pendant hole help

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RAdams

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About one out of every three or so pendants i do, i end up blowing the whole thing out trying to make the hole. It doesn't seem to happen as bad, or often when i make them out of wood. The PR ends up catching, and the gouge bounces all the way across the face of the piece.

I see some really nice ?tie holes? on the pendants here. How do you guys cut your holes out?

I have considered using some 1/4 inch round HSS stock i have hiding somewhere and making a mini round nose scraper just for this job. I like the look of the hole being turned as opposed to drilled.


Any thoughts, and, or help would be greatly appreciated! I am about tired throwing pendants in my junk PR box.
 
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Well ---- I am no expert yet... I've done a few and have used my skew in 'scraper' position working into the hole to smooth it into that shape... I'd love to see others opinions.
 
I've done about 20 out of PR and use a drill bit on the lathe then use the skew to "round over" the hole made by the bit. The bits have to be sharp and I go slow.
 
I put the backer plate on the offset hole and use a pencil to draw a line where the hole will be. After I'm satisfied with the look, I unscrew the backer off the lathe and quickly drill a hole with the drill press. Then back on the lathe for rounding off the edges. Very quick process. I have in the past cut the holes with the skew but I find it is much faster to drill the hole then finish it off on the lathe.
 
I also use a backer plate. It is about 2 inches in dia. and made of Corian. I normally turn and finish the back, and then reverse it on the plate. Then i turn and finish the front, then i put the backer plate on the offset, and go to town with a spindle gouge to make the hole. I think i really like the idea of drilling it, and then cleaning up the edge. I just recently started drilling on the lathe, so i still get a kick out of the precision when drilling with the lave!
 
I use a backer plate made of a pine 2 x 6 cutoff. I mount it to a faceplate and turn it round to the desired diameter. I mount the pendent off center using two sided sticky tape and drill a 1/4 inch hole, using a tail stock mounted chuck. While the pendent is still attached to the backer plate I carefully shape the hole as desired with my bowl gouge. I guess a spindle gouge or skew chisel would also work nicely.
 
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Hi, and sometimes it is shame to put a hole in such fine specimen of a burl and that is when i attach a silver plated bail, another spin on the pendant. Carl
 
I use a 1/2" skew in scraper mode also, seems quicker than drilling off the lathe. I chuck a glue block with a piece of melamine on the front. I sand the back first and then turn and sand the front, then offset the piece to turn the hole and soften the edge. I stick them to the glue block with double face tape. I would like to get some UMH plastic (I think that's what it's called) and make a backer out of that. Just counter sink a screw to attach it to the glue block. I would think the tape would stick well to that and it would last longer than a wood backer.
 
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