Barracude chuck

[jack barnes]

I got my Barracuda yesterday. I bought it because here lately the blanks I drill on the drill press are off center, so I'm going to set it up on my extra lathe for drilling blanks. hope this solves that problem. Any hints on the setup would be great.

Jack

 

[jtate]

I use my lathe as a drill press but I would wait for other helpful hints. Mine's not the most artful method.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Go to e-bay and buy a cheap set of center drills. The added benifit is that these have a 60 degree bevel if you want to center something for your live center a little better.

These are made to start holes without the "flex" from a smaller drill bit. Due to the thick size and short length they will not walk around before drilling.

 

[leehljp]

I do two things to get perfect holes:
1. I square up my blanks on my table saw
2. drill them on the lathe. No problems; I only do this for all pens that are not slimlines.

When I do slimlines, I usually do them on the drill press, unless I am doing a beautiful piece of wood, then I will take it to the lathe.

But squaring up my blanks on a TS does wonders for the alignment in the lathe.

 

[Draken]

You can also get them at HarborFreight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42279

 

[richstick1]

Yet another cool tip thanks!! I too use my lathe to drill holes in reelseats and pen blanks. Works great, but I can see the center drills helping with the hole starting.

 

[jack barnes]

I want to warn everyone to be careful on what they drill with it. The first thing I drilled was a couple test blanks, went real well. Then I started to drill some Dymondwood, about half way though it blowed out and the drill chuck went flying. Talk about having th crap scared out of me, I'll be sure to be more carefull from now on.

Jack

 

[AFTim]

If the drill chuck went flying...youo might want to slow it down a bit.

 

[redfishsc]

I drill with the Barracuda all the time. I do not even own a drill press. I have access to one at the shop I work at but I don't even bother.


I shoot a pilot hole with a Dewalt bullet-point or a brad point, and then ream out the hole with whatever bit I need from my Harbor Freight bit set.

I drill at 500 or 800 rpm, whichever gets me more giggles at the time.


For dymondwood, lube your drill bit with mineral spirits while drilling. Will improve your drilling quite a bit.