Japanese game show: people compete to drill the tiniest hole - video

**Jon** · Oct 2, 2018, 09:36 AM

A truly unusual find - a Japanese game show where contestants bring in their own machinery to compete at drilling the smallest hole. As a bonus, this one is overdubbed in technically excellent but culturally awkward English - I imagine that this is how they think Americans like their gameshows presented?

27:45 video:

Previously:

Japanese noodle cutter - GIF
Floor-by-floor Japanese building demolition - GIF and video
Japanese joinery animations
Japanese puzzle boxes

**Frank S** · Oct 2, 2018, 05:35 PM

culturally awkward English or not their grammar and vocalization is better than most Americans I encounter.
That lathe being used is no run of the mill production manufactured to close enough. You can tell he has meticulously trued it after relocating it to the game show set.
Any more I have a difficult enough time using a 4H .07 lead in a mechanical pencil forget a .05

**blkadder** · Oct 2, 2018, 06:56 PM

This has to be just so frustrating for both men. I was an apprentice machinist for a couple of years, and I would never have dreamed something like this could be done. Bravo to both men.

**Saaglem** · Oct 2, 2018, 10:13 PM

Some where, about 10 years ago I've heard, don't know if it is true though, the Americans drilled a hole through a strain of hair, then the Japenees went on and said they cannot top that, so they went and put a bolt and nut in the hole. I'll look for it and post it. NOTE: That's if it was true though.

**ranald** · Oct 2, 2018, 10:32 PM

Sounds like one name is Psycho.

Early on the intrepreter sounded like an info'mercial "BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!".

I suppose that history has shown that micro surgery in mice lead to operating on unborn babies so one day someone will achieve it.

I use 0.5 & 0.7 for woodworking and they are so easy to break.

**12bolts** · Oct 3, 2018, 08:12 AM

Any idea on what make that lathe is? Interesting to note the tail stock operates in the opposite direction to most, (actually all that I've ever operated).

Cheers Phil

**Frank S** · Oct 3, 2018, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by 12bolts

Any idea on what make that lathe is? Interesting to note the tail stock operates in the opposite direction to most, (actually all that I've ever operated).

Cheers Phil

I found that interesting as well. I would have thought a watchmakers lathe with a fractional HP motor would have been better suited.
No matter the origin or manufacture's name of the lathe used that thing is really dialed in

""Some where, about 10 years ago I've heard, don't know if it is true though, the Americans drilled a hole through a strain of hair, then the Japenees went on and said they cannot top that, so they went and put a bolt and nut in the hole. I'll look for it and post it. NOTE: That's if it was true though.""
the way I heard that story was A German got hold of the strand of hair with the bolt through it and was so amassed with what had been done that he drilled a hole through the bolt and nut then put a lock wire through it so it would never shake loose.
I told him sure he did but I want to meet the person who made the drill bits

**yvonf** · Oct 3, 2018, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by 12bolts

Any idea on what make that lathe is? Interesting to note the tail stock operates in the opposite direction to most, (actually all that I've ever operated).

Cheers Phil

Hello
Can't resist to answer because when seeing the video I was "frightened" to note it was the same lathe I owned

It is a Caseneuve HB500
But for sure, my HB500 is not as mint condition than this one !

Anyway I never imagine to choose a so big machine to achieve this so precise little work !

Sincerely

Yvon
Sorry for my scolar english...

**mklotz** · Oct 3, 2018, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Saaglem

Some where, about 10 years ago I've heard, don't know if it is true though, the Americans drilled a hole through a strain of hair, then the Japenees went on and said they cannot top that, so they went and put a bolt and nut in the hole. I'll look for it and post it. NOTE: That's if it was true though.

These stories about microscopic machining abound and are almost universally lies.

A hair's breadth is usually taken to be about 75 um (micrometers) or about 0.003". A hole drilled through would have to be about half that, or 0.0015" which means that, including clearance, the threaded bolt would have to be about 0.001".

The smallest watch screw I've ever encountered is a 0000-160 and has a diameter of 0.060-3*0.013 = 0.021", roughly twenty times the imaginary bolt in the hair.

Color me sceptical.

Today, with a laser, you might be able to drill the hole but the bolt in the hole is not believable.

**Frank S** · Oct 3, 2018, 08:44 PM

Agreed Marv But then again I don't think I ever heard it to be a human hair for all we know it could have been a badger hair still not in a diameter range to support the drilling and inserting a bolt. I can zoom my cad program to draw a bolt that would only be .000000015" in diameter it will look huge on my screen but in real life an impossibility to manufacture given our current level of technology . I once modeled a gear in the program while viewing it one of my guys said that gear looks huge. I said it sure does as long as I'm zoomed as far as the program will go when I zoomed out there wasn't even a dot on the screen. Then I told him it was a 1" to 10 mile scale that I was drawing in