Another drilling question

[Tage]

I didn't want to hijack the last post about drilling on the lathe. Here's my dilemma:

I am making PSI's Over/Under shotgun shell pen. The upper blank is drilled at 9/16". I've done this successfully on my drill press making the Apollo Infinity pen, but that was with a wood blank (square). The blank I have for this is PSI's aquapearl acrylic. The blank is already rounded (supposedly to 3/4" diameter, but I haven't had the opportunity to check it yet), and there's not much room for error. I'm concerned about holding the round blank vertical in a drill press vise, so I was thinking of using the lathe. The only drilling I've done on the lathe so far has been for a few pendants, though this (obviously) is a much longer hole.

Anything I need to take into consideration before tackling this? Some further information complicating this, the lathe is a Rigid WL1200 tube lathe. I don't have a reliable chuck, as the POS one that came with it requires each jaw to be adjusted separately so I can't get a blank reliably centered. I guess I answered my own question....I need to buy a new chuck for drilling (though not really in the budget right now).

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ohiococonut]

Drill slowly and don't allow the bit or the blank to get hot. If the blank gets hot it will deform. There's not much meat left when you're done.

 

[TerryDowning]

A collet chuck is more accurate if purchasing a chuck

 

[Tage]

Ohio - thanks. Yeah, it's that lack of meat that has me concerned. Not much margin for error.

Terry - I'll look into collet chucks. Thanks.

 

[U-Turn]

I use my lathe for drilling all of my blanks except antler. I do a lot of the over-under and you are right - there is very little left, but the PSI collet does the magic! By the way, my most popular combination is Ebony for the top and antler for the bottom - they move quick.

 

[clapiana]

a self centering vise like the one rockler sells would accomplish this with your drill press

 

[Rangertrek]

When I drill some acrylics/plastics I keep a small bottle of water with a little dish soap mixed in. I wet the bit and the blanks while drilling. I never drill more than 1/4" at a time. Keep the heat down and you should have no problems.