# I need to drill straight



## brownsfn2 (Jan 27, 2012)

I have noticed as I progress through my learning that my drill press is not as accurate as I would like it to be.  It has not been crtical up until now.  

I got all excited about finding some unique materials on Exotics to turn (cebloplast and ebonite) that I did not consider the diameter.  They are 16mm which looks like there is not much room for error in drilling (making triton).

I do not have a collet chuck but I have put by DP chuck in my lathe to drill a larger spindle on a glue block before.

Is there a way for me to do this without a collet chuck?  I only have a bowl chuck.


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## glen r (Jan 27, 2012)

Until you get a dedicated pen blank chuck for the lathe why don't you square up your drill press to ensure that it is drilling straight.  The easiest way to do this is using a piece of stiff wire bent into a modified "Z" shape - the center part is 90 degrees to the ends.  Tighten one end into you drill chuck and then adjust you DP table to that the other end is the same distance from all sides of the table.  This usually involves some shimming of the table using either brass or even aluminum (soda can) shims.  Once the table is square to the chuck you should have no more problems drilling holes that don't come out the sides.


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## keithlong (Jan 27, 2012)

I drill on the lathe all the time, and I use my 4 jaw chuck to hold the blanks with. I have not had any problem with drilling them straight this way.


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## opfoto (Jan 27, 2012)

I did as Glen R suggests and it improved my drilling quite a bit. I also check it from time to time as routine maintainence. O even use the same exact bent hanger so there is 1 less variable in the mix! You never know when Mr. Murphy will stop in to throw a monkey wrench into the works.


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## GoatRider (Jan 27, 2012)

The problem may not be with your drill press. The problem is the nature of twist drills. The chisel tip on a standard drill bit tends to wander a little bit when it first goes in. Once it's past that it drill straight, but if it got off to a bad start it's going out the side on the other end of the blank.

The solution is to start with a pilot hole with a smaller bit, just a little bigger than the chisel point on your final drill bit. Better yet is a centering bit if you can find one. Or use a brad point bit, that effectively has a centering bit built in.


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## LeeR (Jan 27, 2012)

A set of 3 center drills (or maybe 4?) is about $5-6 at Harbor Freight.  These are a must for getting that starter hole perfectly centered.  Since they are stubby, they do not flex, and give you a good starting hole.


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## ed4copies (Jan 27, 2012)

brownsfn2 said:


> I have noticed as I progress through my learning that my drill press is not as accurate as I would like it to be.  It has not been crtical up until now.
> 
> I got all excited about finding some unique materials on Exotics to turn (cebloplast and ebonite) that I did not consider the diameter.  They are 16mm which looks like there is not much room for error in drilling (making triton).
> 
> ...




The tolerance on this IS very tight.  I would suggest you buy some wood doweling (big box stores have 3' lengths) and practice.  16 mm is VERY close to 5/8".  Once you can confidently drill the center of the dowels, you are ready to start drilling your blanks.


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## carpblaster (Jan 27, 2012)

the center drill made a world of difference with my drilling, got a long cobalt bent a little, i predrill then turn the bent git on the tail stock and start drilling in center, has worked every time


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## Ted iin Michigan (Jan 27, 2012)

Suggest you take a look @ You Tube. Ed (of Dawn & Ed from Exotic Blanks) has just completed a series of (I think) 9 videos. The first (I think) is his method of drilling blanks. I tried it adn it works pretty good. Don't know if it has the accuracy you need but you might try on scrap before risking a pricey blank.


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## LeeR (Jan 27, 2012)

I just used Ed's video recommendation on drilling to drill an antler blank, using a hand screw for a clamp. I normally drill on the lathe, but the irregular antler shape ruled that out.

I am adding a large drill press to my wish list, that has 4" or more of quill travel. My benchtop model was "OK" when I was drilling squared blanks when I first started turning pens, and could flip the blank and drill from the other end. Not possible on an antler blank!

Drilling the antler required me to do it in two steps, I had to add a block of wood under the clamp to raise it up to get that last 1" of drilling. A real pain, compared to drilling on the lathe.


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## Davej_07 (Jan 27, 2012)

LeeR said:


> I just used Ed's video recommendation on drilling to drill an antler blank, using a hand screw for a clamp. I normally drill on the lathe, but the irregular antler shape ruled that out.
> 
> I am adding a large drill press to my wish list, that has 4" or more of quill travel. My benchtop model was "OK" when I was drilling squared blanks when I first started turning pens, and could flip the blank and drill from the other end. Not possible on an antler blank!
> 
> Drilling the antler required me to do it in two steps, I had to add a block of wood under the clamp to raise it up to get that last 1" of drilling. A real pain, compared to drilling on the lathe.



I cut te antler pieces to length and rough them round between centers before I chuck and drill them. It's worked well for me.

Dave


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## LeeR (Jan 27, 2012)

Dave,

Thanks, I am not sure why I didn't think of that!  I've done that with blanks of non-square cross section, like a piece of Corian trim.

There are 3 things I hate about old age. The first is all the aches and pains.  I forget what the other two are ...


