# Drilling straight holes



## toyotaman (Dec 23, 2011)

What is your method for drilling straight holes in your pen blanks? Alot of the time it starts out straight on one end but is very off center when it comes out the other side. I would like to try some segmented turning and I know it needs to be on center so I know to drill slow but is there something else I can do also to assure straight holes?


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## JimB (Dec 23, 2011)

Are you using a drill press or your lathe for drilling? Your lathe will be the most accurate.


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## sumterdad (Dec 23, 2011)

Are you using a pen vise.  Then also are you drilling with a drill press or with the lathe.  If you are using a drill press then make sure you use a pen vise of some kind.  And if you do check straightness of the press.  If you are using the lathe I will have to deferred that to others that use the lathe to drill.


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## renowb (Dec 23, 2011)

If drilling on a drill press, make sure everything is square, ie, the base of your drill press and also make sure the blanks are square. Drill slowly and clean chips constantly.


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## Simplex (Dec 23, 2011)

I do all my drilling on the lathe with great results every time.  My drill press now serves as my buffer.


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## yorkie (Dec 23, 2011)

Colt drill bits help a lot.  I go in about 1/4" and back out and repeat until I get all the way through.  Drill speed at 1,460 rpm's helps a lot.  Go slow and if you start to hear a screaming sound, your bit is starting to bend in the wood.


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## Ruby pen turning (Dec 23, 2011)

IF you had the money, I would get a collet chuck and a key less chuck and do your drilling on the lathe. You will wonder why you had not done it from the start. I think it would cost you around $150.00 
You round the blank to just under 3/4" put it in the collet tighten it up and install you drill bit into the key less chuck on the live center end of the lathe and drill. Life is much easier and accurate.


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## Ulises Victoria (Dec 23, 2011)

Hmmm... I always thought that the drill press would be the most accurate.
I don't have a drill press so I drill in my lathe, but I have found that if the blank isn't perfectly cut, it wobbles and thus the drill makes a larger hole than intended. I use this jig to drill my blanks.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CSCPENCHK.html

Am I doing something wrong?


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## MartinPens (Dec 23, 2011)

I've used the drill press but now use the lathe with a dedicated pen drilling chuck. If one tries to go too fast with a hard grain it can pull off center. Also need to make sure the drill bit is sharp. Let the drill bit do the work - there really doesn't need to be a lot of pressure involved. If you are needing to apply force, then your drill bit is likely dull. Go slow - about a quarter inch or so, pull out the bit to clear out buildup and go a little more.


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## Ruby pen turning (Dec 23, 2011)

Ulises Victoria said:


> Hmmm... I always thought that the drill press would be the most accurate.
> I don't have a drill press so I drill in my lathe, but I have found that if the blank isn't perfectly cut, it wobbles and thus the drill makes a larger hole than intended. I use this jig to drill my blanks.
> 
> http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CSCPENCHK.html
> ...


I dont know that you are doing anything wrong. I get the same wobble sometimes, even when I use my reamer thingy to start the hole. This is one of the reasons I am hesitant to do kitless. Along with all the different sizes that I do not understand.


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## Displaced Canadian (Dec 23, 2011)

I know that drill bits can drift if not sharp. Also they can slide a little over from center before they dig in and start cutting. If your head stock and tailstock don't line up straight things can wobble when drilling.


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## dogcatcher (Dec 23, 2011)

When using the PSI blank chuck, you still should use a center bit.   These don't "wiggle" and let the hole get off center.  Then drill the hole with your bit.

Center bit.


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## watchman7 (Dec 23, 2011)

Drilling on the lathe - Sharp drill bits - and start by facing off the end of the material so it is square - use a center bit to start your hole. You can tell a huge difference when you use a sharp drill bit and let it do the work.


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## fernhills (Dec 23, 2011)

Read this.


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## leehljp (Dec 23, 2011)

Ulises Victoria said:


> Hmmm... I always thought that the drill press would be the most accurate.
> I don't have a drill press so I drill in my lathe, but I have found that if the blank isn't perfectly cut, it wobbles and thus the drill makes a larger hole than intended. I use this jig to drill my blanks.
> 
> http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CSCPENCHK.html
> ...



I use a normal chuck and this is how I do it: 

Mark the center of both ends where you want the start and exit points to be. Chuck the end as best you can. Bring the tail stock and live center up to the point that you want for the "exit point" and engage the live center at that point. Turn the square end down till it is round. Turn from the end only about 3/4 inches towards the head stock. 

Next, stop, remove the rounded end and place it into the chuck. It should be plum square as in "centered" on that end now (unless the chuck is out of kilter). Next, Add the drill chuck and drill bit to the tail stock end. Bring the tail stock and drill bit up to the center of the square stock end. Drill! You  will now have a perfect entrance and exit point.

