I'm now a lathe drilling addict!

[Texatdurango]

I started out several months ago using a home made blank holding jig them bought one of the $40 "fancy" drill press jigs and have been merrily going about my way making pens.

Well, I recently made some knot designs and knew I needed to be very accurate with my drilling and just this past week when building up some segmented pieces I realized that I had to be "Spot On" (as our friends across the pond would say).

I remember reading several discussions about drilling with the lathe so I thought I'd see what all the commotion was about. Needless to say, I am now drilling a lot more on the lathe!

When building up a segmented piece, you don't (or at least I don't) always end up with a perfect four, six, or eight sided blank so using a drill press holder isn't that accurate. I will turn the segmented piece down to 3/4", place the round in my Beall chuck and drill the hole using the chuck arbor.

To those who have raised this discussion in the past… THANK YOU! You helped make my pen making a lot more accurate.

Signed… Just another convert!

 

[PatrickTaylor]

I've also been drilling on the lathe, and am happy with it. I didn't want to buy a drill press (I was hand-drilling before) so I bought a jacob's chuck for the TS and some pin jaws for my nova midi chuck. Works like a charm. If only my Jet mini had more TS travel..

 

[Narwhale]

Gotta agree with you guys on this.
The lathe drilled holes are muchmore accurate than my ol' drill press ones.
I also got a set of "pin" jaws for my Talon chuck and use these jaws all the time. Sure makes life better.
Rich S.

 

[Ligget]

Got to agree that there is no better way for precision drilling than the lathe.

 

[LanceD]

I bought one of Pauls drilling vice about a year ago and still have not used it to drill the first blank. I started out drilling on the lathe and it's been over close to three years now that I've been turning and have never drilled a blank with a drill press. I do have one Jet VS used exclusively for drilling and buffing.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

OK Folks could someone please explain how to drill a blank on the lathe? Such as what is needed ect ect.. I am wanting to do some segmenting and the thought of drilling on the drill press and lining up by eye makes me nervous.

Mike

 

[PatrickTaylor]

Originally posted by MLKWoodWorking
<br />OK Folks could someone please explain how to drill a blank on the lathe? Such as what is needed ect ect.. I am wanting to do some segmenting and the thought of drilling on the drill press and lining up by eye makes me nervous.

Mike

I got pin jaws for my chuck to hold the blank. I also got a morse-taper jacob's chuck (aka drill chuck) for the tailstock. Put the bit in the drill chuck and the blank in the jaws, and have at it. VERY simple.... []

also, to advance the bit into the blank, lock the tailstock in place and use the handwheel.

 

[Petricore]

I have also been drilling on the lathe and its awesome for dry wood, but what do you guys do about wet wood ? as soon as it warps its impossible to clean out and redrill the hole on the lathe, unless Im completely missing something :O

 

[Texatdurango]

Originally posted by MLKWoodWorking
<br />OK Folks could someone please explain how to drill a blank on the lathe?

Mike, here are a few photos that might help show what we're talking about.

Here is a blank, already turned into a 3/4" cylinder, chucked into my Beall collet chuck using a 3/4" collet. The drill bit is chucked into a Jacobs chuck and mounted into the tailstock via a morse taper mandrel. Note the tool rest, I rest my hand here and grasp the drill bit to help steady it.

<br />

Here is the drilled blank between my home made dead center and the live center.

<br />

Does this give anyone any ideas? []

<br />

 

[IPD_Mrs]

OK I understand how to put a blank that is 3/4" round into the collet. The question for me still remains how to get the blank round before drilling. I am assuming with a chuck such as the Nova or Baracuda.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Your best bet if you plan to do this often, would be one of the many "small" spur drives sold all over, for example the CSUSA one.

 

[stevers]

Does the blank "have" to be round to drill it on the lathe???

 

[EeyorIs21]

YES, use a 3 or 4 jaw type chuck in the HS and a live center in the TS.

 

[Leather Man]

Do you cut the blank in half before you drill it or do you drill the blank all in one peice?
Thanks
Ben

 

[LanceD]

Originally posted by stevers
<br />Does the blank "have" to be round to drill it on the lathe???

No it doesn't have to be round. I use a set of pin jaws and put a corner of the blank in each of the four corners of the jaws. I never round off my blanks to fit my collet chuck.

 

[stevers]

Originally posted by LanceD
No it doesn't have to be round. I use a set of pin jaws and put a corner of the blank in each of the four corners of the jaws. I never round off my blanks to fit my collet chuck.

Thanks Lance, that answerers my question.
I was thinking I had to turn the barrel round before I could drill it. That just wouldn't have worked in some situations. Some day I may invest in the tools to lathe drill. Drilling has always been a scary task for me.

 

[Texatdurango]

Originally posted by LanceD
<br />

Originally posted by stevers
<br />Does the blank "have" to be round to drill it on the lathe???

No it doesn't have to be round. I use a set of pin jaws and put a corner of the blank in each of the four corners of the jaws. I never round off my blanks to fit my collet chuck.

Lance is correct, you don't have to turn the blanks round if all you're doing is turning a square blank but as I mentioned in my original post, when dealing with segmented pieces I usually am not dealing with a square blank. They usually are either hexagon or octagon shaped with little segments sticking out all over in every direction and cutting them all off, sanding the blank getting it back to a square, hexagon or octagon shape to insure dead center drilling just isn't worth the hassle.

They are going to have to be turned sooner or later so by turning the blank round before doing anything else not only gives me a dead center for drilling but also gives me a chance to see how the segments are going to look.

I don't mean to steer anyone astray, this isn't the perfect solution for everyone in every situation and their aren't any hard and fast rules, it just works for me doing my multi-faceted segment pieces.

 

[stevers]

Gotcha George. That's one of my fears with drilling. I have drilled a couple of segs off center. Hours to glue up and ruined in 2 minutes.

 

[Rmartin]

Once turned round, there would be little difference in drilling with a quality vise and drill press. I'm just saying.

Rmartin

 

[Chuck Key]

Originally posted by Texatdurango

not dealing with a square blank. They usually are either hexagon or octagon shaped with little segments sticking out all over in every direction and cutting them all off, sanding the blank getting it back to a square, hexagon or octagon shape to insure dead center drilling just isn't worth the hassle.

They are going to have to be turned sooner or later so by turning the blank round before doing anything else not only gives me a dead center for drilling but also gives me a chance to see how the segments are going to look.

Sorry to be so dense here but just trying to understand. With such irregular shape and the little segments sticking out all over in every direction how the heck are you finding the dead center to start with? Also, what is the JT you are using on the drill chuck and is one taper recommended over others?

Chuckie

 

[Tuba707]

I have 2 drill presses and 2 jigs for drilling (one made by me and one made by my dad) but I now use the lathe. I have a Nova MIDI chuck with standard jaws and a keyless #2 MT 1/2" chuck. I have not lost a single blank while drilling on the lathe.

I think that it helps eliminate some of the heat build-up because the chips are coming out on a horizontal plane instead of having to work themselves up and out.

 

[brokenbit]

Question for y all What speed do you drill the blank

A Friend say to drill at a very slow speed, to avoid blow-out

Do you wrap your blanks

Bernie

 

[Tuba707]

I drill around 1200 and I have had no problems (acrylic and wood). Heat is your enemy. I also only use Norseman bits, which are coated with TiN or something like it, which reduces friction and keeps the bit sharper longer.