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## leehljp (Jan 27, 2012)

To control the entrance AND exit points of small or large blanks, do as this fellow does in this link:

Drill2 - YouTube


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## ed4copies (Jan 27, 2012)

LeeR said:


> I just used Ed's video recommendation on drilling to drill an antler blank, using a hand screw for a clamp. I normally drill on the lathe, but the irregular antler shape ruled that out.
> 
> I am adding a large drill press to my wish list, that has 4" or more of quill travel. My benchtop model was "OK" when I was drilling squared blanks when I first started turning pens, and could flip the blank and drill from the other end. Not possible on an antler blank!
> 
> Drilling the antler required me to do it in two steps, I had to add a block of wood under the clamp to raise it up to get that last 1" of drilling. A real pain, compared to drilling on the lathe.




Lee, what you may not have seen in the video (I'm not sure I did it, when the camera was on), is the 8" x 8" x 2" piece of poplar I use to elevate the blank for the last half of the drilling.  It is under my drill press all the time, bend over, put it in place, drill the rest of the blank (watch the numerical scale to see where the bit will hit the 2x, don't drill quite that far).

Takes seconds and does NOT screw up your drilling setup for the next group you want to do.


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## brownsfn2 (Jan 28, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice.  Good thing the rod of cebloplast is long enough to screw one up.   I squared up the table to make sure it was straight and I already have a pen vise which I know if pretty on.  I am just worried because the low clearance.  I am going to buy a couple of practice rods that size.


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## leehljp (Jan 28, 2012)

LeeR said:


> There are 3 things I hate about old age. The first is all the aches and pains.  I forget what the other two are ...



My doctor told me this week: "Old age is not for sissies!"  :biggrin:


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## Rusalka (Jan 29, 2012)

I used to use my drill press but now I do it on the lathe with my bowl chuck (faster and more accurate).

I think someone else mentioned this but if not check your drill bits.  I got a nice set only to find out that half of them were not true (the wobbled when rolling them on a smooth surface).


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## JRay8 (Jan 29, 2012)

i have taken blanks too small to drill and cast them in pr or alumilite to make them larger. that way the wall of the blank didnt get too thin and break on the drill press.


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## leehljp (Jan 29, 2012)

JRay8 said:


> i have taken blanks too small to drill and cast them in pr or alumilite to make them larger. that way the wall of the blank didnt get too thin and break on the drill press.



VERY good. One fellow, Eagle, once mentioned in a particularly difficult constructed blank that he wound string around the blank and CA'ed it for drilling and initial turning. It served the same purpose of yours. 

Great thinking! Thanks for posting your method! :good:


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## flippedcracker (Feb 28, 2012)

I'm having trouble drilling straight as well. I have both a drill press and the PSI dedicate blank drilling chuck for the lathe. In both cases, my travel isn't long enough to drill all the way through a blank, so I have to flip it around. I find that when I do that, I get a little step in the hole and the tube can get caught on it. I'm guessing that means I'm not drilling exactly in the center, but it happens no matter what I do.


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## Xander (Feb 28, 2012)

flippedcracker said:


> I'm having trouble drilling straight as well. I have both a drill press and the PSI dedicate blank drilling chuck for the lathe. In both cases, my travel isn't long enough to drill all the way through a blank, so I have to flip it around. I find that when I do that, I get a little step in the hole and the tube can get caught on it. I'm guessing that means I'm not drilling exactly in the center, but it happens no matter what I do.


 
OK, I admit I'm new to this and have yet to drill a blank (I have pre-drilled blanks) but you should NOT have to flip your blank.

When you reach the end of travel, stop the lathe, retract the drill, move tailstock up, insert drill into hole, turn lathe on, continue drilling.

Please correct me if I am wrong.


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## leehljp (Feb 28, 2012)

Xander said:


> flippedcracker said:
> 
> 
> > I'm having trouble drilling straight as well. I have both a drill press and the PSI dedicate blank drilling chuck for the lathe. In both cases, my travel isn't long enough to drill all the way through a blank, so I have to flip it around. I find that when I do that, I get a little step in the hole and the tube can get caught on it. I'm guessing that means I'm not drilling exactly in the center, but it happens no matter what I do.
> ...



You are right on about that. This is the way that I do it. The only problem is if he does not have long enough bits. Long enough bits are essential. Or if he is trying to drill a single long blank.


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## butchf18a (Feb 29, 2012)

be very careful with the cebloplast, it is extremely heat sensitive, has a low melting point and will melt. Drill at slowest speed possible, a little water for cooling is not a bad idea and keep the swarf cleaned out often.

for cebloplast on lathe this is my methodology. Attatch a backer block (dowel rod), drill through, then cut the backer off. One way of doing things, works for me. Even on a drill press the backer is not a bad idea, i've used it there with equally good results.


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## randyrls (Feb 29, 2012)

brownsfn2 said:


> I got all excited about finding some unique materials on Exotics to turn (cebloplast and ebonite) that I did not consider the diameter.  They are 16mm which looks like there is not much room for error in drilling (making triton).



Ron;  The cebloplast is very heat sensitive and I have ruined a few blanks due to the drill bit seizing in the hole.  The round blank compounds the problem by making the blank hard to grip with any kind of "point" clamps like jaw chucks and pen vises.  

I have thought of drilling a 1.5" clamping square to the size of the round blank, then slit the piece on one side. Clamp the blank and rod and drill.  As I have said, I have not tried this, it is just a thought.


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