I'm trying to eliminate my wandering drill bit problem when initial boring my insert blanks. I'm doing the spur-center-in-headstock routine with the bit stationary in the tailstock chuck, and easing the tail (and bit) into the turning wood stock.
What bits do you all recommend for this?
Is there something I'm missing?
Thanks folks
JM

I start with a center drill bit. I get them at The Little Machine Shop.. Then I just use a good wood drill bit and have no problems. You can also check out Penn industries they have some very good bits. Thanks Dave

You need to use true wood working bits with a spur center and cutting side bars. Regular twist drill bits are really not made for wood working.

...........

Josh,
I agree with Tom. If you have a Home Depot nearby, see if the have the set of DeWalt bits with the "pilot point" on them. Some people call them pilot point or bullet point, but you want the bit with the little "leading point" or spur center as Tom calls it.
These bits will eliminate the need for any extra labor in drilling astraight hole.

Andy Dear
Lamar Manf.
www.lamarreelseats.com

Andy et al.
The bit that last wandered on me is a rather expensive bit with a brad (leading) point that I bought at my local woodwrk shop just for this purpose. Is this brad point different from you pilot/bullet point?

I mean this brand new bit wandered FAR. Almost through the blank wall. I eased the bit quite gently too, by pushing the tailstock on its tracks then backing off to clear the flutes. The blank was cured, straight-grain black cherry.

Maybe this bit is too narrow diametered (5/16") and can't hold up under the torque? Do I maybe need to start with bigger bits? Maybe 7/16" and up, if the final barrel O.D. allows?

I would go ahead and drill the bore to the desired final size. No need to move up a little at a time. If you need 7/16th then start with 7/16. Also don't push the tailstock. Lock it down and drive the bit by the tailwheel. Cherry drills easily unless your bit is very dull.

I'm confused (not unusual) It sounds like you are not using a 3 or 4 jaw chuck to hold your stock. If I understand you, the stock is just held in place by a spur center in the head stock and a drill bit/chuck in the tail stock! If that is correct, there is nothing to hold you stock straight while it is being drilled. The stock has to be held istraight in place with a chuck while you are drilling it.

Mike

I agree with Mike. I think what you are missing is the 3 jaw chuck to hold the work piece. Maybe what you are doing would work in theory, but in practice, with a very sharp brad point bit, the bit will eat the hole out from the side wobble and it won't drill accurately. I think the sharper the bit the worse it will work.

Me again. There is a way to drill without using a 3 jaw chuck. But the work must be supported at both ends seperately from the drill. What is used is a hollow tail stock center. The stock is mounted between centers as for regular spindle turning. Then a bit is passed through the tailstock and the hollow center and simply pushed up into the work. Used by lampmakers and for other turnings that require a very long hole. Usually used with a D type bit but will work with a twist drill. Another limitation is that the drill must fit the hole, so you are pretty much restricted to 3/8 " or 1/2 " holes unless you want to fit some bushings too. You can get a hollow center from Delta for about 12 bucks. One came with the last lathe I bought. Older lathes may not have the through hole in the tail stock, but most newer ones do. You can also build a special tail stock for drilling from pipe fittings, but it always seemed like too much trouble to me.

I'm with Andy (no surprise there) the DeWalt Pilot point are exceptional drill bits for wood and metal.

Also make sure your bits are true. I bought a (what I thought was) a nice set of brad point drill bits - only to find that about a 1/4 of the bits were not true and caused the same problem. Then I bought the DeWalt and they were all true.

I test them by rolling them on a flat surface and watch for any jumps.

Christian

Josh,
You say that you "by pushing the tailstock on its tracks then backing off to clear the flutes" No...No...NO! That will result in a offcentered hole even with the best drill bits! Always use the handwheel and leadscrew to feed the bit into the wood, never push the tailstock, it is not only ineffective, but dangerous as well.
Also, bradpoint bits suck for this job....a pilot point bit is vastly different from a brad point bit.
After reading your original post, I am also a bit confused at how you are sucuring the piece in your headstock with a spur center and not a chuck.
I promise that with a good chuck, and a good set of pilot point bits this is a relly painless task....with a poor chuck (or no chuck) and the improper drill bits it is very painful task!!!


ANdy Dear
Lamar Reel Seats

Folks,
Sorry it took so long to get back. When it's time to bore, my stock is completely secured in a four jaw NOVA chuck. I only use the spur center and live center setup to rough bore to round so I can get the wood into the NOVA for boring. Of course I wouldn't spin the wood secured only on one end with a spur center.

It seems my big mistake is using this brad point bit (that is likely not quite true) instead of something like these highly-regarded DeWalt pilot points. I'll get a set some today.

I bigger mistake is sliding the tailstock into the wood free on its tracks instead of securing and advancing with the handwheel. It did seem a little shady. I guess I misunderstood someone's instruction.

You know I've looked at these pilot bits. They aren't long enough to get all the way through 4" of wood. Do you guys actually bore from each end of you stock or are there longer models that I haven't seen?

Thanks all,
Markvan

I actually don't think the bit type is the problem. I have used twist drills, brad point, and the dewalt stepped point. Main thing I see is to be sure to keep the hole clear of chips. I drill about an inch and then back the drill entirely out and then set up and drill again. I lock the tailstock and feed with the crank. but then I cut the lathe off, loosen the tailstock and slide it back until the drill clears, crank it back to 0, and then push the tail stock back and lock it down to drill again. Maybe other people are better at this. I do like the expensive, super sharp bits that woodcraft and others sell to drill pen blanks.

One of these days I am going to buy a really good lathe or make a tailstock with 12" of feed. I hate all that jockying around

Thanks Bill.
Do you guys drill/bore from both ends of your blanks or do you use longer bits?

joshua markvan wrote:

> I'm trying to eliminate my wandering drill bit problem when
> initial boring my insert blanks.

There has been plenty of great advise given but I tend to use a parabolic drill bit as it clears the chips better than anything I've used.

I do drill my holes with the tail stock loose enough to slide because the 2" of travel the tailstock gives drives me nuts to tighten and loosen etc. and I've never had a problem with off centered holes.

I have a set of 7" auger bits from sizes 1/4 - 1" in 1/8" increments. I lock the tailstock down, if you do not do this, you will be out of alignment with the head. You must keep it stationary and crank with the wheel slowly. On burls, I turn down the speed to 500rpm, this seems to help the drilling process. I also bought a set of 1/64" increment 12" long drill bits from Grizzly Industrial if I need to open up the bore to a more accurate opening for the wooden handle to accept the blank. I have put on the 1/4" auger bit and had very little wandering, but the key is to go slow (inserting the drill and reducing the lathe speed). Sometimes, if I set the lathe speed to 1000rpm, the screw point on the auger bit grabs the wood quickly and misalignment occurs at the other end. Of course, you can live with misalignment on the other end, provided you use a mandrel next and turn down the wood to a cylinder. If you turn before drilling, the drilling must be precise (just not worth the trouble).

Russ