3.0 mm Drilling Head

U-STAR 3.0 mm modeling drill bit

A diameter of 3.0 mm is already a great deal by modeling standards. In 1:72 scale you will use it rarely, but in larger scales, on bases and in dioramas you cannot do without a heavier drill. The bit is clamped in a pin vise or in a mini drill; at this size it is worth bearing in mind that small chucks may not take so heavy a shank.

Where a diameter of 3.0 mm suits

Most often where a hole carries something or something passes through it. Mounting a model on a stand, ways through for wires and pins in a base, holes for wheel axles in larger scales, the mouths of wider tubes and tanks, opening solid shapes up before a resin or brass part is glued in. It also finds a use in preparing a diorama, when holes for trees, posts or reinforcement are drilled into the groundwork.

How to work with it

• Always pilot drill with a thinner bit; at this diameter it is almost essential.
• Clamp the part, for instance in a vise. A heavy drill bites into plastic and can turn the part.
• Drill at right angles and without pressure, otherwise the edge of the hole is drawn out and goes white.
• Work in stages and keep withdrawing it, or the swarf will fill the flutes.
• Clean the edge of the hole up with a knife or with abrasive paper wound onto a stick.
• Before you buy, check that the diameter of the shank will fit into your chuck.

Who it is for

For modelers who work in larger scales, who build dioramas and bases or who modify and add to parts. This is a tool, not a kit or an accessory for a particular model.