I am having problems drilling wood handles. I tried in the square and the bit wonders like a drunken sailor. Any suggestions? I am drilling on my lathe, slow speed 3/8 inch Brad poit bit

Use a center punch to make a dent in the center of the blank, then your bit shouldn't skate around.

Bill in WV

Jim, I am guessing that when you say that your bit wanders, you're seeing the exit hole quite a bit off from the dead center spot where it started. I had the same problem and switched from a 1/4 inch bit to a 5/16 brad point bit. That helped quite a bit, but the biggest improvement I had on getting a straight hole was getting a new SHARP bit, drilling VERY slowly, and cleaning out the bit OFTEN. Any shaving buildup or dull bit will cause drag to one side and once that starts, you can't get going straight again. Some people here will argue that since the wood is turning at 500-800 RPM that one side of the bit point being dull or having more shaving buildup creating friction shouldn't pull the bit off center since the pull is being distributed equally around the blank. I dunno about that, I am obviously no expert, but the old machinist friend that I showed my first attempts to is, and he told me what was happening and how to correct it. I know the property of metal and wood is different, but this seems to work for me, as long as I don't get into a hurry. I know it can be dissappointing ,especially when you've finally gotten that elliptical inlay just right, just to screw it up when the hole wanders and one side is now an inch longer than the other.

I have had success with drilling in the lathe and I also have had some failures. The failures were cause by me pushing on the drill bit too hard. The RPM can be fairly high, just don't push very fast, if you think you are going way too slow you are probably just right. And as posted before you need to clean out pretty frequently. And I usually snug the the bolt up that acts as jam on the tail stock (not all laths will be the same here) too and that helps. I also found that a regular non drill bit goes straight easier than a wood bit or a brad point, so if I can I start the hole at least with a regular drill bit.

I too am a former machinist and the one thing I think makes a huge difference is that if you are drilling metal there is no grain or other real inconsistencies in hardness to deal with like there is with wood. If you think about it for a minute hitting a spot where it is harder on one side than the other would tend to make the drill bit want to take the path of least resistance.

There are quite a few things to consider in this. First, how deep is the hole you're trying to drill? Second, what RPM is the lathe running at? Third, how fast are you triying to feed the bit into the wood? Fourth, what kind of drill chuck do you have? and finally, how sharp is the bit?

Obviously, the deeper the hole, the more tendency there will be for the bit to wander off center. If you're trying to drill a hole in something 6" long and you have 5.5" of that hanging off your chuck, I don't think you'll ever get it. I drill a lot of wood on my lathe and do it all at 500 rpm and I feed the bit in very slowly until chips are longer coming out quickly, there I pull out the bit. If the bit is more than warm to the touch at that point, I let it cool down. My first drill chuck for my lathe was a Crapsman and it was entirely useless. I now have one from Harbor Freight that cost all of $9.99 and is dead accurate and doesn't wobble. I have quit using brad point bits because I have yet to be able to find someone who can tell me how to sharpen them and you can't use a Drill Doctor to sharpen them. I bought a huge set of bits from Harbor Freight for about $30 and as I need to use one, I convert it to a split point bit with a Drill Doctor. A center punch is a waste of time for wood because it will not keep the hole straight through the wood, nor will a drill bit necessarily follow it in wood.

Each reply to your thread is partially correct. I build and repair pool cues and drilling wood is something I do "frequently." If you build enough rods to warrant the purchase, get a "GOOD" set of center drills and buy the best three or four flute bits you can find. You can also find the brad point in three flute, it's the best. Even with these bits penetration speed is critical, but experience will take care of that. Never allow chips to build up as they WILL bind the bit and cause unnecessary friction and heat.

Thirty two years in the tool trades taught me something, no two pieces of stock are the same and experience will overcome about any obstacle. So you have gained that experience by asking a question.

Remember you are doing a specialized job, get the right tools for it. Center drill with 60 degree shoulder, Three flute "stub" drill (short as three inches), (these bits will allow the longer bits to start straighter), standard length drill and proceed slowly. It sounds as if there are alot of steps, but it does make a much better finished product. Get some scrap wood and practice, practice, practice, it's cheaper and it's sometimes gratifying to figure out what you did wrong when things don't come out right.

If you know a tool maker or machinist they have a wealth of information for this kind of work and they can give you some good ideas on how to build more tools that will make your project better.

Jim, I use 135 degree split point bits, they cut on both edges, clean out very well and mostly cut straight holes. I usually make reel seats out of stabilized wood with the burls and those litle knots will throw them a bit out of whack. main thing is to keep them clean and cool when drilling. I use my turning lathe with a 4 jaw chuck for the square pieces. Drill first, mount on a mandrel, and turn them to keep them concentric. If you start off with a little extra diameter even if you are off a little bit you can get it round. Also sometimes the bits only go off towards the end of the hole and you are able to cut off a small portion and the hole is straight. Any how my experience is that the smaller the bits, the more tendency to wander.

Obviously, if you're turning inlays then you can't be off-center at all. The above suggestions should get you going in the right direction.

However, back when I first started trying to solve the same problem, I came to an interesting revelation. I was (and still am) drilling my square blocks, then mounting on a mandrel, then turning. I kept getting upset that my drill bits would wander. And then, occasionally, I would have a straight hole. What I discovered when I turned both these pieces of wood--the straight one and the off-center one--is that the off-center one was ALWAYS prettier. Having the grain of the wood turned at a slight angle always added some more interesting figure. From then on, I just quit worrying about the straight hole. I use an auger bit on a drill press with oversized blanks. As long as the bit doesn't wander WAY OFF, I'm fine.

Please keep in mind that I use fairly inexpensive wood, and I don't buy a lot of burls and/or stabilized woods. If I was trying to make a grip out of a $30 piece of stabilized amboyna that was 1.10" square, I'd be a lot more careful.