This is a little extra work, maybe two or three minutes, but on some blanks, this kind of accuracy is worth the extra time.


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## navycop (Dec 23, 2011)

dogcatcher said:


> When using the PSI blank chuck, you still should use a center bit. These don't "wiggle" and let the hole get off center. Then drill the hole with your bit.
> 
> Center bit.


I've never seen one of these before. Do you put this in the chuck like a regular drill bit? Doesn't appear to be much for the teeth to grap on to.


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## GoatRider (Dec 23, 2011)

navycop said:


> dogcatcher said:
> 
> 
> > When using the PSI blank chuck, you still should use a center bit. These don't "wiggle" and let the hole get off center. Then drill the hole with your bit.
> ...



Yes, you chuck it up just like a drill bit. You only drill a little ways in, just until the hole is wide enough for the chisel point on your final drill bit.


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## toyotaman (Dec 23, 2011)

I do use my drill press but I do have a chuck for my lathe. I may try the lathe and see what happens.


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## joefyffe (Dec 24, 2011)

Bit "bending in the wood"?  Uh, just might that be because of the 1,460 RPM?




yorkie said:


> Colt drill bits help a lot. I go in about 1/4" and back out and repeat until I get all the way through. Drill speed at 1,460 rpm's helps a lot. Go slow and if you start to hear a screaming sound, your bit is starting to bend in the wood.


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## joefyffe (Dec 24, 2011)

Yeh, I helped Woodcraft fight the recession, bought about everysize brad point bit I thought I might EVER need. They now set in a tray on my workbench. I use either the square blank jawed chuck or use the 60 degree center bit to drill the ends and turn between centers till 3/4 inch and then use my collets in my lathe. I do NOT drill blanks on a drill press. I have a Jet VS with bottom speed of 200RPM. That's where I drill. My air hose with levered nozzle hangs at the end of my lathe. I turn on the lathe, pick up the air hose and start blowing fresh air down the flutes of my "screw machine bit" (I now use those or jobber length bits) as I begin advancing the bit into the wood. Even though the air keeps things somewhat cool, I still stop occasionally, go have myself another drink and let it cool even more. The secret to a successful drill job is what you are drinking!


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## 76winger (Dec 24, 2011)

I use a combination of this to hold the blank: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18062
and an earlier model of this to drill it: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00922901000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

Between the two, I really don't have much problems drilling, although I've not done any segmented drilling yet. But all woods and acrylics drill straight. Since I have an old shopsmith for a lathe, I think my method is about the best I can get with the equipment I have.


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## sbarton22 (Dec 24, 2011)

I tried this method tonight. I turned about an inch or so round. Mounted the blank in my collet chuck. Then I chucked up my bit and slowly drilled away.

EXTREMELY successful!!

Items of note...
1) My bit never got hot. No heat makes a clean hole and no drift.
2) The natural method of advancing the tailstock meant that I HAD to drill slow. This also contributed to previous point
3) the divots from turning it round acted as a great guide so the bit didn't wander.

Yes, drilling on the lathe is more tedious and takes longer. However, the result a markedly better and worth the effort. I don't think if you are slamming together a slimline, it is worth it, but there are lots of cases when it is. I just figured out how to make mechanical pencils from deconstructing Pentels (pops wanted a 9MM mechanical pencil), and WOW, I wish I had thought of drilling them on the lathe.

Thanks for the advice!


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## navycop (Dec 24, 2011)

76winger said:


> I use a combination of this to hold the blank: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18062
> and an earlier model of this to drill it: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00922901000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2
> 
> Between the two, I really don't have much problems drilling, although I've not done any segmented drilling yet. But all woods and acrylics drill straight. Since I have an old shopsmith for a lathe, I think my method is about the best I can get with the equipment I have.


I too have a shopsmith and am thinking of using the drill press mode to drill the blanks with by woodcraft pen vise.


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## mdburn_em (Dec 26, 2011)

*Drill Press*

I use my drill press.  At some point, I may use the drill-on-the-lathe method, but it's too much trouble right now.
I often have to drill irregular shapes.
I use a Paul Huffman vice
I make sure the blank is square with the drill bit(table must be square)
Use a center point punch to indent where I want the bit to start
I have successfully drilled blanks .37" for slimlines.  Uh, truth be told, I have failed at .37 as well, not much room for error on blanks that size.


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## JD Combs Sr (Dec 26, 2011)

mdburn_em said:


> I use my drill press.  At some point, I may use the drill-on-the-lathe method, but it's too much trouble right now.
> I often have to drill irregular shapes.
> I use a Paul Huffman vice
> I make sure the blank is square with the drill bit(table must be square)
> ...



Ditto what Mark said except that my vice is a Palmgren cross-slide.  It has a vertical v-notch in one face that keeps my blank vertical.  Never had a problem with this set-up.  Regularly drill 3/8" Corian blanks.


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