forstner bit is my best bet. Now, can I find one locally or should I use the trusty internet? LOL. I always try to find whatever I need locally first.


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## DMIHOMECENTER (Mar 5, 2011)

Wanna go slow ? Use a brace and bit.


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## Tootles (Jul 21, 2011)

Sawkerf has a good point. I don't know how they did it, but this is something that I would think might work:

1. Drill a small pilot hole right through the log
2. Use a hole saw, centered in the pilot hole, from each side to cut into the log as deep as you can. It will at least define the edges of your hole cleanly.
3. Remove some of the waste from at least one, but preferably both sides. Aim to get a reasonably flat surface at the bottom of one to make the next step easier. There are a couple of possible methods of doing this, but a mallet and chisel might be the go.
4. Remove the waste between the two holes that you have made in the opposite sides of the log. To do this, I'd consider a series of linked holes drilled around the edge of the hole with a forstner bit, which needn't be a large one, until the 'core' falls out.
5. Now it's just a matter of cleaning up the hole in the centre. Do as much as you can with a mallet and chisels, but ultimately it will come down to filing or sanding.


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

Hubby would like to use a forstner bit if we decide to make these on a regular basis however, the price of those bits is a bit more than I want to spend at this point. Hole saws are much more reasonably priced. He's had experience with a drill twisting him around ~ and it's not an experience he wants me to have…So hubby is working on a jig to hold/clamp the logs for me. More than likely, he'll just end up doing the holes for me. It's one of the many perks of being a woodworking team. LOL.

I really appreciate all of your advice. Like every other project we've ever done usually we ask a lot of advice and then end up winging it anyway! LOL.


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## willd (Mar 9, 2011)

Trained carpenter bees on steroids. They usually bore a perfect 1/4" hole without the steroids. Nice post.


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## robbinscabin (Nov 6, 2008)

We live in a log cabin…I don't need any 'Roid Rage Carpenter Bees around here! Within hours my nice cabin would be reduced to a pile of very expensive sawdust! LOL


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Advice for cutting large holes in hard wood.

When I need to cut a large hole in a hard wood, I usually do it in stages.

First, I start with the largest bit that I will use and only go down a short distance. This defines the edge of the hole. Then, I switch to a smaller bit and drill a hole. Then a larger bit and then another larger bit.

I have cut a 3" hole in padauk (a very hard wood) in 4 steps (1.5", 2", 2.5" and 3").

It is essentially that the wood be securely clamped in place so it does not move between steps.


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