How Deep is the Shelf on old Simpsons?

[NexlevMM]

I got this the other day and im drilling out the old knot, not sure if i've hit shelf or should keep going, the bottom surface is flat already but im not seeing any old color from the brush. Any ideas if i should go deeper? Its already about 10mm deep, and the bore of the hole is 24mm, this thing was huge in a past life.

 

[GDCarrington]

I got this the other day and im drilling out the old knot, not sure if i've hit shelf or should keep going, the bottom surface is flat already but im not seeing any old color from the brush. Any ideas if i should go deeper? Its already about 10mm deep, and the bore of the hole is 24mm, this thing was huge in a past life.

View attachment 249455

I think you have hit the shelf. You may want to use a layer of epoxy to fill in any irregularities and then work on getting the knot in.

 

[NexlevMM]

I think you have hit the shelf. You may want to use a layer of epoxy to fill in any irregularities and then work on getting the knot in.

Cool. Thank you!

 

[hig789]

Send it to me and I'll figure it out for you.

 

[NexlevMM]

Send it to me and I'll figure it out for you.

I was thinking of sending this one out to you for a nice polish. Then I wised up haha.

 

[Blue-EyedSon]

I've only drilled out one to the bottom and that was kind of by accident. As I was drilling it out, the black/brown resin/glue/epoxy mixture chipped and broke down to the bottom. I don't remember for sure, but I'd guess that the actual handle material didn't show through until about 10-15mm from the bottom of the brush. It was quite deep. After that brush, which also happened to have been the first Simpson brush I worked on, I've not worried about reaching bottom, but just getting to the point that lets me set the knot at the depth I want and using a bit of extra epoxy to fill cracks or irregularities in the plug.

 

[hig789]

I'm not sure about Simpsons but all of my Rooneys have had shelf that was easy to identify. The was a gap between where the shelf was and the bottom of the hole. You should easily be able to feel when you break through the shelf. Unless the handle is hollow you shouldn't have a thing to worry about when you break through.